"Power Rangers Turbo/Techno Rangers"
Act 3: In Kim's Shadow
by Aaron Thall
Power Chamber...
Wendy turns away from the viewing globe. In her mind, all she thought, over and over, was, "This is all my fault!"
Matt and Kim head over to Alpha.
"Alpha," begins Matt, "Contact Ninjor and Trey. We're going to need all the help we can get on this one."
"Yo yo yo! I'm on it Matt!"
[New Replace Term] takes a moment to instruct the Techno Rangers. "Remember, Rangers, that the Terror Toad is a dangerous and unpredictable foe. You must disable his molecular regenerator before you can defeat him. Our scanners have pinpointed the device just below the base of the horn, protected by a force field."
"Understood [New Replace Term]. We're on it. Ready Wendy?" Wendy doesn't respond.
"Wendy?"
She turns and faces Matt and Kim.
"This is my fault."
"Come again?"
"If I'd just seen that one RoboTenga staying out of the fight, we'd have gotten to the others in time to stop that thing!"
Kim speaks up. "Stop it right now Wendy! I don't know what's wrong with you, but there was no way you could have known! The only way you'll let the Rangers down is if you give up!"
"She's right Sis. I can't do this without you." Matt places his hand on her shoulder. "We have to stop the Terror Toad here and now, before it's too late."
Wendy closes her eyes and lowers her head. Slowly, she ponders what could happen if she does give up on herself.
She raises her head and opens her eyes. "Let's do it."
Matt and Wendy move to the center of the Power Chamber.
"Good luck guys!" says Kim.
"We'll need it." responds Matt. "Now, are you ready, Sis?"
"Now or never, Bro."
"IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!"
The two Rangers interlock hands high over their heads. The Techno Morpher appears.
"TECHNO MORPHER ONLINE!" they say in perfect unison. Slowly, they pull apart the Morpher, allowing the two ends to slide around, forming two separate Morphers. They thrust the devices forward and make the call.
"TECHNO RANGER ONE!"
"TECHNO RANGER TWO!"
The two Morphers splits into halves, and Matt and Wendy pull those halves apart, energy trailing them. Their gunbelts appear first, complete with Blade Blasters in the holsters.
Their uniforms are next, replacing their civilian clothing. The uniforms are reminiscent of the original uniforms worn by the Power Rangers.
The last to appear are their helmets, which snap into place like they were alive. The visors lower into place with ease, completing the transformation.
There was no more Matt and Wendy.
There were only the Techno Rangers.
They teleported from the Power Chamber. As they did, Kim uttered a silent prayer for the world.
***
Divatox's Subcraft...
Porto watches the playback of the fight between the Terror Toad and the Turbo Rangers.
"EXCELLENT!" he exclaims. "The Toad is doing wonderfully! Only the Techno Rangers and their allies remain! Soon the world will belong to Divatox!"
"Beggin' yuir pardon,' begins Klank, "but this is a group effort Porto. The world shall belong t' all three of our rulers."
"My apologies Klank, Finster. You are correct. Now, shall we watch, and enjoy our victory?"
Finster speaks up. "I must warn you, the Terror Toad is a very unstable monster. If he does succeed in his mission, what is to stop him from turning on us next?"
"Included in his cybernetics is a small control device." explains Porto. "If he becomes uncontrollable, I will be forced to activate it."
"Just t' be sure," adds Klank, "Orbus and I'll go t' the Park to insure the Rangers' defeat."
"Very well." Porto turns back to the periscope. The second round was about to begin.
***
Angel Grove Park...
Twin beams of laser light strike the Terror Toad in it's eyes. As the Terror Toad tries to clear it's vision, Matt and Wendy flip over the monster's head and land gracefully, several yards behind it.
"TECHNO RANGERS!"
The Terror Toad turns to face them, it's vision nearly cleared.
"So! You wimps finally decided t' show up! Well, yer too late ta save the Turbo Twirps, but yer just in time ta join 'em!"
"Think again, abomination." From out of nowhere, Trey, the Gold Ranger, strikes the Terror Toad in the back of the head with his Golden Power Staff. The blow knocks the Toad off it's feet and onto it's face.
"Oooooooooo... yer gonna pay fer that!"
Two feet, made of blue armor, come into the creature's view. The Toad looks up to see the robotic body of Ninjor.
"Sorry, but we're a tad short right now." Ninjor picks up the Toad by the horn with one hand and throws him halfway across the field.
Matt, Wendy, and Trey run over to join Ninjor.
"Nice one Big Blue." says Wendy as she holsters her Blade Blaster.
"Concurred." adds Matt. "Now remember: our target is the device under the horn. We disable that, and we've won this fight."
"We're going to need some heavy firepower to weaken him bro." Wendy turns to see that the Toad is pulling itself to it's feet.
"WE NEED TURBINE LASER POWER!" No sooner does Matt make the call, than the Turbine Laser appears, held up by an elevated chassis. Matt and Wendy run over to the Laser while Trey and Ninjor ready themselves. "LOCK AND LOAD!" The barrel of the Turbine Laser extends and the turbines begins to spin, creating powerful surges of energy. "FIRE!" An orb of explosive energy launches from the Laser and streaks towards the Terror Toad.
"IT'S TIME FOR A GOLD RUSH!" Trey holds his Staff high up into the air.
Golden
energy surges into the head. Then the head opens and the Staff reaches full power. Trey swings the staff forward. Orbs of golden energy launch out.
Both attacks strike the Terror Toad at the exact same instant, and knock the Toad back. Ninjor takes the opportunity to leap at the creature and swing his kitana. The Terror Toad ducks under the first strike, but Ninjor quickly reverses the direction of his swing and bashes his fist into the Toad's face.
"Nice try, frogface!" Ninjor raises his kitana up to deliver the final blow.
"THAT'S IT!" The Terror Toad opens it's mouth wide and another bubble is released. Ninjor doesn't even see it coming.
"WHAT THE?!" Ninjor tries to pull himself free of the bubble, but to no avail. Within seconds, he is trapped, just like the Blue Senturion was earlier.
"NINJOR!" Wendy moves towards the bubble, but Matt races towards her and pushes her down. She hadn't seen the Toad launching his tongue towards her.
"Watch it Wendy! You almost became his dinner!"
She clenches her hand into a fist. She should have expected and anticipated that. Her problems with Kimberly were interfering with her performance as a Ranger.
Trey delivers a powerful side kick to the Terror Toad's head. The Toad ignores the strike and fires a burst of energy that sends all three Rangers to the ground.
"Time to put an end t' the Golden Era!" Before any of them can react, the Terror Toad's energy tongue lashes out and wraps around Trey. The Techno Rangers watch in horror as Gold Ranger is transformed into a ball of golden energy that is quickly swallowed by the monster. His helmet appears on the creature's stomach. "Now =THAT'S= what I call power!"
"We need a new plan, Sis."
"And we need one now."
***
Power Chamber...
Kim and Alpha watch the battle through the viewing globe.
"[New Replace Term], can they beat that thing alone?" asks Kim, turning away from the device.
"They must Kimberly. They are Earth's last hope."
"I just wish that there was something I could do to help." Kim slams a fist onto the top of a control panel in frustration. She didn't like being on the sidelines. She wasn't a Ranger any longer, but that didn't mean she could just ignore a threat to her friends. "There's something wrong with Wendy. She's been acting upset about something."
"Than we can only hope that she can overcome her feelings and doubts when the time comes." [New Replace Term] turns back to the globe.
"I just hope that she does it soon." Kim returns to her place by the globe.
It was up to the Techno Rangers now.
***
Angel Grove Park...
The Terror Toad fires it's tongue again.
"NOT THIS TIME!" Matt yells as he dodges the slimy rope.
"If at first ya don't succeed, do it again!" The Terror Toad retracts his tongue and launches it again.
"TECHNO RANGER ONE HOOK LAUNCHER!" Purple energy surrounds Matt as his Techno weapon appears in his hand. He quickly fires, causing the rope to entangle the monster's tongue.
"HEY! LET GO!"
"ENERGY PULSE!" Electricity surges through the weapon, frying the appendage. The Terror Toad screeches in response to the sudden agony the move subjects him to.
"That's the last time I try to eat spicy food!" says the Toad as it tries to pull it's tongue in. However, the Hook Launcher's rope holds it steady.
"You're not going anywhere Toad!" Matt extends the rope and wraps it around a strong tree branch. "KE-YAH!" Matt leaps up and delivers a powerful flying kick to the Terror Toad's horn. The horn snaps off, but it quickly grows back.
"I've had it with you! I'm saving you for last, Purple!" The Terror Toad fires a barrage of energy that shatters the tree branch (freeing it's tongue in the process) and knocks Matt off his feet. The Toad follows up with another energy bubble that surrounds the dazed Matt.
"Gotta get out of this thing!" Matt tries to pierce it with his Blade Blaster, but the Bubble refuses to break. He was trapped, just like Ninjor and the Blue Senturion.
Wendy was on her own.
The Toad laughs as Matt's attempts to extradite himself from his prison fall short.
"On second thought, maybe I'll take care of ya right now!" The Toad opens it's mouth to fire it's tongue. The tongue quickly lashed out and broke through the bubble. Before he knew what was happening, Matt was entangled.
With one tug, Matt broke through the energy bubble. His head landed in the Terror Toad's mouth.
The tongue is suddenly attacked by a glowing whip. The monster feels a surge of agonizing heat as the whip strikes the tongue but ignores it as he finishes swallowing the Purple Ranger. A second later, Matt's helmet appeared on the creature's stomach.
"MATT!" Wendy snaps the whip again. Sparks fly as the whip strikes the Terror Toad.
"About time you showed up!" says the Toad as it recovers from the strike. "But yer not gonna win! You couldn't even beat a buncha RoboTengas! Yer nothin' t' me! Why not give up now! Save yourself the trouble!"
Wendy hears her own thoughts twisted around by the monstrous creature. True enough, this hadn't exactly been her best day.
Her sudden hesitation was all the Terror Toad needed. Without warning, he fired his tongue once more. Wendy, thinking quickly, held her breath as the tongue wrapped around her.
"GOTCHA! In ya go, Gray Gal!"
*NO! IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS! THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO BEAT THIS THING!*
The Terror Toad pulls on his tongue, pulling Wendy into his mouth. A last second turn causes her to face upwards as he begins to swallow.
'What was it Kim said to me?' she thinks. 'The only way I can fail the others is if I give up on myself!'
Remembering that she was holding her breath, Wendy releases it. The tongue, as a result, is suddenly slackened, allowing Wendy to free her arm and grab her Blade Blaster. As she grabs it, the blade snaps into place.
"AND I'M NO QUITTER!" she yells aloud as she slams the blade into the horn's underside. The horn splits into two pieces.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!" screams the monster as it, overcome by pain and suprise, lets go of Wendy, who, having already been halfway to becoming his dessert, slides free of his gaping maw and rolls to safety.
"You almost had me, Toad, but 'almost' only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades! You can't defeat me! I'M THE GRAY RANGER, AND I'M TAKING YOU DOWN!"
Wendy ups the energy output on her whip to full power. The Terror Toad begins to charge.
"Forget it Toad! YOU'RE FINISHED!" Wendy races towards the Terror Toad, her whip crackling with energy. Reaching deep into the ninja powers that were at her control, she leaps up into the air.
"HEY! WAITAMINUTE!"
Wendy doesn't hesitate. Before the Toad can create any kind of defense, Wendy slashes at him with her Blade Blaster, slashing off the horn's remains. With her right arm, she brings her whip down, melting the molecular regenerator.
Then, Wendy delivered a powerful kick that knocked the Toad back three feet. And finally, with both her weapons raised high over her head, she slashes downwards.
The Terror Toad literally flies back from the force of the strikes. Wendy watches as the bubbles holding Matt, Blue Senturion, and Ninjor shatter, freeing them.
"Excellent work, Gray Ranger." Blue Senturion says as he holsters his Synergizer.
"LOOK!" Ninjor points to the Terror Toad. The six Ranger helmets on the creature's stomach begin to glow. "They're free!" All at once, the Toad's mouth flies open as seven orbs of energy fly out. Almost immediately, the orbs reform into the Turbo Rangers and the Gold and Purple Rangers.
"ALRIGHT!" says Tommy as he and the others regain their footing and then run over to join their friends.
"Man, that was disgusting!" Justin makes a show of wiping his uniform clean. Matt, Adam, Kat, and Tanya make sure that they're all in one piece before giving Wendy their thanks as well.
Slowly, the Terror Toad begins to rise to it's feet.
"So, you think you've won, do ya?! I beat ya once, an' I can do it again!"
"You've never beaten me," says Wendy, "and you're never going to!" Wendy spins around. When she faces the Toad again, she's holding the Power Bow and her own Energy Whip. She taps a code into the whip and it becomes rigid. "SEE YA!" She uses the Bow to launch the Whip, which slices through the Terror Toad's mouth. The creature falls to the ground, it's mouth smoking.
Klank and Orbus watch as the monster falls to the Gray Ranger's attack.
"It looks like Porto's plan has fallen short!" Klank points it out to Orbus.
"Then it's time for him to become a =REAL= terror!" Orbus transforms into his wrecking ball configuration. Klank takes the handle of the chain.
"Around, and around, and away ye go!" He swings Orbus around his head and lets go. Orbus lands next to the Toad and begins firing energy at the creature.
'It's time for a pick-me-up!" The Terror Toad is surrounded by green, crystalline energy. As the energy field grows, so does the Toad, until the monsters is as tall as a skyscraper.
"Now you're just bite size, Rangers!" bellows the Toad.
Tommy and the others get into position. "WE NEED-"
"WAIT!" yells Wendy. "This is my fight, guys."
"Are you sure?" asks Adam. "This guy's tougher than he looks!"
"I have to Adam. I need to prove to myself that I can do this."
"Good luck, Wendy." Tanya pats her on her shoulder.
"We're with you... all the way." adds Kat.
'Thanks guys. I won't let you down."
The Terror Toad moves closer towards downtown. Wendy gets into position.
"I NEED NINJA MEGAZORD POWER NOW!"
***
Time and space warp, allowing the Ninjazords to leave the Desert of Dispair and travel to Angel Grove. Wendy leaps into the cockpit of the Black Frog as it hops towards the Terror Toad. Wendy takes a second to appreciate the irony of fighting a toad with a frog.
The Terror Toad, upon seeing the Black Frog, launches a barrage of energy at the zord. Wendy ignores the blasts and activates the flame thrower, which sears the Terror Toad's legs. The monster topples back in response.
"Fried frogs' legs anyone?"
Matt's voice comes over the communicator. "We'll pass, Sis."
The Terror Toad pulls itself up, just in time for several miniature versions of the Black Frog to attach to it's gigantic body.
"HEY! GET OFF!"
"If you insist..." Wendy presses a button on her control panel, and all the mini-frogs explode, sending the monster to the ground once more.
Wendy takes the momentary lapse in the battle to call in the other Ninjazords.
"FULL POWER!" Black Frog transforms into the legs of the Ninja Megazord. Yellow Bear transforms into the chestplate, while Blue Wolf and Red Ape become the arms. Pink Crane folds in on itself, transforming into the head. One by one, the five Ninjazords come together, completing the transformation.
Terror Toad looks the Ninja Megazord over. "No zord's gonna help ya now!"
"I'm giving you one chance to surrender, Toad. Don't be stupid."
"SURRENDER THIS!" The Terror Toad lashes out with it's tongue. The red appendage wraps around the Ninja Megazord. With a powerful tug, the Terror Toad pulls the Ninja Megazord into it's mouth.
'COME ON, WENDY! YOU CAN DO THIS!' Wendy keeps repeating this in her head,
even as the Terror Toad finishes swallowing the zord.
The Terror Toad pats it's stomach as the heads of the Ninjazords appear on it's stomach.
And it begins to act ill as the heads begin to glow in their respective colors. All at once, the Ninja Megazord blasts out of the Terror Toad's stomach, landing in a kneeling position. Wendy makes the zord turn. She sees that the Terror Toad's nearly finished.
"What has been made can never be unmade! You can never destroy the power of
ninja!"
"Let's see about that!" The Terror Toad's tongue wraps around Blue Wolf. Wendy watches as the Toad begins to charge.
"Only one shot!" The Ninja Megazord pulls hard with the Blue Wolf, causing the Toad to lose control of his momentum. It flies towards the zord, screaming bloody murder. Inside the cockpit, Wendy smiles. With a few controls set, the Red Ape pulls back and delivers a powerful blow to the Terror Toad, it's fist shimmering with red energy the whole while. The Terror Toad explodes instantly.
"Looks like the good guys win again!" Wendy leaps down, towards the Park, even
as the Ninja Megazord is teleported away. She lands in front of the other Rangers, in a kneeling position similar to that of the Ninja Megazord's. She pulls herself to her feet and looks around. All around the Rangers, a crowd has gathered. All of the people are cheering the Gray Ranger.
Celebrating her solo victory.
And right in front is Kimberly. Although the cheers of the crowd drown out Kim's voice, Wendy can still read the former Pink Ranger's lips.
Kim was saying "I knew you could do it." ***
Divatox's Subcraft...
Porto turns away from the periscope, sighing sadly. Why had his beautifully crafted plan failed? What had inspired the Gray Ranger to win?
No matter.
Porto watches as Elgar hops by, completely entangled in the toad's tongue.
"HELP! MAD FROG! MAD FROG!"
"Oh... be quiet Elgar! If Divatox and the others ever find out about what I've done..."
"And what would that be, Porto?" asks Divatox as she walks into the control room, Lord Zedd and King Mondo behind her.
"Oh dear..."
END OF ACT 3
