World Bender: Season 3

[Beckoner]

Here it is fellas! The premiere episode of World Bender Season 3! Don't worry about the Dino Thunder Rangers. I know I said they'd appear in the first episode, but if I included them this episode would be MUCH longer. And this episode is ridiculously long as it is. As such, they've been moved to episode 2. This should resolve any unanswered questions about Jaron, Mark, Nicole, and Sergio.

I hope you enjoy it. I've got some stuffage planned. Stick around for a while, cause if this turns out to be half as good as I hope to write it, then it'll be as good if not better than Season 2.

Without further introduction, I give you season 3.

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WORLD BENDER IS BEST VIEWED IN RANGERBOARD: DARK THEME FOR TEXT FORMATTING REASONS.

If you wish to read Season One, click here. (http://www.rangerboard.com/showthread.php?t=115027)
If you wish to read Season Two, click here. (http://rangerboard.com/showthread.php?t=117698)

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Episode Listing
Episode 1: An International Endeavor (http://www.rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3124710&postcount=1)
Episode 2: Preparing the Proteges (http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3132272&postcount=7)
Episode 3: Return of the Benders (http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3139204&postcount=14)
Episode 4: Visions of a Fallen Friend (http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3140804&postcount=17)
Episode 5: Escalation (http://http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3143357&postcount=21)
Episode 6: Vengeance from the Grave (http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3196194&postcount=30)
Episode 7: Hidden Enemies (http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3196199&postcount=31)
Episode 8: Infiltration (http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3196202&postcount=32)
Episode 9: Two of a Kind (http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3196206&postcount=33)
Episode 10: A Day of Rest (http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3200982&postcount=37)
Episode 11: What Goes Around Comes Around (http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3200986&postcount=38http://rangerboard.com/showpost.php?p=3200986&postcount=38)


World Bender Season 3
Episode 1: An International Endeavor


It was a bright and sunny day, with warm sunlight illuminating the landscape. The morning dew was still present on the roses as an attendant checked them. These roses lay ornately organized behind the White House. A man clad in a black suit walked up the path not far from it, with two Secret Service agents bringing up both his flanks. He walked with an assured confidence. A visitor tag hung from his outside pocket. With his escort, the man navigated his way into the building, passing through a long corridor in the West Wing in order to enter a conference room. He had been here before, and his memory of the White House was spot on. When he was ushered into the room, the President of the United States was already waiting for him.

“Mr. President,” the man greeted.

“Hello Mr. Jones,” the President responded as he shook his hand.

The man smiled.

“You can call me Arden, Mr. President,” said Jones.

“Very good, Arden it is. So, I’m told you’re more or less the unofficial envoy to the Power Rangers?” asked the President.

“I know a few things about them, and I’m able to relay the occasional message,” said Jones.

The President gave Jones a sly look.

“I see,” the President then gestured for Jones to have a seat, which he did.

“The Rangers are very protective of their identities. By talking to you, they’re already taking a big risk. Chances are I won’t be able to communicate with them anymore, being that I’ll end up under surveillance,” Jones said brazenly.

The President laughed.

“I understand your concern. If it’ll assuage your fears, this meeting of ours is off the books. The military has nothing to do with this. You’re dealing directly with me. I’d rather not complicate things,” said the President.

Jones gave the President a skeptical look, but returned the same smile.

“So anything I tell you will be kept in the strictest confidence?” Jones asked carefully.

“You have my word,” the President said in a sincere demeanor.

Jones sighed.

“Alright, shoot,” Jones allowed.

“Thank you. What I want to know is what’s happened to the Power Rangers? They’ve been gone for several months. The last time there was any recorded appearance of them was during the conflict here in DC. And is there any connection between the Rangers and the seismic event in the Rockies? My geologists have given me every report I could ask for. I’m not sure I like the idea of giant holes being drilled into the planetary core on American soil,” the President said in his commandeering but subtle voice.

Jones then tilted his head back, recalling events from a while back. He remembered when the Benders displayed their power by effortlessly trapping the Case Holder in the Earth’s core. He still was amazed and terrified that anything could possibly wield that sort of power. While he never did find out what the Benders were, he could surely warn the President.

“Mr. President, just like I’m going to have to accept that there are some things you can’t tell me, you will have to accept that while I am on your side, there are some things I can’t tell you,” Jones spoke carefully.

“Then we’ll just have to trust in each other’s judgment,” the President said sternly.

“That’s fair. What I can tell you is that there are forces at work more powerful than the Power Rangers. They are dangerous, and they are capable of things we have yet to fathom. This goes beyond national security. Everyone is threatened by this,” Jones warned.

The President gave Jones a skeptical look, interlocking his fingers and leaning forward as he considered his next words carefully.

“And what do you expect me to do about this?” said the President.

Jones paused for a moment, and then slowly reached into his pocket. The Secret Service agents in the room quickly stuck their hands in their coats, clasping their weapons in preparation. Jones then withdrew a key ring with several flash drives attached to it. He offered it to the President, who reticently took it from his hand.

“You’ll want to give that to your technology department. Consider it a good faith offering,” Jones explained.

“What is it?” the President asked while he eyed the key ring.

“Just enough technology to build cost effective equipment to make a difference,” Jones answered.

“You expect the United States to front this unseen war?” the President asked incredulously.

Jones shook his head.

“No. But when the opportunity presents itself, assistance would be greatly helpful. We can’t afford to hold back on this. I’m already putting weapons technology decades ahead by giving you this. I just hope I’m making the right decision,” said Jones.

“I don’t suppose you could be a little more specific?” asked the President.

“I’m afraid I can’t,” said Jones.

“I see. Well, you should know that I can’t openly declare war without congress, so everything from here forward will rely solely on executive power. And even if I could, I can’t declare war on a nationless power,” said the President.

“I’m counting on it,” Jones said with a smile.

And with that, the two men parted ways. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, a girl was hiking up the Scottish Murdos. Her hair was auburn and tied up into a ponytail. Her face was fair, and she surveyed the landscape with effortless confidence. A light sweat dampened her skin as the sun was high over the horizon. Walking the rest of the way up the hill, she reached the summit in order to look at the valley below. This was not the first time she had been here, but she appreciated the view. Clad in a white tank top, jean shorts and sneakers, she was dressed for the occasion. A sound somewhat resembling a low pitch, resonating siren suddenly filled her ears. Alerted to the strange sound, the girl turned around and saw three men standing not 8 feet away. They were all wearing black business suits, and sunglasses concealed their eyes. She could not figure out how they had gotten there so quickly, after she had spent the greater portion of an hour scaling the hills.

“Pardon me, but just who are you?” asked the girl in a clear British accent.

“Is your name Veronica Watson?” asked a rather burly agent who had stepped forward. His accent was distinctly American; out of place for these parts.

“How do you know who I am? Just what are you playing at?” Veronica asked defensively.

“Would you be so kind as to accompany us?” the man responded.

“What’s this about?” Veronica asked as she recoiled away.

“Your questions will be answered at our destination. This is a matter of extreme importance. Life and death,” the man answered.

Veronica’s eyes widened as her mistrust and simultaneous curiosity mixing into a strange jumble of emotions. The man didn’t appear threatening despite how he conveyed the seriousness of whatever was happening. She then decided to come.

“I’ll come, but you better not be having me on,” she warned.

“Very good,” the man said in return, before approaching her.

“So just how did you get up here anyway?” Veronica asked as the other man came up on her flank.

“Like this,” the man said.

Before she could even respond, a lot of green light began to surround her and consume her body.

In another part of the world, a young Japanese man was walking down the crowded streets of his home town: Kobe, Japan. He had just left from the shop to buy a pack of Yakisoba and was on his way home. The streets were crowded with pedestrians, and when he noticed a popular alley way of his being occupied by a number of manba. Their overly tanned skin and psychedelically colored hair put him off, as he had the appearance of a typical, youthful young man with naturally black hair that hung off the sides of his face just down to his chin. He took a look down another small street that wrapped around the area, and noticed a couple of men who were conspicuously out of place. They were foreign, American in by appearance. They wore nice black suits and their eyes were covered by unnecessary sunglasses. One of them turned his head, and looked directly at him. He then tapped the other man and then pointed directly to him. When the two of them started to walk toward him at a noticeably urgent pace, he turned on his heels and began to run. He didn’t know what they wanted, but he was not about to find out.

They chased him down the street, as other denizens watched him run, assuming him to be some sort of thief. They were quick, but he was considerably quicker. One of them yelled out to him.

“Raika! Raika Komatsu!” they shouted, lacking the enunciation that he would have pronounced it with.

What concerned him now was that they knew his name. He ran without paying attention to where he was going, and ended up bumping into the guard rail that separated this side street from the ocean, as he lived in a coastal city. The men then caught him with him, stopping just as they came within touching range.

“We need to talk to you. Will you come with us?” one of them men said, out of breath.

Raika was a capable English speaker, but for them to address him in that language meant that they already knew a few things about him.

“Yeah sure,” Raika feigned, speaking English for the first time in months.

The man then pulled out a phone, pressing two buttons on it and holding it up to his mouth.

“We’re a go,” the man said.

Raika then dropped his back and clasped the guard rail. He leapt over the side of the rail, allowing his body to plummet toward the water below. His body fell, and he closed his eyes in preparation for the rush of wetness and cold that was to hit him. Something green shone through his eyelids, and when he opened his eyes, he was falling not toward the water, but directly into an energetic green hole. He released a scream as his body was sucked into it. When he went through, everything faded away.

In a Ohio state park, a young man was roller blading over various obstacles that hadn’t been intended for such maneuvers. He had dark brown hair, long, straight, and flowing down past his chin. It offset his fair but youthfully masculine features. He skid sideways over a small concrete construct intended to hold small plants successfully. When his skates finally came back to the ground, he quickly braked when he saw a trio of black suited men approaching. They were headed in his direction, ignoring the numerous other people that were in the park. A mother had to rush to scoop up her toddler before the men knocked into it.

“Spooks in my town?” the young man said.

He turned around and sped away, his roller blades carrying him far faster than they would ever be able to chase. He turned toward a secondary area of the park where a makeshift half pipe had been constructed. Without hesitation or fear, he allowed himself to pick up momentum in order to travel up the pipe and sail into the air. Rather than come down, he landed on the other side of it where there was a clear shot to a street on a downward slope where he could make his getaway.

Upon landing, he found three figures standing in front of him. It was the three suited men. They were standing there as though they had been waiting for him despite his speedy retreat. His jaw dropped in shock, and he froze.

“Hello Hunter Evens. Will you come with us?” the man in center asked.

The young man, Hunter, absentmindedly nodded his head very slowly, still shell shocked at the phenomenon he had witnessed. The man that addressed him then smiled. The next thing Hunter was a flash of green light.

There was another young man, tall, a stern face. His hair was arranged in what was nearly a bowl cut, but it was slightly wavy. He was of Russian origin, and he was waiting behind the wheel of an Avtovaz Lada sedan just outside of Red Square. He saw the Kremlin wall in his review mirror. He waited, dressed in a black trench coat, with leather gloves to keep himself warm. It was rather cold this time of year in this part of the world, and after an uncomfortable wait, he saw his contact arriving. The approaching man’s face was wrinkled with experience, his expression grim, and a deep scar running from his left eyebrow down to his cheek. It was his father. The man walked to the car, opening the door and sitting in the passenger side seat.

“It is time to go Nikolai,” his father said to him in his native Russian.

Nikolai observed his father, who expected his orders to be followed.

“Father,” Nikolai spoke in kind, “How much longer will this continue?”

His father sharply inhaled, but did not turn his head to look his son in the eye.

“It will continue until it is finished. You will understand when you are Spetsnaz,” was his response.

Nikolai had nothing further to say, and merely ignited the engine. The drive took nearly 20 minutes, and he dropped his father off at his office without another word. The moment his father disappeared into the building, someone knocked on his driver’s side window. It did not startle him, though he was alert. He wiped the condensation on the glass and saw a man in black suit and sunglasses. Given the gloomy atmosphere, the sunglasses were atmosphere. Upon spotting the man, Nikolai noticed that the man’s facial features were different than that of a typical Russian man. His suspicions were confirmed when he rolled down the window.

“Nikolai Verenov,” the man spoke in English.

“Da?” was all the man heard from Nikolai, a Russian response.

“I know you speak fluent English Mr. Verenov. Would you come with us please? It’s a matter of global security,” the man requested.

Nikolai looked at the man, and despite not being able to look into his eyes, he was able to read his tone, posture, and sentence structure. He knew the man was serious. And he stepped out of the vehicle, carefully eyeing the other two men.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” the man spoke again.

A world of brilliant green light followed, and then all was dark.

Some time later...

The room was dark, and the metal chair was cold. Tense breathing could be heard.

“Is someone there?” said a female voice in a British accent.

“Who is that?” said a male voice, a Japanese accent present.

“Do any of you two know what’s going on?” said another voice, American.

“Men in business suits come and ask me to go with them,” said a fourth voice, with a light helping of Russian enunciation.

“You guys talk like you’re not from around here,” said the American voice.

“I’m from Japan,” said one of the other male voices.

“I’m from the United Kingdom,” said the female.

“Russia,” said the deeper voice.

Suddenly an array of lights activated, revealing a circular room with what appeared to be plastic walls. All four of them were sitting in a square arrangement, facing each other. A door that was angled away from the wall was parallel to their seat arrangement. Everyone else then got to take a look at another for a brief moment before the door split open with a mechanical WHIRRING as another very young man came walking into the room in a clearly expensive suit. He was Caucasian, smiling, with short wavy brown hair.

“Hello everyone. My name is Curtis Lineer, and I’m here to talk to you about the Power Rangers. Raika, I believe you call them Super Sentai,” he introduced himself.

Everyone froze up for a moment, except Nikolai, who remained completely passive.

“How did we get here?” Veronica asked.

“What are we doing here?” asked Nikolai.

“Before I answer that, you need to understand a few things. There is a presence out there this very moment that is beyond any thread this planet has ever faced. I’m sure you read on the news about the seismic event that drilled a hole into the planetary core a few months back before it resealed itself?” Curtis prodded.

Hunter nodded.

“That wasn’t a natural disaster. There is a group of individuals out there capable of doing things you read about in fairy tales. I can’t explain it because I don’t really understand it myself, but they are powerful. They can do things that bend the laws of reality. Amusingly enough, they call themselves the Benders,” Curtis explained.


“What business is this of ours? And how do the Power Rangers fit into this?” Nikolai asked skeptically.

“I know this is a lot to understand, but please bear with me,” Curtis hesitated, “About 2 years ago, a Bender came to me. He calls himself the Case Holder. He gave me a box of morphers. Morphers are what people use to turn into the Power Rangers. I haven’t the foggiest idea how, but the morphers worked. And strangely enough, the Morphing Grid exists. I formed the first group of Power Rangers,” Curtis revealed.

Raika’s expression was a combination of curiosity, confusion, and surprise. Veronica was taking everything in, while Hunter had a sarcastic smirk on his face. Nikolai’s expression was rather restrained.

“Not long after, I got the bright idea to start disarming nations in order to change the world for the better. I failed, and in the process every world government got greedy and tried to build competing equipment of their own. A crazed agent got his hands on some of it, and he became the Zeltrax you all read about. After the disaster in Chicago, the Case Holder took the powers back, but he left me with everything I needed to reproduce the technology,” Curtis continued.

“You should have stopped then,” Hunter spat.

“Whether you agree with my methods or not, I was trying to prevent more deaths, and we never tried to kill anyone. Everything got crazy after that. I tried to rebuild the SPD Ranger powers, but I could never manage a power source resilient enough to hold a connection to the Morphing Grid. The Case Holder had plans of his own though, he gave a separate group of people the Dino Thunder powers. They fought against Zeltrax to stop his rampage. They never tried to do what I did,” Curtis explained further.

“I need to interrupt. What is the Morphing Grid?” Raika interjected.

“In my country’s version of your Super Sentai, all of the Power Rangers are linked. They get their powers from a place called the Morphing Grid. It stores their arsenal and acts as a power source. Anyone with a strong energy resource and knowledge of how it works can connect to it,” Curtis answered.

Raika narrowed his eyes, and then simply nodded.

“So explain these Dino Rangers and what they have to do with you,” Nikolai urged.

“I wasn’t a part of the second team of Power Rangers. They tried to stop Zeltrax so they could return their powers to the Case Holder. Along the way, I had to help because three more Benders got involved. The Butcher was that metal monstrosity that a few people reported. It took everything to beat him, and then a worse one came: the Armor. When he was defeated, we found out that there’s a lot more Benders. We don’t know how many, but they personally imprisoned the Case Holder in the planet’s core,” Curtis said at length.

No one said a word, simply allowing Curtis to continue.

“The other Bender turned out to be an anomaly. Neither good nor evil; but helped the Rangers defeat the Armor. They lost their powers in the process, and now everyone is vulnerable to the Benders. With the Case Holder gone, we have to fend for ourselves,” Curtis finished.

Hunter then leaned back in his seat, a snide expression while Veronica was very calm. Nikolai held his stare, while Raika had an inquisitive expression.

“Where do we fit into all this?” asked Veronica.

“I’m the owner of GridFire Industries,” Curtis said, which surprised the others before continuing, “We have a research division that only pretends to create new phones. In reality, the massive profits this company generates have allowed me to create a generator powerful enough to support a new team of Rangers. I want you all to become the Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive,” Curtis said very carefully.

Nikolai then stood up abruptly, glaring at Curtis.

“What you have done, is close to kidnap. You bring us to some place, feed us your propaganda when your Power Rangers have killed my comrades, and then expect us to become your pawns?” Nikolai argued.

“I didn’t kidnap you. You all agreed to come before you were transported here over the Invisiportal network,” Curtis replied, “And we never killed anyone. The only people the Power Rangers killed directly was Zeltrax, and his men. Innocent life was never harmed. But this is bigger than that. This is about the safety of the entire human race. Every time we think we’ve seen it all, the Benders do something impossible. If they can rip open a hole in the Earth, think of what else they could do. We all are affected by this. I brought you all here because each of you has the right personality and expertise to become the new Power Rangers,” Curtis retorted.

“You’ve been spying on us?” asked Veronica.

“If you choose to see it that way. I’ve had a team scouting out potential members. I needed the right people, with the right background. You have a choice, you can take on this responsibility, or I can try to find someone else. But understand that it took a team of 35 people, myself included, to determine that you guys are the best for the job. Decide now, because honestly the world can’t wait on this,” Curtis said sternly.

No one responded for a while. Veronica shut her mouth, while Nikolai’s eyes darted back and forth as if he was thinking deeply. Hunter had a dismissive look on his face, but it was clear he was thinking. Raika’s expression was unreadable, but concern was the closest thing to it. Nikolai then stood up from his chair slowly.

“I will do it,” Nikolai said.

Veronica looked a bit concerned, but emboldened. She stood up as well.

“This is all rather mad, but I’d be chuffed to bits to take you on,” Veronica spoke.

Curtis looked a bit confused, but understood that she was saying yes. Raika stood up in kind.

“You’ve got me,” he said.

Hunter snorted, but stood up and looked at Curtis.

“I’m in,” Hunter said curtly.

Curtis then smiled, and clapped his hands together.

“I’m glad you guys chose this. You’ll have a day each to get your affairs in order, and then your training begins. We’ve got 3 weeks to get ready. Then, we drill."

“Drill?” asked Raika.

“Yes, we’re going to get the Case Holder. He’s imprisoned at the planetary core. I intend to get there,” said Curtis.

“That’s impossible,” said Raika.

“So is everything that’s led to this. Let me worry about the how. You guys just need to prepare,” Curtis responded.

Curtis then sighed, and then looked at each member in succession.

“Veronica, I happen to know you’re a Queen’s Scout. That’s the female equivalent of an Eagle Scout here but with twice the prestige. Your survival skills are second to none. I want you, to be the Overdrive Yellow Ranger,”

“Raika, your father works on one of the most successful oil rigs in Japan. You’re young, energetic, and you have a pretty good knowledge of seismology from your father’s drilling. I also hear you’re an accomplished martial artist. We’ll need a good seismologist out there in the field. I’ve chosen you to be the Overdrive Blue Ranger,”

Curtis then looked to Hunter, “Hunter, you’re street smart, headstrong, and tough. Every team needs a reality check. I need a tough as nails realist on the team. As such, you’re going to be the Overdrive Black Ranger,”

“Finally Nikolai, your father is a semi-retired Spetsnaz operative, and I know he’s been training you to be as successful as him. I also know that you’d make a great leader. That’s why you will be the Overdrive Red Ranger,” Curtis finished.

Nikolai’s chest swelled as he inhaled deeply, before exhaling slowly through his nose.

“You’ll be sent to your home countries to set everything in order, then the training begins,” Curtis continued.

“No,” said Nikolai.

“Excuse me?” asked Curtis, perplexed.

“I will not go back. People question. People doubt. They figure it out. Best to just disappear,” Nikolai said, struggling to find the words, as he had not used English in some time.

Hunter raised an eyebrow, and then sighed.

“I guess he’s got a point,” said Hunter.

“I see. In that case, write a note. I’ll see to it that your loved ones receive it. They’ll know you’re safe, but you had to go away. Better for them to think that you’re alive and disappeared than dead,” Curtis suggested.

“So be it,” said Nikolai.

“Well if you’re staying here, then come with me. I’ll take you to your living quarters. You’ll have everything you need. Follow me please,” Curtis urged.

Everyone then followed Curtis, who walked toward the door, which then slide open revealing a complex of white hallways with walls similarly shiny, plastic appearing walls. It was brightly lit with fluorescent overhead lights. The hallways were not completely square, but rather a trapezoid corridor, with the widest part of the walls being the base of them connecting to the floor. Curtis led them down to the end of the left corridor, where a large door was at the very end.

“So where is this place anyway?” Hunter questioned.

“We’re in the underground complex of GridFire Headquarters. It’s shielded from seismic sonograms, and all other forms of detection. Long story short: this is the safest location you could ever be in,” Curtis answered.

Without another word, Curtis put his hand onto a palm scanner beside the door, which then split open four ways to reveal a large room that was octagon in shape. The walls and floor were completely white, and the lights were bright. In this regard it was quite similar with the hallways. The middle of the room was lower than the outside circle, making it a raised walkway. Down in the center were three large leather couches arrayed around a large flat screen plasma television with several different accessories attached. Every console was there, in addition to four remote controls on a glass table in middle of all of it. On the raised part of the floor around the room was a counter top with several stools revealing a kitchen behind it. Next to the inset kitchen were six doors. Each one had a colored strip on the side: Red, Blue, Black, Yellow, Pink and what appeared to be chrome. There was another door that appeared to be a mirror, but a split down the middle made it obvious.

Nikolai looked at the pink and chrome door, wondering what they were for.

“Welcome to your new home. Your rooms correspond to your Ranger color. The kitchen is just off to the left, and a private study is off to the right. There are some computers, chairs, and books in there. Everything you need, you’ll find here. Anything you need that you don’t have, I’ll make sure you get it.” Curtis said proudly.

Hunter’s jaw dropped looking at the place, while Veronica smiled with surprise.

“This place is awesome,” Hunter commented.

“I’ll let you guys get settled in. In your bedrooms you’ll find a credit card on your personal desks. I’m sure you’ll all need clothes, so you can go clothes shopping as needed. Your limit is 500 dollars per day. It doesn’t stack,” Curtis specified.

Veronica’s eyes widened at the news, while Hunter had a devious smirk.

“There are two more rooms. Who goes in them?” asked Nikolai.

Curtis took a quick look at the pink and chrome door, then looked back to Nikolai.

“Those rooms were built before I chose you. I’m sure they’ll find use someday. They’re locked. If you each go to your own doors and press your finger against the print reader, you’ll calibrate the room to yourself and only you can open the door. I have to go now. There’s a lot to be done and not enough time to do it. Thank you all so much again. I’ll see you all tomorrow…Rangers,” Curtis said finally, before taking his leave.

As Curtis disappeared down the corridor, everyone else was left to looking at their new surroundings. Nikolai had a thoughtful expression on his face, while Veronica looked very excited. Raika looked completely shell shocked. Uncomfortable and unfamiliar, they began to look at each other, silent and unmoving. After nearly 20 seconds of awkward stares, Hunter got an amused look on his face.

“Dibs on the Xbox,” Hunter chortled.

[Taioh No Kami]

whoo World Bender premiere! =D

[dragomuseveni]

holy shit dude once again you astound me!!! This is as good if not better than your other stuff. I can see why the OO powers were necissary for this one. I think you will actually do them justice.

[General Discussion]

Great stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Taioh No Kami]

can't wait to see who Pink and Mercury Rangers will be =D

[roc da mic]

BOOYAH!! I cant wait for more. but man people are sure using the overdrive complex alot these days.

[Beckoner]

Hey there fellas! I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. I come bearing gifts: the next episode. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm going to just shut up and let you read it.

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World Bender Season 3
Episode 2: Preparing the Protégés

Day One

It was an old basketball gym. The backboards were made out of wood, the floors hadn’t been buffed in some time, and the windows were dusty to the point of tainting the incoming light to a browner hue. It was empty, and perfectly suited for what was to follow in it. The main set of double doors then swung open, and the four young recruits entered. Nikolai looked around, surveying his surroundings before walking onto the court. Hunter was second to follow, with Raika and Veronica bringing up the rear. They walked to the center of the court where a table was. Nikolai approached it first, and surveyed the items neatly arranged on it. There was a box full of energy bars and beef jerky sticks on the far right of the metal table. In the middle were first aid kids stacked onto each other, and on the far left was at least two dozen Gatorade bottles of varying flavors.

“So this is where we will train?” Raika asked aloud.

“Obviously yes,” Hunter said curtly.

Veronica looked disapprovingly at Hunter. The doors then swung open a second time, this time with three young men and a young woman entering. They were each dressed in free flowing shorts that fell to the knees, and tank tops. They were obviously young, with the young woman looking significantly younger than even Veronica. They looked serious and unforgiving. One of them, a man apparently in his early 20s then walked out in front. He had short wavy brown hair, weathered eyes, and slightly tanned skin. Another young man had dirty blonde hair, with a very butch appearance but youthful. The other young man was black, with short cut hair. The young woman had long brown hair, with fair skin. She was a little shorter than Veronica. The oldest boy standing in front then walked up to Nikolai. The two stared at each other for some, before he then began to speak.

“We’re your trainers. Go to the locker room and change. You’ll find your training outfits in there. You’ll know which ones are yours,” he said.

Nikolai did not bother to resist this guy’s authoritative tone, and they all went into the side locker room. Laying neatly on a bench were outfits that were much like the karate gi that were common, except they were color coded: Red, Black, Blue and Yellow.

Hunter scoffed at the sight of them, mildly amused. In short order, they had changed into them, with Veronica using the privacy of a bathroom stall in order to change. After they were ready, they came back out and noticed that the four trainers were talking to each other, but had abruptly stopped upon the return of the four newly selected Rangers. The two groups then approached each other, with the tanned boy coming forward.

“So what’s the deal? You guys are gonna teach us Kung Fu or something?” asked Hunter.

“No. We’re not here to teach you a fighting style, we’re here so you can figure out how to fight. You will have to learn to pay attention, master your reflexes, and show no inhibitions,” was the reply.

“So what are we supposed to do?” asked Veronica.

The tallest young man, with the machismo appearance, then smirked.

“You have to beat us. Until you can do that, you’re not ready,” he said.

Following that, the four trainers split up to the four corners of the court and motioned for their chosen pupils to follow. Veronica went with the other girl, Raika went with the black man, Nikolai went with the tanned one, and Hunter went with the other guy. Once there, all four trainers immediately assumed a fighting stance.

Nikolai’s opponent shouted out so that every could hear,

“Begin!”

Nikolai was unprepared for the attack that was to follow. His opponent immediately leapt into the air and threw his leg out, striking Nikolai in the chest. The powerful blow caused Nikolai to stumble back clutching his chest. His face was strained, as the attack was not pulled at all.

“Why aren’t you attacking? The more time you stare at me, the more time I have to attack again,” his trainer warned.

Raika’s trainer was also attacking fiercely. He swung his arm out in a clothesline attack, which Raika quickly leaned back to avoid in a display of flexibility. His trainer then shot to the ground and swept his leg out. Raika immediately performed a back flip over it before landing spryly on his feet. His trainer then stood up with a smile.

“That wasn’t bad, but you have to do more than just avoid my attacks,” Raika’s trainer spoke.

Raika was immediately greeted with a forceful punch to the abdomen. Veronica was not fairing any better against her trainer as well, whose quick movements were nearly unreadable. She was struck time and again with no recourse. Her trainer moved back and forth, waving her arms deceptively before striking with a pointed attack. It was quite painful for Veronica, who was growing increasingly irritated. In an attack of frustration, Veronica swung her fist out, but her trainer sidestepped it just before clutching her wrist and yanking her into a knee strike.

“Too slow,” her trainer warned, before shoving her to the floor.

Hunter’s trainer stood still, sizing him up with a confident grin. Hunter was just as confident.

“You should know I’ve never lost a fight,” Hunter bragged.

“Then the next thirty seconds should be a shocker for you. I’m going to give you a chance: you get to throw the first punch. After that, I’m going to hurt you,” his trainer warned.

Hunter didn’t need any more motivation, and he threw a right hook with all his strength, which was quickly caught. Using the momentum, his trainer threw him to the ground.

“Sneaky little bastard. You said I could throw the first punch,” Hunter complained, his back a little worse for the wear.

His trainer chuckled.

“I never said you’d land it,” his trainer quipped.

The four of them fought on for bouts that lasted for several minutes. Cuts and small bruises were their reward, and on numerous occasions the recruits had to go to the table for small bandages and beef jerky for energy. The Gatorade was used to replace the beads of sweat that fell from their faces. The trainers themselves were rather brutal, sparing no expense to ensure their blows connected. Even Raika, with all his training, was unable to overcome his own trainer’s fierce aggression and superior fighting experience. Nearly an hour had passed, until the four recruits were too exhausted to continue. When it was over, they were allowed to return to the table in order to consume gratuitous amounts of Gatorade to replenish themselves. They panted, sweated, and nursed their minor wounds. Hunter’s ego in particular was a bit bruised as he along with his teammates hadn’t managed to land a single punch.

“These people are very strong,” Raika commented.

Nikolai said nothing, acknowledging internally at the level of skill his trainer had.

“If these guys are so badass, why doesn’t Curtis just pick them to be the new Power Rangers?” Hunter remarked.

“Technically speaking, we were,” said Nikolai’s trainer.

That quickly got the recruits’ attention, who turned to face their trainers. Nikolai’s trainer then wiped the sweat from his brow, before the four of them turned on their heel and began walking out of the gym, laughing and conversating as they made their exit. The door shut loudly.

“Hold on, they were chosen to be the Rangers and failed, or they were Power Rangers?” Hunter asked.

“They fight too well for people their age. I think you are right about the second one,” Nikolai answered.

“Unbelievable,” Raika said in amazement.

“Real unpleasant lot aren’t they?” Veronica said as she rubbed a bruise on her arm.

The doors to the gym opened once again, and this time a GridFire employee entered.

“Your ride has arrived. We can go any time you’re ready,” the man greeted them.

“Time to go,” said Nikolai as he wiped his face with a towel.

And with that, the recruits left with their escort. When they returned to their living quarters, Hunter immediately headed for the kitchen in order to prepare a massive sandwich, while Nikolai retreated to his room in order to further tend to his cuts. Veronica rewarded herself with a hot shower in order to thoroughly clean the dried sheen of sweat blanketing her skin. Raika also went to into his room, in order to sit on his full size bed, a photo of his mom and dad at his side. When Veronica finished her shower, she took some time to brush her hair in front of the vanity mirror that had been set up in her room on the wall next to her bed. After some alone time to read one of her favorite books, Veronica laid down in order to take a short nap. While she was used to physical exhaustion, her muscles weren’t short to the quick bursts of activity that fighting required, and she was quite tired as a result.

She napped for hours, and woke some time after midnight. Her muscles sore, Veronica walked to her door, where it automatically opened and allowed her to walk into the darkened living quarters. Her eyes adjusted quickly, and allowed her to see a dim light on at the kitchen counter. Curious, Veronica walked to the kitchen sitting area, and saw Raika sitting there eating what appeared to be a rice concoction with fish in it.

“Raika?” Veronica asked.

Raika jerked at being alarmed, before turning to see her.

“Oh. Hello,” Raika greeted.

“Why are you still awake?” asked Veronica.

“You call it jet lag? It is day where I am from,” Raika answered.

Veronica smiled warmly.

“I know all about it. I’m still getting used to it myself,” said Veronica.

Raika returned her smile before picking up his bowl.

“I had better try to sleep after I finish this. I will not do so well tomorrow without it,” said Raika.

“Good idea. See you tomorrow,” said Veronica.

Raika then lightly bowed his head before bidding his leave. Veronica took a seat at the counter, sighing deeply and looking around. Her life had taken such a dramatic turn over the course of 48 hours. She still couldn’t believe that she was going to be the Yellow Ranger. Part of her was curious as to what it would feel like. She wanted to know if it was really what the television portrayed. There was not a lot of footage available of the actual Power Rangers other than a few hurried media shots, so she did not know very much about it. Her thoughts were disturbed when she heard someone approaching. She assumed it was Raika returning his bowl.

“You should really go to bed,” Veronica said without turning around.

Nikolai’s voice answered,

“I am sorry for disturbing you,”

Veronica quickly turned around to see Nikolai about to turn around.

“Oh no I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else. He was here just a bit ago,” Veronica responded.

“I see,” said Nikolai.

“So, you’re from Russia eh?” Veronica asked conversationally.

“Yes. Does that bother you?” asked Nikolai.

“I wouldn’t go as far to say as you personally bother me, but your country hasn’t impressed me too much these days. I don’t care for the way Putin uses your President like a pawn,” Veronica answered honestly.

“Your country has some bad history itself,” Nikolai responded dismissively.

“Fair enough,” Veronica responded.

Nikolai averted his eyes.

“I’m just having you on. I’m sure Putin is a very cuddly fellow,” Veronica said with a warm smile.

Nikolai offered a weak smirk from the corner of his mouth.

“What do you make of all this?” he asked.

“I don’t know. One day at a time for me,” was Veronica’s answer.

Nikolai nodded in agreement. The two then shared and awkward silence before Veronica got up.

“I’m off to bed. I suggest you do the same,” said Veronica, before walking back to her room.

Day Two

Back at the gym, the trainers were waiting for them all when they arrived. The Ranger recruits approached their respective trainers, with Nikolai stepping forward.

“Let me guess, you want to know what I meant yesterday?” asked Nikolai’s trainer.

Hunter nodded.

“You’re looking at the former Dino Thunder Power Rangers. My name is Jaron. I was the Red Ranger. This here is Mark, Nicole, and Sergio. The Blue, Yellow, and White Rangers respectively,” said Jaron.

Hunter laughed, while Raika’s star struck look made Veronica snigger just a bit. Nikolai had a very calculating look.

“So in order to pass our training as the new Rangers, we have to beat the old ones? Why not simply use you?” Nikolai asked.

Jaron laughed.

“Normal life is underrated, and we don’t have the special skills you guys have. No one wears the suit forever,” Jaron said simply.

“You guys talk a lot. Stalling so you don’t get your asses kicked?” Sergio taunted.

Nicole slapped Sergio’s chest with a playful smile. Sergio gave Nicole a rather peculiar look. It lasted for only a moment, but resembled affection, before turning his attention back to the new Rangers.

“Today we’re changing the pace. Every Ranger has a melee weapon. Today, you guys get to learn how to use swords. This time, we will be teaching you how to use them. Your goal today, is to stop us from hitting you,” Jaron then reached onto the table to pulled off a wooden bokken, “with these.”

“Shall we begin?” asked Mark.

This time the former Rangers went to their corners in the gym with a bokken in hand, with which the new Ranger recruits had to also use. Raika held his bokken properly, while Hunter held his like a baseball bat. Veronica and Nikolai held their bokkens in an awkwardly improper grip.

“No. Hold your sword in front of you at all times. Adjust the angle based on whether you fighting offensively or defensively,” Jaron instructed.

Nikolai, like the others, were in for a long day. Numerous times, they were punished with a painful smack in the side with the wooden weapons any time their defense was not sufficient enough to disallow the more experienced Rangers penetration. Raika faired the best having prior familiarity, but despite Mark’s overall sloppy technique, he knew how to wield a weapon, and his ability to predict Raika’s movements and react accordingly was spot on. Veronica tried to copy Nicole’s movements the best she could, and the two girls dueled with Nicole getting more fierce. Veronica did all she could to block the oncoming attacks, but ultimately was knocked in the arm.

“Ow,” Veronica voiced.

“You can’t just copy my movements and expect to get anywhere. You can imitate me but you won’t know why you’re holding your weapon the way you are. You need to know the why before you can do the what,” Nicole tried to explain.

Hunter was having some difficulty fending off Sergio, who wielded his two handed bokken with a one handed grip. The way he moved indicated that whatever weapon he wielded as the White Ranger needed to be handled in a similar way. With a mere flick of the wrist, Sergio was able to make his wooden blade travel quick distances with surprising force. Even with two hands, Hunter had a hard time stopping Sergio’s attacks. Sergio quickly lashed out with his bokken, which Hunter blocked with a glancing blow. His wrist placement was sloppy, and he could not move his bokken anywhere else to counterattack. Sergio then capitalized on this by merely pushing Hunter to the ground.

“Never cross your wrists. Keep em aligned all the time,” Sergio instructed plainly.

Jaron was performing a series of flourishes intended to confuse Nikolai. With the bokken spinning around, Nikolai was doing his best to follow the movements with his eyes. He counted in his mind every time it was twirled, and when he thought he saw an opening, he thrust forward. Jaron’s next movement was not where Nikolai had predicted, and he was knocked off his feet by the bokken sweeping behind his knees.

“How did I do that?” Jaron asked.

Nikolai groaned in pain, before using his bokken as leverage to lift himself back to his feet.

“That spinning confuses my eyes,” Nikolai answered.

“You don’t need to watch my sword. You need to be aware of it, but keep your eyes focused on my face. Use your peripheral vision to track my arms. If you know where my arms are going, you know where my sword is going. Don’t rely on looking at my eyes, because I can trick you by looking one place and attacking elsewhere,” Jaron expounded.

Nikolai absorbed the information, and incorporated the advice into his technique. This time, he managed to block at least six of Jaron’s strikes before being hit. The new Rangers trained diligently, being given a crash course in how to swordfight. For one day’s training, they improved surprisingly well. Nikolai’s discipline allowed him to pick up on the concept fairly quickly. Raika’s previous familiarity was built upon as he had never properly dueled an opponent before. Hunter, despite never used a melee weapon on his life, was finding he had a knack for it. Sergio was of course far skilled, but Hunter was no longer defenseless. Veronica had no talent for sword fighting, but through hard work was accepting Nicole’s training.

The day seemed to be longer and more tedious than before, but it was over before the sun went down. They dueled until their arms could no longer swing the 5 pound bokken. When they went home, they did not speak to each other, and simply passed out on their beds. The normally diminutive Raika was finding his arms toning up.

Day Three

The Rangers woke up even earlier the next morning, and they were ready for their training by noon. When they arrived at the court, the previous Rangers were back in their sparring clothes.

“Ah jeez,” Hunter said in a bothered tone.

“Sorry guys, we’ve taught you just about everything we can about swordfighting in the time we have. Today we’re back to physical combat. You have to knock us down,” Mark informed them.

“Easier said than done,” Veronica quipped in an amused tone.

“I’d say so,” Sergio responded.

“Alright everyone, to your places,” Jaron instructed them.

In short order, they all stood in their proper corners. Veronica stood opposite of Nicole, and Veronica moved in toward Nicole, throwing a palm strike toward her. Nicole spun to her left, delivering a palm strike of her own into Veronica’s side. Forced to double over from the blow, Veronica clutched her lower half. Trying not to be outdone, Veronica struck out with her arm, which Nicole caught. Nicole replied with an attack of her own, which Veronica then caught. The two girls fastened their grip on each others’ fists, before Nicole bent forward and bent her leg backwards in order to deliver a flexible reverse kick. Veronica was forced to let go and step back in order to avoid Nicole’s heel headed for her face.

Hunter threw several left and right hooks, which Sergio weaved and swerved to avoid, before catching one of Sergio’s left hooks with one hand and delivering a hand chop with the other into his sternum. Sergio then kicked behind Hunter’s knee, forcing him to kneel. Sergio then used Hunter’s own arm as leverage to force him to end forward, before rolling over his back much like how police officers rolled over the hood of a vehicle. Once on Hunter’s other side, Sergio kicked Hunter away. Trying to recover quickly, Hunter moved into the roll and scrambled to his feet. Sergio balled his fists and hopped around on his toes to loosen up, a confident expression on his face.

Raika was performing a series of acrobatic maneuvers to avoid Mark’s powerful attacks to great success, although he was unable to return the favor. After somersaulting over a roundhouse kick, Raika kicked high toward Mark’s head. The kick was blocked by one of Mark’s own kicks, displaying a bit of flexibility previously not displayed. The two continuously tried to kick each other, resulting in their legs being used as both offensive and defensive devices. Raika kicked out again toward Mark’s face, but Mark lifted his leg ever higher, catching him on the shin and forcing the leg down to the ground with a loud noise. Mark then slammed his palm into Raika’s chest with great force. Raika moved with the force of the blow, and continued into a back flip; allowing both his legs to kick Mark squarely up the chin. Mark recoiled from the blow, and stumbled back a couple steps. He was impressed, and smiled.

“That wasn’t bad, but you have to knock me down,” Mark warned.

Mark then ran and speared Raika into the ground with his shoulder.

Nikolai was carefully watching Jaron’s quick hands feigning maneuvers before shooting out and popping Nikolai in the face. It was disorienting, but Nikolai had to accept the quick jabs to the face, trying each time to predict when Jaron was about to move. Jaron narrowed his eyes, and pulled his arm back. Nikolai sensed that Jaron was moving with such obviousness in order to use a different move. His suspicious was correct, and instead Jaron jumped into the air to perform a twirling roundhouse kick. Nikolai ducked underneath the leg, and performed a leg sweep in order to trip Jaron. Jaron was not easily dispatched, and allowed the sweep to connect. Rather than fall on his side, Jaron moved into it and performed a hands-free cartwheel and landed on his feet. Jaron took to the air again, driving his knee into Nikolai’s chest. It was a powerful blow, but Nikolai didn’t let shortness of breath keep him from leaping off of one leg and kicking out with the other.

Veronica’s battle was not improving, as Nicole seemed to move ever faster. She spun her torso with both arms outstretched in a flowing arm strike, but Veronica saw opportunity. She caught one arm, and then the other. With both of Nicole’s limbs in her possession, Veronica wrapped her leg around Nicole’s and delivered a head butt. It hurt them both, but it hurt Nicole more. Nicole fell to the ground.

Raika was now on the offensive, and performed an inward-inverted roundhouse kick, using the momentum from one kick in order to flow smoothly into the next. Mark continued to back up, but Raika sprung up on one foot, his body soaring through the air and his leg traveling quickly. Mark barely managed to lift his arm to block it, but Raika’s full force kick knocked Mark squarely onto his bottom.

Hunter threw a number of punches that Sergio blocked, before being rewarded with a punch to the face. Hunter spun into the momentum of the punch, before swinging his leg out and landed a solid shin kick into Sergio’s head. It was disorienting, and Sergio lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Nikolai and Jaron were exchanging punches, with Jaron seemingly ignoring the incoming punches while returning stronger ones of his own. Jaron then pulled his arm back far, prepared to perform a devastating punch. Nikolai used the split second he had to duck underneath it, before coming back up with an uppercut then sent Jaron airborne and into the padded walls of the gym. He bounced off and fell onto this stomach on the floor. He shook his head and then got to his feet.

“Stop!” Jaron shouted.

Nicole, Sergio, and Mark then got up and rejoined Jaron. The Ranger recruits then lowered their fists and went up to them, panting.

“That wasn’t bad at all. You knocked us down. That’s a good start,” Jaron congratulated them.

“So what happens now?” asked Hunter.

“You’re ready for the next step. Take a load off, shoot the breeze. Today you get to meet the fifth member of your team: the Pink Ranger,” Mark explained.

The recruits looked to each other a bit confused.

“What took so long to pick her?” asked Veronica.

Nicole sighed.

“She was actually picked before any of you. She has very um, specialtalents that this team will need. It was you guys we had to prepare. You’ll meet her at GridFire. We’ll see you there in a couple hours,” answered Nicole.

Their ride was already waiting for them, and the exhausted Ranger recruits cleaned up before Curtis had arrived at their living quarters. Hunter was in the main lobby playing Playstation when the door opened and Curtis came in.

“Guys, we got company. The boss is here,” Hunter shouted, causing the others to promptly join them.

“I heard about what you guys did. I know this has been sort of rushed, but tomorrow we’ll have time to kind of take it back a notch. Tomorrow your predecessors are going to be around to sort of just chill. They’ll answer any questions you have, because in a couple days I’m sending them on a vacation. Also, you’re going on your first assignment tomorrow,” Curtis said, beaming with pride.

“What’s this about the Pink Ranger? Apparently you’ve already collected her?” Veronica inquired.

Curtis then smiled.

“Actually yes. Sorry about the secrecy, but we needed some time to work out if she would actually do it. I have to warn you: she’s very strange. She’ll take some getting used to, but I think you guys will be able to handle it,” Curtis said with a devious smile before continuing.

“Guys, meet your Pink Ranger,” Curtis introduced, before the door to the living quarters opened.

A remarkably diminutive and petite girl then walked in. She had an absent stare, she was wearing a white sundress that went down to her lower legs, and her hair was as white as the snow. She shuffled awkwardly into the room, her eyes briefly settling in on each Ranger. She opened her mouth to speak as if almost in a trance.

“Hello. My name is Kaleena,” said the girl.

[Duke Org: Zen-Aku]

Oh man I can't begin to tell you how long i kept checking back the last couple of days to see if the next chapter was up. It was worth it. Great use of the past rangers (which fits in with Curtis's plans nicely). Especially love the re-introduction of Kaleena. Can't wait for next weeks chapter.

[Galaxy Black Ranger]

Oh by god! Kaleena is the pink ranger. OMG! OMG! OMFG!

You, my friend... rule.

[Taioh No Kami]

whoa, was not expecting Kaleena as the Overdrive Pink Ranger. Great chapter!

[dragomuseveni]

As always I am amazed by your work!!! I love how your still developing Nicole and Sergio lol...And great way of bringing back the old characters, especially Kaleena.

[Duke Org: Zen-Aku]

Can we have an update? Writing difficulties, scholastic troubles, etc. And estimated time of completion? Would be awesome if you could.

[Beckoner]

Can we have an update? Writing difficulties, scholastic troubles, etc. And estimated time of completion? Would be awesome if you could.

Episode is coming today. Just a long episode to finalize that's all. I try to get at least one episode out per week.

[Beckoner]

As promised, here is episode 3! Sorry it took a day or two longer than usual, but that's only because it's a very long episode. I'll be sure to update much more often. Sorry I didn't realize how long I had taken drafting it. I hope the work paid off. This is a rather long episode. Enjoy (I hope).

--------------------
World Bender Season 3
Episode 3: Return of the Benders

Hunter was playing the Playstation with Raika, mashing the buttons rapidly as they tried to win the fighting game they were playing. Kaleena was sitting in a chair on the far side of the room in what appeared to be an absent minded gaze. She looked at nothing, and no one. Veronica was in the kitchen preparing tea, while Nikolai sat at the kitchen counter staring intently at Kaleena.

“So do you really think she’s on our side?” Veronica tried to make conversation.

Nikolai’s attention then shifted to Veronica, whose warm smile caused him to lower his usual guard.

“I am more interested in her ability. I wonder what is so different about her. Curtis told us she is a Bender, but I am not sure what exactly that means,” Nikolai answered.

Veronica then peered over at Kaleena, and then looked back to Nikolai.

“Why don’t we go ask her?” Veronica suggested.

Before Nikolai could respond, Veronica was off. She walked out of the kitchen, and walked over to Hunter and Raika before promptly turning off the television.

“What the?” Hunter protested.

Raika simply set his game controller down before looking over at where she was going. Veronica approached Kaleena with a friendly smile.

“Hello Kaleena,” Veronica greeted.

Kaleena’s eyes then quickly locked onto Veronica’s.

“My name is Veronica. That bloke over there is Hunter, sitting next to him is Raika,” Veronica introduced as Nikolai emerged from the kitchen, “That one is Nikolai.”

Kaleena then tilted her head.

“I am, Kaleena,” Kaleena said in a very dazed tone that made it very difficult for Veronica to get a feel for her.

“You don’t have to sit over here by yourself. We’re all on the same team, so I thought we could perhaps have a chat?” Veronica suggested.

Kaleena then nodded, and stood up in a slow and deliberate manner, before following Veronica to the array of couches surrounding the television. Every then sat down. Nikolai attempted to sit furthest from everyone, but Veronica quickly cut into his personal space by sitting right next to him. Kaleena sat herself on Veronica’s other side, a healthy distance between the two.

“What everyone here wants to ask but doesn’t have the stones is what precisely you are? Curtis told us you’re a Bender? Could you describe what that is?” Veronica asked warmly.

Kaleena narrowed her eyes, clearly trying to piece her thoughts together.

“I am a Bender. We are the ones from…before. We must fulfill our functions. I no longer fulfill mine. I was…the Observer. I now am able to…choose my own function. My function now is to be the Pink Ranger,” Kaleena explained in a very soft tone.

Hunter raised and eyebrow.

“You drugged up or somethin?” Hunter asked.

Veronica shot him a disapproving look.

“No need to be so abrasive,” Veronica chastised, before turning back to Kaleena.

“Kaleena, where are you from? Where is your home?” asked Veronica.

Kaleena hesitated, apparently confused by the question.

“My home is here,” Kaleena responded.

“I mean, where did you live before any of this happened?” Veronica asked directly.

Kaleena then tilted her head.

“It was far away from here,” Kaleena answered.

Veronica’s eyelid twitched.

“So what, are ya from outer space?” asked Hunter.

Kaleena’s eyes quickly adjusted to look at Hunter, who retreated slightly.

“No. That is beyond my reach,” said Kaleena.

Nikolai was skeptical, and quickly came closer.

“You are Pink Ranger. Power Rangers must be able to fight. You look like...what is word…confused about everything. Can you even fight?” Nikolai questioned.

The familiar sound of Curtis’ voice then spoke.

“She’d wipe the floor with any of you,” said Curtis with a laugh as he came through the entrance door.

That got everyone’s attention. Nikolai remained unconvinced.

“You are sure about that?” Nikolai asked.

“Absolutely. Kaleena has some very unique abilities that you’re all going to need. But don’t take my word for it, you’ll find out soon enough. Anyway, today your predecessors are going on a well earned vacation. I was wondering if you guys would like to come to a little going-away lunch we’re having,” Curtis propositioned.

Everyone still had questions, but Nikolai took the initiative to let it go for now.

“I will come,” he said.

“Sure. I wouldn’t mind a bite,” said Raika.

Everyone else nodded in agreement, before scrambling for their wallets and getting ready. Kaleena included, everyone was escorted to a passenger SUV before being driven to the hub of commerce in the town. They were all taken to a bar and grill family restaurant, which was quite busy. With the exception of Hunter and Kaleena, the other Rangers felt a bit out of place being surrounded by what were to them so many foreigners. Upon arrival, they entered the restaurant where their table was already waiting. Jaron, Nicole, Mark, and Nicole were already there receiving drinks. Taking their seats at the large table reserved for them, Nicole greeted them first.

“Hey guys. How you feeling?” said Nicole, who was sitting next to Sergio, her chair quite close to his.

“We didn’t bust you up too bad the other day did we?” Jaron joked.

“We’re good,” said Hunter.

“So you guys are leaving soon?” asked Raika.

“Hawaii for the win,” Mark said happily.

Veronica looked surprised.

“You’re going to Hawaii?” asked Veronica.

“Whatever you saw on the news about us, it was much worse. Curtis decided to sponsor a vacation for us after everything that’s happened,” Sergio explained.

“Congratulations,” said Nikolai dryly.

“Why isn’t Kaleena going?” asked Hunter.

Curtis laughed.

“I don’t think Kaleena understands the concept of a vacation right now,” said Curtis.

“So what’s the tale with you all? How do you all know one another? Were you randomly picked like we were?” asked Veronica.

“No. I knew Mark from school. We met Nicole when we moved to this town, and Sergio has lived here all his life. The Case Holder gave me the um…devices, and I asked them to help me. Except for Sergio though; he stole his,” said Jaron with a laugh.

This prompted laughter from Nicole and Mark. Sergio merely smirked. Nicole then leaned over and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

“What did you do after?” Veronica questioned, interested.

“I went back to school. Distance learning,” Jaron answered.

“I actually just graduated from High School. I’m taking a year off to sort of settle. I’d like to get into photography,” Nicole admitted.

“Web design over here,” said Mark.

“Still figuring it out. I’m going to Job Corps in a few months,” said Sergio, his voice low.

“That’s good actually. I’ve heard about them,” Veronica encouraged.

“How long will you all be gone?” asked Nikolai.

“A month. Their flights are tonight, sponsored by yours truly,” Curtis answered for them.

“So, what it is like? Being one?” asked Raika, trying not to use direct names in public.

“It’s everything you’d expect it to be. It’s a powerful experience,” said Mark, instinctively touching his left wrist.

“So when do we get ours?” asked Nikolai.

Curtis’ expression became slightly less easygoing.

“You’ll receive them before every mission. No offense against any of you, but your skills say nothing about your character. I can’t let you guys walk around with what are arguably the most valuable items in the world right now,” Curtis explained.

“So in other words, you don’t trust us not to make off with them yet,” said Hunter.

“Pretty much,” Curtis said with an awkward smile.

“That is fair,” Nikolai added.

“Well now, whadduya say we order us some food?” Curtis suggested.

The next hour was filled with light conversation and eating. Raika had trouble getting used to the cuisine, but found he was fond of double layered cheeseburgers. When it was time to go, Curtis gave the previous Rangers a hug before they all went their separate ways. Jaron, Mark, Nicole and Sergio walked over to what appeared to be a rental van. It was clearly packed with luggage.

“You guys take care,” said Curtis with a smile.

“Good luck you guys!” Nicole shouted, beaming.

Jaron got behind the driving wheel, cheering as he tapped the wheel. Mark got into the frontside passenger seat, elated.

“Let’s do this cause we’re goin to Hawaii!” Sergio yelled briskly before getting into the middle seat with Nicole.

Sliding the side door shut, their faces disappeared. The engine started, and the van backed out of its parking space, before rolling away from the restaurant as Jaron honked several times. In moments, they were gone. Raika awkwardly waved goodbye.

It was then their turn to leave, and the Rangers shuffled into the SUV they arrived in. Everyone eventually made their way back to GridFire Industries, where Curtis led them to a room with multiple large screens embedded in the walls. It was octagonal in shape, with a center console in the middle of the room with numerous people working on flat screen terminals. The largest screen displayed a three dimensional representation of planet earth, with two yellow lines representing latitude and longitude moving about the screen and the center points marking certain zones. Numerous personnel were zipping about the room with computer tablets in their arm.

Nikolai took it to be some sort of high tech military room. Raika looked around, his jaw hung, while Veronica looked rather impressed at the set up. Hunter had a smirk on his face as he looked at all the gadgetry about the room.

“This is the command center. This is where we monitor pretty much everything. We’ve tapped into a number of defense satellites in order to discreetly construct a worldwide network of sorts. If a Bender does anything, this is where we will know. Your missions will also be handled from here,” said Curtis.

A lean man then walked up to Curtis. He had short, wavy brown hair and was wearing glasses. He briefly pinched the bridge of his nose.

“This is Hank. He will be your handler during your missions,” Curtis introduced.

“Hello everyone,” Hank greeted as he waved briefly.

Curtis then walked to the center console in the room, pressing a button that caused a metal box to raise from it. The box then split into four segments and moved away from the center, revealing five devices resembling cell phones.

Curtis and Hank picked them up, distributing them to the new Rangers.

“Now I’m sure you all know what these are, since you had to watch the show before your physical training,” said Hank, “You know how to use them: flip it open, press the button at the top, and run the wheel down a surface like your arm while calling out the activation phrase.”

Raika was smiling excitedly as he looked at the Tracker. Hunter masked his anticipation, but was already looking forward to using it. Nikolai was more curious than anything else, and too was intent on using it should the situation warrant it. While Veronica had never even heard of Power Rangers until they first emerged, she was interested in the devices and if they really worked.

“I’ll let Hank take it from here,” said Curtis.

And with that, he walked out of the command center.

“You’re to use those only when the situation calls for it. The source that powers them also has to power your zords, so avoid using the Trackers needlessly,” Hank warned.

“Zords? You mean you built them?” Hunter questioned.

“Follow me please,” said Hank with a slight glimmer in his eyes.

On the opposite end of the command center was a door. It was the only other door besides the entrance. Hank walked in that direction, prompting the others to follow. Nikolai’s interest was highly piqued as he followed Hank. The door slid open, revealing an elevator. Once everyone had gotten inside, it began to rapidly decent. Raika felt his stomach rumble at the uncomfortable sensation. As abruptly as it had started, the elevator came to a stop. Hank was not in the least bit disoriented when the door opened. A series of large drop lights then began to turn on in rows, revealing an enormous room the side of several warehouses.

Although they had already seen them in the television show, what they saw before them was far more grand. They looked nothing like the toy props used in their fictional counterparts. Several gigantic vehicles of varying colors were parked in front of them. They were utility vehicles. An enormous dump truck and bulldozer were just a few of them. Everyone recognized them on sight.

“The Drivemax vehicles,” Hunter said aloud.

“That’s right. These things were every bit as expensive as they look, but they’ll get the job done,” Hank responded.

“Do these really combine into a big robot?” Nikolai inquired.

“Well not exactly. We have to work out a few issues with the technology, but it shouldn’t take long. You shouldn’t be needing the Megazord though. Today is the day we drill,” said Hank, before pointing to the orange Drill Driver.

“You’ll be taking the Drill Driver, Shovel Driver, and Dump Driver. They’ll be sent via Invisiportal to the site where the Benders took the Case Holder. Drilling to the center of the Earth isn’t even possible with current technology, so these zords will be the only way of getting there,” said Hank.

“Getting to the planet’s core could never work. It will take months if not longer. Even if the zords could handle the pressure, no one has ever dug past the crust. There are many complications, risks, and consequences from trying,” Raika protested.

Hank smiled before clapping Raika on the shoulder.

“That’s why you’re here; our own on-the-scene geologist. Don’t worry, we won’t be actually drilling that far. We only need to get far enough to get a seismic reading. If the Case Holder really is in the planetary core, then that means there has to be cavernous regions inside the earth. We find one, and bingo: we can calibrate an Invisiportal to take us the rest of the way. It’s all guesswork, so we won’t really know till we get there,” Hank elaborated.

Hank then brandished a palm pilot, and began tapping the screen numerous times.

“We didn’t have time to finish your field suits, so you’re going to have to go in your street clothes. Your mission for today, is simply to drill at the site, and see how far you can get in an hour. It’ll tell us a lot about the zord’s capabilities. You’ll find that the controls are very intuitive,” said Hank, before tapping his palm pilot one more time.

A stable Invisiportal then opened next to Hank, prompting the others to slightly back up in alarm.

“The portal will get you where you need to go, now get going and good luck,” said Hank, as several other enormous Invisiportals began to open above the zords.

Nikolai stared at the Invisiportal for a moment before looking back to his team. Taking the first step, he walked into it and was sucked in. The others followed in kind. In no time at all, they were deposited in a mountainous region with wide rolling plains. The Drivemax zords they were going to use were already waiting, and active. Raika looked down, and saw that they were standing on a large patch of disturbed ground. He knelt down, and touched the ground with a curious look.

“We had better get started. Hunter, can you manage the Shovel Driver?” asked Nikolai.

Hunter smacked his fist into his other hand.

“I got this,” said Hunter.

“If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to drive the Dump Driver. I don’t think I want to be messing with too many moving parts,” Veronica asked.

Nikolai nodded.

“Raika, how do we start?” Nikolai questioned.

Raika thought about it for a split second before pointing to the Shovel Driver.

“We cannot drill until the soft dirt is gone. We have to shovel until we pass the clay,” Raika explained.

Kaleena’s eyes then widened.

Hank’s voice then came through on everyone’s Trackers.

“Guys, we’re detecting what appears to be a Bender signature in your area, and it’s not Kaleena. You need to-” Hank’s voice was overshadowed by the loud sound of the Drill Driver being struck with something, slowly tipping onto its side.


Veronica screamed, and Hunter looked up in shock as the zord slowly moved to fall onto them. Another force then knocked everyone several dozen feet backward, just barely missing the Drill Driver as it smashed into the earth. Nikolai scrambled to his feet, looking around and noticing that Kaleena was hovering a few centimeters above the ground in front of them all. The other Rangers got their feet also, their eyes wide at what Kaleena was doing.

“She’s floating off the ground!” Hunter shouted in disbelief.

Kaleena then lowered to the ground, before turning around. She was clearly not looking at the Rangers, but past them. Raika was the first to turn around when he saw something resembling a hulking robot walking toward them.

“What is that?” Nikolai questioned.

“It is the Minion,” Kaleena answered.

“The moment I felt you here again, I knew it was not for the purposes of returning. Based on the devices you have brought with you, your intent is to defy the Case Holder’s fate. To exacerbate this you have brought strangers? You have gone too far Observer. You shall be dealt with,” the Minion uttered in a gruff voice that came from its nonexistent mouth.

“I do not believe you are capable,” Kaleena said very matter-of-factly.

“Make no mistake Observer, I am well aware of your limitations. Your abilities were crippled the moment your body was diminished. I am more than capable of dealing with you,” the Minion said in a threatening tone.

Kaleena reached into a pocket sleeve on the side of her sundress, and pulled out her Tracker. She looked at it with a curious stare, before slowly flipping it open. She pressed the button on the top once.

“Overdrive….Accelerate,” Kaleena said quietly.

Kaleena then casually ran the wheel of the Tracker down the side of her body. Upon receiving momentum, the Tracker wheel began spinning furiously, and Kaleena pressed the button again. She aimed the Tracker at the Minion much like a gun, as a holographic display of her Pink Ranger suit shone in a two dimensional plane in front of her. The holographic image then broke apart and formed the suit on her body, the helmet flashing into place to complete it. The Overdrive Pink Ranger was now present.

Nikolai, Veronica, Hunter, and Raika stared in amazement. The Minion recoiled and assumed a fighting stance.

“What is this?” the Minion questioned in surprise.

The Pink Ranger tilted her head, before holding up her hands and looking at them.

“Fascinating,” said Kaleena.

The Pink Ranger then leapt into the air, her body twirling as momentum built. She swung her leg out, slamming it into the side of the Minion’s head, knocking it off balance. After landing, the Pink Ranger planted her feet, pulled her arm back and then threw her fist forward. It connected with the Minion’s abdomen. The Minion stumbled back, before making some sort of electric noise that resembled a groan. In retaliation, the Minion vanished in a flash of light. The light split into four more separate balls of light, which then materialized into duplicate Minions.

The Pink Ranger stood defensively, her visor facing the Minion right in front of her. All four Minions moved in. In a display of flexibility and quick reflexes, the Pink Ranger avoided an incoming fist, clutching that Minion’s wrist and throwing it into another Minion duplicate. The Pink Ranger jumped over a kick intended for her chest, before returning a kick of her own straight into the faceplate of the offender. The Minions then all jumped away in identical fashion, surrounding the Pink Ranger. All five Minions then discharged a large and consuming eye laser that completely obscured the Pink Ranger, resulting in an explosion. The Pink Ranger was sent flying out of the plume of smoke left behind, landing on the ground not far from the others.

“It is time to help!” said Nikolai, anxious to stop the Minion from gaining any further advantage.

The other four brandished their Trackers, flipping them open and pressing the button.

“How are we going to do this?” asked Veronica.

“Just do it the way they did in the show, it seemed to work just fine,” Hunter answered.

“Okay. Are you all ready?” asked Nikolai.

“Ready!” everyone shouted in response.

All four held their left arms cocked back.

“Overdrive,”

They placed the Tracker wheel just below their shoulder. In one smooth motion, they straightened their left arms in front of them, fist balled.

“Accelerate!”

They ran the Tracker down their arm, pressing the button immediately after. They aimed their Trackers forward, generating a holographic display of their Ranger suits. Simultaneously, their individual holograms broke apart and formed the suits on their bodies, helmets last. Everyone stopped and began to look at the suits that had materialized on their bodies. A wealth of knowledge was kept passively in the back of their minds.

“This feeling…is incredible,” Nikolai commented.

“Oh my God,” Veronica said in a shocked tone, having a look at her arms covered in the skin tight suit.

“Bakana!” Raika said, apparently in his native tongue as he made a fist.

“Well shit, that was a hell of a thing,” said Hunter.

Nikolai ran over to the Pink Ranger, noting how little physical energy it took to do so, before helping her out.

“Are you alright?” asked Nikolai.

“Yes,” said Kaleena as if nothing had happened.

The Rangers then stood together, lined up beside the next.

“Let us send this creature back where it came from,” Nikolai ordered, pointing at the Minion in the center.

“So, the Recipients have learned to replicate the Case Holder’s gift? This is a serious offense,” all five Minions said in perfect synchronization.

“I believe I saw something like this in a movie once. If he’s somehow split himself, then he should be weaker separated than as one person,” Veronica suggested.

“I did no such thing,” the Minions corrected.

That got the Red Ranger’s attention, whose stance was passively prepared for combat.

“You will find that I am no less potent than I was when there was only one of me,” the Minions warned.

“So be it,” said Nikolai, before drawing his Drive Defender from his holster.

The other Rangers followed suit.

“Attack,” instructed Nikolai.

The Overdrive Rangers then began running forward, firing their Drive Defenders at the group of Minion duplicates. They all shielded their heads with their arms, frozen in place as the Rangers closed in. The Red Ranger started first, somersaulted high into the air, while the other Rangers quickly somersaulted in kind toward their individual target. The Red Ranger landed in front of what was apparently the original Minion, switching his Drive Defender to its saber mode. The Red Ranger lunged with his weapon, which the Minion quickly sidestepped, the blade barely grazing its metallic exterior. The Red Ranger struck out with his knee, knocking the Minion back but noting how heavy the Minion seemed to be based on the lack of recoil from the strike.

“Do not persist, for you are little contest against me,” the Minion warned.

“We will see!” Nikolai responded.

The Red Ranger then switched his Drive Defender back to blaster mode before shooting the Minion directly in the face. The Blue Ranger was smoothly doing his best to dodge the Minion clone’s attacks, parrying and deflecting with his greatly enhanced strength, frustrating the Minion’s efforts to harm him.

“You cannot avoid me forever, for I will not tire,” said the Minion clone.

The Blue Ranger then remembered what Mark had told him when they were training in the gym, and he silently scolded himself for making the same mistake here.

“Maybe it was because you were better when I was not hitting back,” Raika decided to say with confidence.

The Minion tried to tackle down the Blue Ranger, but he was stopped as the tip of his Drive Defender saber was used to hold him at bay. The Blue Ranger then concentrated on the passive knowledge that he had gained upon morphing.

“Drive Vortex!” Raika called out, the light array above his visor emitting a light that materialized his personal weapon.

“Wow, it works,” Raika said to himself.

He then fired a whirlwind at the ground behind him, sending himself into propelled flight and then striking with his Drive Defender as he flew by the Minion. The Black Ranger was hammering punches into his Minion clone, who blocked the incoming fists with its forearms, before returning a kick. The Black Ranger was sent to the ground, landing on his back. The Minion clone was clearly intent on pressing the attack, and walked toward his fallen opponent.

“No you don’t!” Hunter shouted, pulling his Drive Defender in blaster mode and firing it wildly into the encroaching clone.

It bought him a few seconds, and the Black Ranger sprung to his feet, before summoning his own weapon impulsively.

“Drive Slammer!” Hunter called out.

The weapon appeared in front of him, and he quickly grabbed its long handle.

“Heh, cool,” said Hunter, too thrilled by being a Ranger to be afraid of his opponent.

The Black Ranger then whipped out the Drive Slammer, sweeping the Minion clone’s feet out from under him. Before it hit the ground, the Black Ranger spun the Slammer around and knocked the Minion back several yards. The Yellow Ranger was trading blows with her Minion clone, fighting somewhat sloppy but quick enough to slap away offending fists headed her way. The Minion clone then grabbed her by both her upper arms, lifting her up and slamming her back into the ground with remarkable force. It nearly knocked the wind out of her, but she was okay. She flipped back onto her feet, jumping into the air over the Minion, casually stepping on its head while passing over. She landed behind it, and realized that her teammates had their weapons drawn.

“Bugger. I should’ve thought of that,” Veronica chastised herself before calling, “Drive Claws.”

Two large bulldozer-like hand attachments appeared on her hands, and she noted how amazingly heavy they felt. Were it not for her greatly enhanced strength as a Ranger, she knew it would’ve taken everything she had just to lift one of them. The Yellow Ranger then spun on her heel with her arms outstretched, causing her claws to smash into the Minion’s head one by one. A loud clank sounded from the collision, and Minion was visibly perturbed by it.

Trying to get back into the fight, the Minion clone attacked again, but its strikes were effortlessly parried by the Drive Claws, before the Yellow Ranger snuck an attack through and punched the Minion down onto its bottom with her other Drive Claw.

The Red Ranger was becoming quickly outmaneuvered by the Minion, and before long, the Minion clutched both the Red Ranger’s arms and hook them in between its bicep and armpit. The Red Ranger was strong, but could not escape the arm lock.

“Catch,” said Nikolai, before his helmet light beamed into the Minion’s face.

Temporarily blinded, the Minion released its grip and backed away, allowing the Drive Lance to spawn where he once stood. The Red Ranger caught his weapon, wielding it with both hands. Jumping up, the Red Ranger hoisted his Drive Lance high, and then slashed down HARD into the Minion’s chest and disorienting him.

The Pink Ranger was engaging her Minion clone, and they matched each other perfectly blow for blow. The two fought as if they were scripted robots doing combat that had been previously planned. The Pink Ranger threw a solid right hook, which her Minion caught. The Minion similarly threw a right hook, which the Pink Ranger in turn caught. The two tightened their grips on each other’s fist, disallowing any further movement.

“Your function was never to do combat Observer. The way you flagrantly disregard everything you know to be right is insulting! Your helping of these Recipients will only delay the inevitable, for even you cannot defeat me even as you are now,” said the Minion.

The Pink Ranger tilted her head.

“I do not understand why you attempt to threaten me. It is not a concept I understand. Perhaps if you intend to invoke fear, you should do so on one of the others. I believe they are very familiar with the sensation?” said Kaleena like a Kindergartener pointing out the obvious.

“I will never understand you Observer. You seem to understand so little, yet you comprehend the situation. Comprehend this: stand down and the Recipients will be spared. This fight needn’t end with death,” the Minion offered.

“There is an alternative: we could force you retreat by inflicting more damage than you can handle in one event,” Kaleena pointed out, before releasing the Minion’s fist, who did the same in kind.

“Drive Geyser,” Kaleena spoke softly, summoning her weapon.

“It is now time for you to leave,” said Kaleena.

The Pink Ranger jumped into the air, spinning around as her body rose several meters into the air. Despite spinning faster than a dradel, she managed to accurately fire her Drive Geyser several times in every Minion clone, raining down damage in addition to what the Rangers were doing. At least 3 shots struck each one before the Pink Ranger finally landed. Every Minion clone then froze for a mere moment before vanishing. Only the Red Ranger’s opponent remained.

“I have made the mistake of miscalculating your ability. Be warned: I will have adapted the next time we meet,” the Minion warned, before vanishing in a flash of light.

Victory had gone, and the Rangers, excluding Kaleena, began cheering. They were elated at successfully wielding the power they had been granted, which was a euphoric feeling in itself.

“We did it!” Hunter shouted.

“How’s that for our first day?” Veronica said rhetorically, her tone a happy one.

The Red Ranger then looked over to the Pink Ranger, who was simply standing away from the group doing nothing. The Black Ranger looked over next, when the other Rangers noticed as well.

“Kaleena, get over here!” said Hunter, still a bit excited.

Kaleena then casually walked over, seemingly confused.

“That was highly impressive Kaleena,” said Nikolia in an encouraging tone.

“I am confused. You used to be called the Observer am I right? I would not know the first thing about whatever you Benders are, but does that not mean that you did not fight? Where did you learn those techniques?” asked Raika.

“I observed others,” said Kaleena.

The Yellow Ranger raised her hand.

“Just a moment; you mean to say that you learned how to fight by watching other people do it? Just how many fighting styles did you learn that way?” asked Veronica.

“All of them,” Kaleena said simply.

Everyone fell silent, with Hunter chuckling.

“Man you must be some sort of a mutant, and this has been one hell of a crazy day,” Hunter commented.

Hank’s voice then came through on the Overdrive Trackers.

“Guys, get back to headquarters. I need to know everything that just happened. I’ll see you when you get here, Hank out,” said Hank over the comm link.

The Red Ranger then looked at the others, before nodding his head.

“Well then, time to go,” said Nikolai.

“Power down,” said everyone, including Kaleena who said it quietly.

A green flash heralded the exit of the Power Rangers, who were well on their way back home.

[Duke Org: Zen-Aku]

Forgive me, that was unbelievable. Well worth the extra days, hell worth an additional few as well. I love the way your portraying kaleena. My only question is did she observe the fighting styles before or after season 2.

[dragomuseveni]

I am pretty sure that the benders are near vaguly immortal, obviously not all the way because they can be killed but they have incredibly long life spans. That being said i am sure Kaleena has observed every fighting style known to man. I just love how sergio and nicole seem like treant and kyra lol, besides tommy and kim they are my favorite pr couple so yeah. But anyway there are some minor things i would like to note, mostly on word choice, try to vary them a little more because there are times where you use the same word in one sentence and the next.

[Beckoner]

I am pretty sure that the benders are near vaguly immortal, obviously not all the way because they can be killed but they have incredibly long life spans. That being said i am sure Kaleena has observed every fighting style known to man. I just love how sergio and nicole seem like treant and kyra lol, besides tommy and kim they are my favorite pr couple so yeah. But anyway there are some minor things i would like to note, mostly on word choice, try to vary them a little more because there are times where you use the same word in one sentence and the next.

Heh heh. I'll just say that you certainly know how to read between the lines. Many of your guesses aren't too far off! Yeah I know I have a problem with reusing words. I'm still working on it. Trying to be more self aware.


Forgive me, that was unbelievable. Well worth the extra days, hell worth an additional few as well. I love the way your portraying kaleena. My only question is did she observe the fighting styles before or after season 2.

Thank you very much. And to answer your question, Kaleena observed all the fighting styles when she was still the Observer. So technically speaking, her knowledge of it predates Season One.

I've noticed that I'm either right on schedule, or a little behind when it comes to releasing episodes. So I've decided to pull a fast one on you and release and episode AHEAD of schedule. I'm dropping Episode 4! Not really an action episode, but I hope you all enjoy it never the less. After all, every PR season needs its character focus episodes.


-------------------------

World Bender Season 3
Episode 4: Visions of a Fallen Friend

Hank stared intently at the Rangers, pinching the bridge of his nose as he processed the information he had just received.

“This Minion you described sounds like he’s going to be a problem, and it confirmed what we suspected all along,” said Hank.

“And what is that?” asked Nikolai.

“That the Benders are going to be an active threat. They’ve imprisoned the Case Holder for a reason. We need to find out why they didn’t kill him. The fact that they were right on your asses the moment you got there shows that they’re paying attention,” Hank explained.

Everyone was standing in the command center, with Hank placing the Overdrive Trackers inside their storage container inside the middle console. With the press of the button, they were sealed away inside. Veronica then stepped forward, looking briefly at Kaleena, who seemed to be very interested in staring at a blank wall.

“Kaleena is one of them. Can’t you ask her about all this?” Veronica suggested.

Hank shook his head.

“Kaleena has a very…strange way about her. Believe me we’ve tried. We can’t get answers out of her. Either she’s confused by the question, or she can’t comprehend the answer. Kaleena is many things, but sophisticated is not one of them,” Hank responded regretfully.

Raika stepped forward.

“Maybe she can learn? We talked to the other Rangers before they left. Nicole thinks that Kaleena can grow,” Raika chimed in.

Hank sighed, still shaking his head.

“We’d all like to believe that, but I doubt it. Anyway, I have to debrief Curtis. We need to perform some repairs on the Drill Driver and work on the Megazord protocols, so you guys are off the hook for today. You did a good job. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we’re trying again,” Hank instructed.

Nikolai nodded, and turned on his heel in order to leave the command center. He had a frustrated expression, and Veronica picked up on it. She immediately followed. Having nothing else to say, Raika and Hunter began to walk out as well. Hunter stopped and gently tapped Kaleena on the shoulder.

“Come on, we’re heading back to our rooms,” Hunter let her know.

Kaleena turned to look at Hunter with an inquisitive expression, and then followed him. Making their way through the corridors, the Rangers entered their living quarters. Nikolai walked straight to his door, with Veronica following him. Nikolai didn’t notice, as he quickly placed his hand on the scanner, entered his room, and the door closed shut behind him. Veronica was left standing at the door, a look of disappointment on her face. She turned around and saw Raika, who was looking at her.

Veronica held her hands up as though to say I don't know.

“I am going to make some food. Would you like to try?” asked Raika with a friendly expression.

Veronica smiled weakly.

“That sounds rather wonderful. What are you making?” asked Veronica as she walked over to Raika.

“Frlied rlice with chicken,” Raika said awkwardly.

Veronica giggled.

“I would love to try it. Lead the way,” said Veronica very encouragingly, noting the embarrassed look on Raika’s face.

Hunter’s ears switched at the mention of food.

“Could you make enough for three?” asked Hunter, who then took a quick look at Kaleena, who sat herself down on the couch, “Make that four.”

Raika nodded his head, before taking Veronica into the kitchen. Hunter plopped down onto the couch not far from Kaleena, reflecting on the day. He remembered the feel of the suit on his body, and the amazing rush of power. He thought about what he could have done better, and the mistakes he made during the fight. When he realized he had been lost in reverie for some time, he looked to Kaleena, who was looking at him curiously. Hunter flinched in surprise.

“Have I startled you?” asked Kaleena.

Hunter tried to laugh it off, but something told him that deception would not work on this one.

“A little,” Hunter replied, before taking a moment to look at Kaleena.

He wondered about her origins, still completely baffled as to who and what she was. What the hell was a Bender anyway, he thought. Hunter then thought about whether or not Kaleena was human. She certainly looked like it. To that end, he studied her face a little more closely. He noted her softly framed face, and silver-white hair. Her eyes were some kind of blend between grey and green. He came to a thought, and impulsively decided to blurt it out.

“You know, you’re pretty cute for a…well…whatever you are,” said Hunter.

Kaleena tilted her head.

“You find me aesthetically pleasing?” Kaleena asked, her fascination with the concept rather obvious.

Hunter blushed slightly, and then cleared his throat.

“Well, yeah I guess. Your parents didn’t do half bad when they made you,” Hunter teased.

“I have no parents,” Kaleena responded.

Hunter raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t know your parents? That’s pretty sad,” was his response.

Kaleena’s head remained tilted.

“Wanna play a game? I mean, just for fun ya know?” Hunter asked when he couldn’t think of anything else to talk about.

“Fun?”

Hunter then tapped his chest with his fist.

“Yup. I’m taking on the challenge of teaching you. If you wanna have fun, you gotta play. I’m just the guy to show you,” Hunter boasted with a smirk.

Kaleena said nothing, and watched Hunter as he turned on the Xbox and handed her a controller.

“We’re gonna play a zombie game. We have to escape this apartment building. We’re gonna shoot our way out. The more zombies ya kill, the higher your score,” Hunter explained.

“Score?” asked Kaleena, boggled.

“Your score tells you how well you did. See those numbers on the top of the screen? The higher the number, the better your score,” Hunter elaborated.

Hunter explained the game to her further, tutoring her as the game went on. The sound of frying oil popping in the kitchen served as their background. Kaleena picked up on the game very quickly, and soon found Hunter button mashing just to stay alive. The game ended when Hunter’s character was killed. Kaleena’s character died nearly a minute after.

“Wow. You-you beat my high score. You’re pretty good at this. You killed twice as many zombies as I did, and I’ve never seen anyone actually beat the Witch and Horde at the same time,” Hunter commented, his fingers sore from all the gameplay.

Hunter sat back, letting the game return to its splash screen.

“So, what did ya think?” asked Hunter.

Kaleena blinked, staring blankly at Hunter as she placed the controlled down.

“That was…interesting,” was Kaleena’s answer.

Hunter couldn’t help but show his slight disappointment.

“Oh well. Maybe another time,” said Hunter.

“Food’s ready!” said Veronica as she walked out of the kitchen.

Raika then walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron. Hunter burst into laughter.

“Dude, you’re wearing one of those?” Hunter choked on his own laughing.

Raika’s confusion was displayed prominently on his face.

“How else would I stop the oil from splashing on me?” asked Raika.

Veronica was already at Nikolai’s door, and knocked rather loudly.

“Nikolai, come on out. We’re eating,” Veronica said loudly.

The door slid open, and Nikolai looked vaguely annoyed.

“Don’t give me that look. Even you need to eat. We’re all going to sit down. I don’t want several sets of dishes filling up the sink,” Veronica chided him.

Nikolai didn’t dare argue, and obeyed. Within moments, everyone was sitting at the kitchen counter side by side on the stools. Everyone looked into their bowl. Inside was fried rice mixed with chives, fried seasoned chicken, a little pieces of cooked egg.

Hunter leaned in and smelled it.

“This smells pretty damn good,” Hunter complimented.

Raika smiled, before placing his hands together.

“Itadakimasu,” he said quickly.

Nikolai eyed Raika peculiarly, before turning to eat his food. Raika shoveled the food into his mouth, while everyone tried to keep up. Even they knew that he would be offended if they ate at a slow pace. Kaleena ate at a moderate pace, stopping with each bite, concentration in her eyes. She looked as though she thought about every bite. Veronica noticed it, and laughed a bit.

“You’re not going to do that every time are you? Just eat,” Veronica encouraged.

“I am not familiar with these flavors,” Kaleena responded.

“It is good though,” Nikolai finally spoke.

Kaleena nodded in agreement.

“Yes. It tastes good,” Kaleena said, before returning to her food.

Everyone finished their food, before thanking Raika while Veronica collected the dishes and began to wash them in the sink. Daylight was quickly vanishing, before long it was night time. After the events of the day, the Rangers went to bed early. Raika slept under the covers quite comfortably, while Veronica was completely snuggled with the covers up to her next. Nikolai was laying on his back, stop the sheets with the bed still made. Hunter was sprawled out under the covers on his stomach, his leg sticking out over the side of the bed. Hunter then woke up with the strong feeling of thirst in his gut. He craved nothing more than an ice cold glass of water, and he sluggishly crawled out of bed, before opening the door to his room. Even though the lights were all out, he knew where to walk, though he dragged his feet slowly as to not bump into anything.

As the fog of sleepiness began to lift, he noticed a sound filling his ears. It was a beautiful sound, and it was clearly a melody. He followed the sound, and realized that it was a girl singing. He stopped to listen.

“♪Ave Maria, gratia plena♪”

It was coming from the kitchen.

“♪Dominus tecum♪”

After clumsily making his way to the kitchen, he slid his hand across the wall looking for a light switch, and found it. Using the dimmer, he turned on the far corner light to its lowest setting as to not upset his eyes. He saw Kaleena sitting on a stool in front of the center counter. It was she who was singing. She abruptly stopped. Hunter was surprised.

“That was…something else. You sing?” a groggy Hunter asked, quite surprised.

“It is a skill I have recently acquired,” Kaleena answered, a reticent delay in her voice.

“So, why were you singing?” Hunter asked, confused.

Kaleena tilted her head.

“I am not sure. I am…fond of that song,” Kaleena admitted.

“Well, you sounded really good. Why are you up? It’s late. Don’t you wanna sleep?” asked Hunter.

“I do not sleep,” Kaleena said simply.

Hunter raised an eyebrow.

“I call bull. Everyone sleeps,” Hunter said sharply.

“No, not at all. I do not sleep,” Kaleena repeated.

Hunter backed up slightly, eyeing Kaleena who simply sat there looking at him expectantly. What she was claiming was impossible as far as he was concerned, and it made Hunter question her nature even more. He remembered what he came for, and poured himself a glass of water and then throwing a cube of ice into it.

“Um, I’m not sure what to say. Have you ever actually, you know, tried sleeping before?” Hunter finally said, before sipping his water.

“No,” was Kaleena’s answer.

Hunter bit his lip, trying to think of something. He took a big gulp of his water.

“Well uh, maybe you should try tonight. Everyone gets tired. I don’t see how you could go your whole life without sleep. It’s the easiest thing to do,” Hunter explained.

Kaleena did not respond.

“Here, follow me. I’ll take you to your room,” Hunter offered.

“There is no bed in my room,” said Kaleena.

Hunter sighed exasperatedly. He tried to think of a solution, and then gulped at the thought he had come up with.

“Well, you can sleep in my room tonight then. I’ll just sleep on the floor,” Hunter said briskly.

Kaleena tilted her head.

“Why would you sleep on the floor? Your bed is large enough to accommodate multiple bodies,” Kaleena pointed out.

Hunter chuckled nervously.

“Um, alright then. Let’s go,” Hunter said, pausing between each word.

After discarding his glass, Hunter went back to his room, Kaleena following. Once he came to his bed, he sat down slowly, a bit unsure.

“I guess you can come lay down,” Hunter allowed.

Kaleena then approached the bed, before climbing onto it. Hunter moved to side of the bed against the wall to make room for her. Hunter gestured for her to come under the covers, which she accepted before laying down against the pillow, looking straight at Hunter. Hunter averted his eyes, before lying on his back.

“So uh, now you just close your eyes. If you’re tired enough, you’ll just fall asleep. Just make sure you’re comfortable,” Hunter explained.

“Good night,” said Kaleena.

Hunter quickly looked at her.

“Huh?”

“Have I used the phrase incorrectly? I have observed people saying that before sleeping,” Kaleena said casually.

“Oh. No, you said it right. I just, didn’t expect to hear that from you,” Hunter admitted.

Hunter then laid back, and it did not take long before his fatigue returned. Within minutes, he was asleep.

Nikolai woke up the next morning on his own. Following his usual routine, he got up, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair. When he left his room, he saw Raika eating cereal. Veronica was just finishing her bowl, before walking to Hunter’s door. She knocked several times.

“Hunter, time for breakfast. Better get up now before you regret it later on,” Veronica called through the door.

Veronica knocked again, and then the door slid open to reveal a scruffy haired, barely awake Hunter wearing nothing but a t shirt and shorts. Hunter groaned in protest, when Veronica’s eyes widened at the sight of Kaleena lying in bed.

“Hunter! What did you do?” Veronica called out in alarm.

“Huh? Oh that,” Hunter mumbled, “She doesn’t have a bed in her room, so I showed her how to sleep.”

Veronica stammered a bit, before walking into Hunter’s room before the door closed. Raika and Nikolai were alerted to the situation, and followed suit. Hunter’s senses were finally coming to him, and he realized that everyone swarmed into his room and stood around his bed.

“Hey, that’s not what you think,” Hunter argued as he walked up to everyone else.

The others stared at Kaleena, who laid in the bed completely still with her eyes closed. Her breathing was slow and rhythmic.

“Wow, so it worked,” Hunter commented, prompting the others to look at him.

“She sleeps?” asked Raika.

“She does now,” Hunter said triumphantly.

“Well then I suppose we should leave her be,” Veronica said, before shooing the others to back up.

In that moment, Kaleena abruptly opened her eyes. She then slowly sat up while inhaling deeply through the nose. Her eyes lazily remained open, and she surveyed her surroundings, somewhat jumpy. Despite her lethargy, she tried to get out of bed.

“Kaleena, it’s okay. It’s okay, you’re alright,” Veronica tried to calm her down.

Kaleena stopped and locked eyes with Kaleena, her eyes communicating confusion.

“I…I lost time,” said Kaleena.

“You were sleeping,” Nikolai piped up from the door.

Kaleena then looked over to him, a questioning gaze in her eye.

“You were unconscious. How do you feel?” Veronica asked, her hands on Kaleena’s shoulders.

Kaleena looked down, her eyes darting back and forth as she thought.

“I feel…different,” Kaleena responded.

Veronica smiled.

“That’s good right? Sleeping does that for you,” Veronica said encouragingly.

“I saw him. I saw the Case Holder,” said Kaleena.

“A dream?” Raika postulated.

“He spoke to me. They are waiting for us. We can not go back. We must go…another way,” Kaleena explained.

“The Case Holder talked to you? What do we do?” asked Veronica.

“There is a Bender, separate from other Benders. We must seek out…the Kraken. He will show us the way,” Kaleena answered.

Nikolai thought about what was said, and turned to the others.

“Let’s finish breakfast. Then we must tell Hank what we have discovered,” said Nikolai, who then turned his head back to look at Kaleena.

Nikolai clapped Hunter on the shoulder.

“Good work,”

Nikolai walked out, while Raika backed out of the room in order to take his cereal bowl into the kitchen. Veronica similarly needed to go into her room in order to shower. Kaleena picked a pink sundress to wear this day, although its arrangement was identical to the other sundresses she had worn. Nikolai led them to the command center, where the door was closed. A sensor above the door scanned them, before allowing the door to slide open. There were less personnel in it, but Hank was present, looking over some graphs on the main screen.

“Hank, we must talk,” Nikolai spoke up.

“Ah, Rangers. I’m glad you’re here. I think we’ve figured out the problem with the zords. We’ve recalibrated the combination system, so after a quick test run, you’ll be cleared to use the Megazord,” said Hank proudly.

“Kaleena had some sort of event last night. She spoke to the Case Holder in her sleep,” Nikolai said simply.

Hank nearly dropped his glasses, and the rest of the personnel in the command center stopped what they were doing. Raika was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, while Veronica looked around awkwardly. Hank walked toward them, his eyes aimed at Kaleena, before meeting Nikolai’s gaze.

“Kaleena doesn’t sleep,” Hank said sternly.

“She did last night. Now, we have something important to tell you. Does it really matter that she slept?” Nikolai responded.

“Sorry, it’s just..you don’t know Kaleena like I do. Anyway, go ahead,” Hank stuttered.

The command center personnel then returned to their work, murmuring to each other.

“The Case Holder communicated something about the Benders. They are waiting for us to go back to drill. That would put us at a tactical disadvantage,” Nikolai began.

“So what do you suggest we do?” asked Hank, who pinched the bridge of his nose.

“We have to meet with another Bender. According to Kaleena, it is not on anyone’s side,” Nikolai elaborated.

“Kaleena is that true?” asked Hank, looking at Kaleena.

“Yes,” said Kaleena.

“Alright then, where do we need to go to meet this Bender?” asked Hank.

Kaleena then tilted her head, and walked over to the world display on the main console. She looked at the console, weighing her options. After some deliberation, she pressed two buttons on the console, making the screen zoom in on the Mediterranean Sea. She pointed directly to a spot on the map.

“Two hundred miles east of Benghazi, on the shore?” asked Hank.

Kaleena nodded her head.

“There is a statue of the first prophet to commune with the Kraken. That is where we will go,” said Kaleena.

“The Kraken eh? And here I thought that creature was a myth,” Hank commented, “Well then. Follow me please. No street clothes this time. Your field suits have been made.”

The Rangers looked at each other briefly, and then followed Hank to a new door that was on the south side of the room, in between the entrance and the door to the elevator. They went inside, and there was a small locker room. Mounted on the wall was a fixture with five suits. They were black body suits with accented lines of very specific colors. Hunter scoffed.

“These are the suits from the show. Are you kidding me? How corny!” Hunter protested.

Hank smiled.

“Curtis thought you might be amused. These suits aren’t just for show however. They’re flame retardant, stain resistant, tear resistant, water proof, and there’s a nice little Velcro compartment on the left shoulder where your Trackers can safely be kept. Speaking of which, they’re already on the suits. I’m sure you can figure out which suits are which,” said Hank.

With that, Hank exited the locker room. Thankfully, there was partitions that allowed each of them to change attire quickly.

“At least they fit rather nice,” Veronica remarked.

When they left their dressing booths, they surveyed each other’s appearance.

“I feel so stupid,” Hunter complained.

Raika laughed.

“Try to have fun with it,” Raika suggested.

“I’ll burn it first chance I get,” Hunter threatened, dusting himself off.

“They don’t burn,” Veronica corrected.

“Right,” Hunter said curtly.

The team re-entered the command center, where tiny, circular, green emitters had protruded from the ceiling.

“Your destination coordinates have been input. Due to time zone differences, you’ll be held in the Invisiportal network until around dawn in that time zone. To you, it’ll be an instantaneous trip though. Talk to you in 16 hours. That’s a very rocky area, so to be safe. Teleportation in 3, 2-” Hank started.

The Rangers never got a chance to say anything, as they had vanished into green light before Hank finished counting. As Hank had said, they perceived an instantaneous trip. They now stood on a rocky shore, the waves of the Mediterranean beating against the peninsula upon which they now stood. The clouds obscured most of the available sunlight. Kaleena then pointed ahead.

“There,” she said.

The Rangers then looked in the direction that the Rangers pointed, and indeed there was a statue of what looked to be a man clad in robes, his arms spread wide.

“Reminds me of the story of Moses parting the Red Sea,” Veronica mused.

“Let’s go,” ordered Nikolai.

The Rangers then began to walk toward the statue, carefully stepping over rocks and boulders as they came ever closer to their destination. Kaleena abruptly stopped when the rocks became steeper. The other Ranger haphazardly managed to stop themselves without tripping.

“So where is it? How do we talk to the Kraken?” asked Nikolai.

Kaleena then held out her left hand, palm facing up. Two yellow orbs of light the size of marbles appeared on opposite ends of her palm.

“My God,” Veronica uttered, while everyone else looked in wonder at what Kaleena was doing.

The two tiny orbs of light then began to orbit the middle of her palm, spinning faster and faster until the motion blur made the orbs look like a solid ring of light floating above her hand. Kaleena then lifted her hand up, and it shot away rapidly in the distance before darting into the water causing no splash. The response was quick, as the ground began to rumble violently. Everyone fought hard to maintain their footing excluding Kaleena, who seemed immune to the effects of the quaking.

“What’s happening?!” Hunter yelled in alarm.

“He’s coming,” Kaleena said simply.

The water began to swirl and splash violently as the sun just began to peer over the horizon. Something then emerged from the water, something large. It was not a man, or an enlarged squid that the Rangers were expecting. What came out of the sea was like a giant worm, with a tapered end, dozens of sharp tendrils hanging from its underside, and two glowing green circles that must have functioned as eyes. Veronica screamed.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Zatenks2/TheKraken.jpg

“This isn’t real! That doesn’t exist!” Hunter shouted, trying to restrain his fear.

“What is this?!” Nikolai shouted to Kaleena, who was looking casually straight up at the ‘face’ of the giant creature.

Raika retreated back, panting uncontrollably as the sight he was seeing terrified him. A voice that echoed for miles then came from it.

“I see you have taken some lengths to call me Observer. Although you are not the Observer I remember. You have changed since last we met,” said the mighty voice of the Kraken.

“Do you know what has become of the Case Holder?” Kaleena asked in a polite tone.

“While I do not concern myself with matters outside my dominion, I am well aware of his predicament. To add to matters, you have willingly brought them with you despite the precepts prohibiting fraternization with those not of our ilk. You play a dangerous game Observer. What say you of it?” the Kraken responded.

“We wish to make our way to the Case Holder,” said Kaleena.

“And you want to avoid interference from our brethren. Yes I know,” the Kraken interrupted, “While I can provide a location that will allow you to make your way to Case Holder, it will only remain unnoticed for a time. They are always watching, always waiting.”

“Acknowledged,” said Kaleena.

“Very well, I will assist you. There shall be a price to pay for my help. If I am to give you a boon in your objective, then I must provide a boon to our brethren despite the outcome. Balance will be preserved,” the Kraken warned.

“I accept,” was Kaleena’s answer.

“Very well. I will now impart the knowledge of where to begin into your memory,” said the Kraken, before a beam of green light came from its upper eye, enveloping Kaleena.

The flash lasted for only a moment, and when it cleared, Kaleena stood unharmed.

“Now the price must be paid. While I cannot take of your essence Observer, your companions are another matter,” said the Kraken.

Kaleena said nothing.

“I see you have come with the same goal as the Observer,” said the Kraken, addressing the other Rangers, “I will now take a piece of your essence. What will become of it, I cannot say. Fear me not, as there shall be no pain.”

The green beam fired again, striking Raika first. It then struck each other Ranger in quick succession.

“It is done. Go now Observer. I have fulfilled my function,” the Kraken said before withdrawing back into the water slowly, the ground rumbling in its wake.

When it was gone, the Rangers were left shell shocked. Kaleena then turned around to face her teammates.

“What the hell was that?!” Hunter exclaimed.

“The Kraken holds the knowledge of the deep, and grants bargains to those who seek him out. I now know where we can begin,” Kaleena explained.

“Kaleena, what have you gotten us into? That thing…it..it wasn’t human. It was a monster,” Veronica said, still reeling from what happened.

“I never thought things like that really existed,” said Raika.

“I am starting to become concerned about these Benders. Whatever he took from us, will probably haunt us soon,” Nikolai observed.

Hank’s voice came through the Trackers.

“Guys, what just happened? I just detected some major Bender activity in your area. Are you alright?” asked Hank through the link.

Nikolai took out his Tracker to respond.

“We are okay, but we have some important things to tell you,” Nikolai answered.

The Rangers were then teleported back to GridFire Headquarters. They told Hank everything they saw and heard, prompting concern. When they were done, Hank thought about what was happening carefully.

“Alright. I’ve got a lot of data to go over. If what you’re saying is true, then we’ll begin drilling again tomorrow. Kaleena, are you sure you know where to start?” asked Hank.

“Yes,” Kaleena said simply.

“Alright. You’re dismissed,” said Hank.

The others turned to leave, but Kaleena remained standing there. Nikolai noticed she wasn’t coming with them, and stopped to look. Hank eyeballed Kaleena, confused.

“Kaleena? You have more to say?” asked Hank.

“A request,” Kaleena elaborated.

“Oh? What do you want?” Hank asked.

“A bed in my room,” Kaleena replied.

The tiniest of smiles then formed in the corner of Nikolai’s mouth.

[Galaxy Black Ranger]

Hunter what did you do?

Best thing ever.

this is really good man keep it coming

[dragomuseveni]

LOL I really like the interest that Hunter has found in Kaleena, will something happen between them? IMO too soon to tell, but I could see something there. As a startrek refrence I get a very Data/Doctor vibe from kaleena. And something i forget to mention in my last post, is the command center modeled off of the origion MMPR command center or the OO command center? I kept visualizing a mix of the power chamber and the MMPR command center.

[roc da mic]

Dude this just get's better and better. and why do i get the feeling that when the case holder return's, he's going to be bringing some new recipients as well.

[Beckoner]

This episode is also a little ahead of schedule, so if you haven't checked back since before episode 3, be sure to read episode 4, which I posted just a couple days ago.

Oh yes, in a funny coincidence, I found out that in the Operation Overdrive television show, the Yellow Ranger's name was Veronica and they called her Ronny for short. I never watched Operation Overdrive enough to memorize the names. I merely educated myself on the suits, weapons, and such before using it in this season.

I named MY Veronica that name because it is a dignified British name for girls, as she is from Britain. When I finally spotted it, I wondered if anyone else noticed. Yup, so in a freak coincidence, the name was the same.

Oh and to answer an earlier question, the GridFire command center is a cross between the PROO one and the SPD one. Curtis modeled it after the SPD one in terms of technological arrangement since that was the first and only command center he ever had.

As for Kaleena, I'm just going to say that she's got a lot of development in store for her. We didn't get to see nearly enough of her in season 2, and she's mostly a mystery. Everyone will be getting focus episode this season though, especially since Kaleena is the Pink Ranger now. I want everyone to get to know these characters as much if not better than in season 2. Anyway, this is a long one.

I get the feeling a lot of season 3 episodes will be pretty long. There's just too much to tell. Either I make the episodes as long as they need to be, and keep it restricted to under 32 episodes, or I make them short and incomplete and this season would end up with 45 episodes. I'm gonna roll with the first one.

Season 3 has too much story to tell in order to have the short episodes that Season 1 had, so I hope you've all got the patience for longer episodes!

World Bender Season 3
Episode 5: Escalation

A team of doctors and scientists escorted a hospital gurney down a long hallway with fairly dim lights. There was a body on the gurney, but a black tarp was covering it. The lead doctor was wearing thick glasses. He was bald, and it offset his unusually good physique for a medical professional. The team of doctors passed by janitors who were fixing the lights. It was not long before they reached a double sided door at the end. They entered what appeared to be a surgical room, but there were numerous engineering tools and non-medical devices surrounding the surgery table. The double doors swung shut before being locked by one of the scientists.

“Get him on the table,” said a scrawny scientist, one of three who were helping the bald doctor move the covered body onto the table.

The scrawny scientist had receding hairline, and bifocal glasses in addition to a dirty lab coat. A pen retainer was in his front pocket. The other two scientists were prepping a number of cutting tools, including an electric jigsaw.

“So Dr. Tanner, what have you got for me today?” the tall bald doctor addressed the skinny scientist.

“I’m not accustomed to sharing such a valuable specimen with a stranger, but they tell me you’re the best Dr. Bean,” said Dr. Tanner, who then yanked the tarp off the body.

Lying on the table was a heavy disfigured body covered in black armor. His unique styled helmet had a slightly cracked, black visor.

The scientist holding the jigsaw gasped in shock.

“Zeltrax!” the scientist cried out.

Dr. Tanner smiled.

“It took several weeks to recover the body following the nasty little war in our nation’s capital, and he has been kept in cryostasis ever since until the right team could be put together for a rather special autopsy. As you can see, his body is rather broken, but intact. Dr. Bean as our medical expert, you will assist me in safely removing this armor so that we can identify who Zeltrax was,” said Dr. Tanner.

Dr. Bean then smiled.

“His name was Eric Daylon. He used to be a soldier. He gave a lot of things to this country, and now he has one more gift left,” said the large bald doctor.

“Dr. Bean, how could you possibly know the identity of Zeltrax?” Dr. Tanner asked, a skeptical look in his eye.

The bald doctor then got a very devious look in his eye, and then pulled a silenced handgun out of a holster hidden inside his lab coat. The other two scientists dropped their tools, clasping whatever was behind them as their eyes filled with terror. Dr. Tanner then raised his hands defensively.

“Dr. Bean! What are you doing?” asked Dr. Tanner.

“You know, you really shouldn’t call me Dr. Bean,” said the bald man, before shooting Dr. Tanner through the head.

Before the other two scientists could even breath, the bald man quickly spun around, gun firmly held in his hand, and fired two shots into their chests. The two men collapsed against the scientific apparatus before falling to the ground. The bald man then walked over to their corpses, discharged a bullet into their heads for good measure. He made his way to the door and banged it with the bottom of his fist twice. Almost immediately after, the crew of janitors rushed into the room with duffle bags filled with equipment. The last janitor locked the door before coming over to the table. The bald man took off his lab coat as a diminutive man dressed as a janitor walked over. He was shorter than everyone else, with disheveled brown hair, dandruff in his eyebrows, and a slight overbite.

“We got him Ziggy,” said the bald man to the small man.

Ziggy shot at a disapproving look, before turning his attention back to Zeltrax’s corpse.

“You did a competent job Wilson. This is my purview though,” said Ziggy in a raspy voice.

Wilson, the bald man, picked up the jigsaw and walked toward Zeltrax’s body with intent. Ziggy lifted his hand.

“You brutish buffoon!” Ziggy shouted, “You can’t just hack into his body. He’s spent over a month in cryostasis. We didn’t go through all the trouble of arranging this just for you to shred him to bits. I have work to do and it’s bad enough I have to do it in this poor excuse for a lab. Guard the door. It’s time we cashed in our friend’s life insurance policy.”

Ziggy then took a scalpel from the table, and approached the carcass.

In the GridFire Ranger habitat, Nikolai was trying to read a book but was having a hard time due to it being in English. He stared at the letters, trying to piece their meanings together, but eventually decided to stop and set the book down. There was a knock at the door.

“Nikolai, I picked up some sandwiches from the deli. I went quite a way’s away to get them. Come on out,” Veronica urged from the other side of the door.

Nikolai groaned as he got up from the chair near his bed. He tossed the book onto the sheets and opened his door. Veronica had already left, and Raika was sitting on the couch already eating his sandwich. Hunter came out of the computer room at the sound of crinkling paper. Kaleena was slowly removing a sub-sandwich from its paper wrapping.

“Food? Awesome,” Hunter remarked as Veronica was standing in the middle of the room expectantly.

Hunter reached for his sub when Veronica suddenly pulled it away.

“Not in the computer room,” said Veronica.

Hunter sighed in a loud huff.

“Alright, fine,” Hunter agreed grudgingly, before Veronica then handed him his sub.

Hunter plopped down on the couch next to Raika, where the two of them grinned devilishly before consuming their sandwiches.

Kaleena nibbled on her sub, her head tilted as her expression denoted thought.

“I put your sandwich in the kitchen Nikolai,” said Veronica, who then began to eat her own sandwich.

Nikolai retrieved his food, and then sat on the side sofa where the television was. He switched from the video game console to the news, and clicked through until he reached CNN. There was nothing of interest besides whether, and everyone ate quietly the weatherman in overdone makeup expounded on humid weather systems. When it was over, a story was coming on about a number of janitors from a workers union that had been found dead and stripped naked underneath a parking garage building.

“Oh my, that’s awful,” Veronica commented.

Nikolai’s GridFire phone then rang. He checked the caller ID; it was Hank.

“Yes?” Nikolai asked as he picked up.

“I’m gonna need you guys to come down to the command center,” Hank responded.

“Alright,” Nikolai then hung up the phone.

“Sup?” asked Hunter.

“Finish eating. We have work to do,” Nikolai answered.

The Rangers obliged, and in short order they were down in the command center. He was talking to a cartographer who was zoning an area in northern Europe when he noticed their arrival. Tablet in hand, he walked up to them.

“Thank you for coming. Today is the day that we start drilling at the location that the Kraken gave to Kaleena,” said Hank, before shifting his gaze to Kaleena, “Do you think you can handle it?”

Kaleena tilted her head.

“That is an interesting question,” Kaleena answered.

“I’ll take that as a yes,”

Hank then walked to the primary screen, motioning for Kaleena to approach.

“So, where to?” Hank invited.

Kaleena walked to the console, before pressing buttons on it one at a time, forcing the map to zoom in on a location in northern Siberia.

“There,” said Kaleena, as a crosshair locked onto a particular location.

Nikolai walked up to the console in order to get a closer look. He said nothing, and only looked for a brief moment before turning back to his teammates.

“Get dressed,” Nikolai ordered.

In short order, the Rangers were dressed in their Overdrive field suits. When they emerged from the locker room, Hank was waiting for them underneath the Invisiportal emitter.

“Due to the time sensitivity of all this, we worked overnight to install an artificial subroutine into the Drivemax vehicles. All you guys need to do is set up the initial drilling routine, and then the Drivemax vehicles will automatically dig 24/7. You’ll only need to go there to defend it,” Hank explained.

“That sound rather nice,” Veronica commented.

“It is. When you get there, use your Trackers to activate the drill sequence, and then leave. We can’t control the zords remotely from here, so you have to do it. Make sure to get clear, because the zords can dig faster than any manmade vehicle. It shouldn’t take long before we know where we’re at. As always, the transport sequence has been adjusted for time zone changes.” Hank continued.

“Understood,” said Nikolai, “Let’s go.”

Following this, they were transported to their location. Raika took out his Tracker in order to check the time.

“It is almost the same time we left, except twenty minutes later,” Raika informed his teammates.

“That is good,” Nikolai answered as he looked at the massive zords.

“Is this the right place Kaleena?” asked Hunter.

Kaleena nodded her head.

“This area will temporarily be undetected,” Kaleena reminded them.

“So what good does all this do if the Benders eventually figure it out?” asked Veronica.

Nikolai took out his Tracker.

“That is what these are for,” Nikolai said with a determined tone in his voice.

Raika looked up at the massive Drivemax vehicles, in awe of their glory.

“I cannot get over how big those are,” Raika commented.

Nikolai glanced at the zords for moment, before nodding his head.

“Raika, start the drilling where you think is best,” Nikolai instructed.

Raika didn’t wait, and he immediately had his Tracker out, scouting for the best place to break ground before activating them. The Trackers beeped, and Kaleena picked hers up quickly, a thoughtful look in her eye.

“Guys, take a break from zord duty for a bit. I've just picked up an interesting energy signature in the Yukon Territories. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Hank’s voice over the commlink.

“Is it a Bender?” asked Nikolai.

“It’s hard to tell. It’s giving off energy very similar to the energy burst that the Invisiportal network leaves behind. There’s no civilization out that way, so it’s highly suspicious. I want you guys to check it out. I’m prepping a portal for you right now,” Hank announced.

Nikolai looked to Kaleena, who was staring off into the distance.

“You know anything about this?” asked Nikolai.

“Not yet,” Kaleena said softly.

The Rangers were then sucked into an Invisiportal, and when they came out, they were in the middle of a dense forest.

“Oh my, this place is incredible,” Veronica commented.

“This place is protected from anyone building cities here. This is nature untouched by human hands,” Raika added.

“Looks like normal woods to me,” said Hunter.

Veronica rolled her eyes.

“I’d love to bring my camping gear out this way. I think this place is just tops,” said Veronica.

Hunter shook his head, not understanding her slang.

“We can discuss that later. We had better hurry,” Nikolai urged his team, before drawing his Tracker.

He flipped it open and looked at the screen as it analyzed the energy signature and provided a graphical representation of ambient energy.

“This way,” said Nikolai.

The Rangers then navigated through the woods, stepping over large tree roots and swatting away rather large deer flies. Something took a step and cracked a branch nearby, and it wasn’t them.

“What was that?” asked Hunter, who was reaching for his Tracker.

“Shh,” Veronica silenced him, trying to listen closely.

A low groan could be heard, and more steps could be heard making their way to them.

“What is it?” asked Nikolai.

“Slow steps…I think four legs. Big,” Veronica thought out loud as she listened, then her eyes widened.

“Is it the Minion?” asked Raika.

“No. It’s a bear,” said Veronica.

Just then, a massive Grizzly made its way through the grove and walked on all fours toward the Rangers. Nikolai pressed the button on his Tracker, about to morph. Veronica grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“Don’t! It won’t hurt us if we show that we’re not a threat!” Veronica whispered.

“What do we do?” asked Raika, who’s legs were trembling at the sight of the domineering creature.

“Stand still, and keep your arms at your sides. No sudden movements,” Veronica warned.

The Grizzly moaned, before standing on its hind legs and snorting. Kaleena tilted her head. The Grizzly then went back to all fours and trotted over to Kaleena, ignoring the other Rangers. Hunter started to move forward defensively, but Veronica clenched his wrist.

“What is it doing?” asked Nikolai in a low whisper.

The Grizzly sniffed Kaleena’s face, and began rubbing the side of its head against hers. Kaleena reached out and touched it on the head. The Grizzly made a higher pitched moan, and started licking her hand. Kaleena stroked its face, and then allowed it to come close. The Grizzly rested its massive head on her shoulder, releasing a slow sigh through its nose. Kaleena then backed away, and made eye contact with the animal. With a slight bow of its head, the Grizzly turned away and began walking. Even Nikolai was simultaneously frightened and shocked as the Grizzly disappeared into the wilderness.

Hunter released an exhale as though he had been holding his breath. Veronica came up to Kaleena’s side.

“Alright, I’ve met my fair share of wild animals, but I’ve never seen that happen. Did you use some sort of Bender voodoo to keep it calm?” Veronica asked.

Kaleena wiped her saliva glazed hand on the side of her uniform.

“No. We have met before,” Kaleena answered.

“What do you mean?” asked Hunter.

“I have met that creature before, when it was very young. What we are looking for made it leave its home,” Kaleena elaborated.

No one questioned it further, and Nikolai started to look at his Tracker’s screen again, following the signature that was continuing to diminish. They walked for several hundred yards, before finally reaching a patch of land that was clear. The ground was flattened, and all that remained of any trees were the trunks that were partially dissolved.

“It looks like something just vaporized this place,” said Raika.

A cloud of smoke then began to seep in from the surrounding forest, before coalescing into the place they were in, dead center. The smoke then transmuted into a tall, muscular man wearing a dark leather bodysuit with cloth handwraps, a cape, and a glass dome filled thick smoke in place of a head.

“That guy just popped out of nowhere!” Hunter exclaimed.

“The Faceless,” Kaleena spoke.

The other Rangers then got into a fighting stance.

“A Bender?” asked Nikolai.

Kaleena slowly nodded her head.

The smoke inside the transparent dome then seemed to become thicker on the side that was facing them. A voice then emanated from within the smoke, but it was clear.

“Observer? If you are here, then you too must know what has been placed here,” the Faceless spoke.

“If you are here, then it must be of value,” Kaleena pointed out.

The Faceless changed his posture.

“Interesting. That is an usual display of logical deduction on your part Observer. I would not have believed it had I not seen it myself,” the Faceless responded.

“We are here to retrieve what is here,” said Kaleena.

“Excuse me? That is not your function Kaleena, nor will you be permitted to do so,” the Faceless chastised.

Nikolai then stepped forward and pointed at him.

“We are taking it, whether you want us to or not,” Nikolai warned.

The Faceless then rested its palm on its dome, seemingly in annoyance.

“You address me directly? Understand my child, that while my function is not to deal with you directly, I am more than equipped to dispatch those who impede my function. Run away now, as you have little recourse against me,” the Faceless threatened.

A slight smirk formed on the corner of Nikolai’s mouth.

“We will see,” said Nikolai, before drawing out his Tracker, “Ready?”

Hunter smiled deviously as the other Rangers took out their Trackers as well.

“Ready,” they said, with Kaleena remaining silent.

“Overdrive, Accelerate!”

One spinning wheel, holographic display, and flash of light later, the team were the Power Rangers. The Red Ranger took out his Drive Defender, prepared to fire.

“Do not hold back, this thing has to be just as dangerous as the Minion,” Nikolai urged.

“Who is already here,” said the Minion, who made his appearance in a flash of light.

A sword suddenly popped out of thin air, slicing reality itself in a downward motion, before the incision split to reveal a dark void of nothing. A man then stepped through, brandishing feudal style armor and a grim expression.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Zatenks2/TheSwordsman.jpg

“What the hell? Another one?” Hunter complained.

“The Swordsman,” said Kaleena.

“One was bad dangerous enough, but I don’t think we can handle all three,” said Raika.

“We will just have to either way. Hunter, Raika, you take the Faceless. Girls, you are on the Minion. The Swordsman is mine,” Nikolai instructed the others.

“Will do,” Veronica acknowledged.

Hank then spoke on the commline.

“Guys, we’re picking up all sorts of readings over there, what’s going on?”

“No time to talk. We just got ambushed by three Benders. Nikolai out,”

The Red Ranger drew his Drive Defender in saber mode, before running toward the Swordsman. He slashed downward at an angle, which the Swordsman instantly parried and performed a riposte, which the Red Ranger barely blocked. The two were engaged in a saber lock, and the Swordsman moved very close.

“You have no idea what you are up against,” the Swordsman warned in a gruff voice.

“Neither do you,” Nikolai answered smoothly.

The Swordsman then pushed the Red Ranger away and quickly connected with a horizontal slash that knocked him back. Moving with the momentum, the Red Ranger spun and delivered a similar strike that landed on the Swordsman. The Black and Blue Rangers were both sending a flurry of punches toward the Faceless, whose brute strength allowed him to quite easily deflect their blows. The Blue Ranger then somersaulted over the Faceless, standing behind him as he summoned his Drive Vortex. The Black Ranger pulled his Drive Slammer as the Faceless spread out his arms. Before either Rangers could attack, some of the smoke inside the Faceless’ dome suddenly moved out of the glass as if it wasn’t there, forming a swirling accretion disk of smoke. The smoke swirled around him rapidly with his two opponents inside the field, dealing damage as collision sparks spontaneously burst from their suits. The Minion was using his armored forearms to block the saber strikes that the Yellow and Pink Rangers were throwing at him, friction sparks flashing from the contact points as he slowly moved backward against their offense. The Minion’s glowing yellow eyes then flashed, and it cocked both arms back, before throwing them forward and a screen of energy coming out.

The Pink Ranger jumped in the way, taking the full brunt of the damage as the Yellow Ranger stood helplessly behind her. Sparks flew out of the Pink Ranger’s body, but she did not fall.

“Kaleena! Are you okay?” Veronica asked in concern.

“Yes. Use your Drive Claws,” Kaleena said softly.

The Yellow Ranger was concerned, but quickly obliged. Within seconds, the Drive Claws were on her fists. The Yellow Ranger then began throwing devastating punches with her weapons, striking the Minion with enough force to cause him to recoil.

“Enough!” the Minion protested, before splitting into two of himself.

The second Minion reached for the Yellow Ranger, but the Pink Ranger intervened and caught the incoming hand. She then slashed up the Minion’s torso, with the blade grazing its head and scratching its left eye socket. The Red Ranger was having a highly difficult time fending off the Swordsman, whose wielding prowess surpassed him by far. He knew he needed to overcome the skilled Bender’s advantage quickly. Without any sign of fatigue, the Swordsman continued launching his vicious attacks, but the Red Ranger saw an opportunity. The Swordsman tried to sweep his blade into the Red Ranger’s legs, but he flipped over the blade and the Swordsman altogether.

The Swordsman was no slouch, and was already turning around with his sword swinging. The Red Ranger blocked the powerful strike while holding his Drive Defender one handed. In a split second, the Drive Lance was in his other hand. Using the additional weapon, the Red Ranger knocked the Swordsman’s blade away. Seeing a new weapon to contend with, the Swordsman held his sword aloft prepared to maneuver. The Red Ranger twirled both his weapons in front of him, flourishing with quick maneuvers while he closed in on his opponent. Once he was close enough to strike, he thrust his Drive Lance forward. The Swordsman saw it coming, and lowered his blade in between two of the lance’s spikes to stop it. The Red Ranger then brought his Drive Defender down, which the Swordsman had to release the blade lock to avoid. Instantaneously, the Red Ranger stuck the handle of his Drive Lance into the ground. Using his planted weapon as a stabilizer, he jumped up and sent a powerful kick into the Swordsman’s chest.

The Black Ranger was swinging his Drive Slammer as quickly as he could, but the Faceless simply punched the offending hammer away, slowing the Black Ranger with the feedback from it. The Faceless capitalized on the delay, and threw his massive fist forward. The Blue Ranger quickly moved in front of it, and fired his Drive Vortex to cancel out the momentum of the punch.

“Now!” Raika shouted.

“Going up!” Hunter warned as he jumped up, kicking off the Blue Ranger’s shoulder.

His Drive Slammer held high, the Black Ranger forced it down as hard as he could, but smoke came out of the dome and formed a cradle that cushioned the blow before it even touched him. It didn’t decrease the amount of smoke inside the glass dome. The Blue Ranger fired his Drive Vortex into the ground to launch himself forward, firing his Drive Defender blaster. The smoke that had blocked the Drive Slammer then flattened out and formed a screen in front of the Faceless’ body, causing the laser bursts to dissipate upon contact. The Blue Ranger continued hurtling forward, and quickly switched his Drive Defender to saber mode. The Black Ranger had just landed, and both Rangers struck the Faceless’ protection screen in the same location at the same time. They continued to push, the energies from the combatants beginning to visibly show in the form a purple glow.

The Faceless held his arms out, holding the protection screen and becoming strained by it. The Black Ranger pulled his Drive Slammer away, and then sent the hammer portion crashing into the shield and penetrating it. The smoke instantly was sucked back into the dome with the rest of the smoke; and the Drive Slammer found its way to the Faceless’ chest, striking with enough force to knock him through the air, landing several feet away. Some more smoke came out and slide underneath its body, lifting him safely to his feet.

“This is some crazy stuff,” Hunter commented.

“Yes it is,” Raika agreed.

“Stop!” the Faceless shouted, causing both the Minion and Swordsmen to immediately move to his aid.

“This fight is over. These Ranger powers are proving more resilient that we have time for. Minion, Swordsman, you are to return. I will use one of our oldest weapons to dispose of them,” said the Faceless.

“On them? An Avatar has not been used since-” the Swordsman never finished his sentence.

“I am well aware Swordsman,” the Faceless said sternly, “However these are special circumstances. Never before have we been pressed to action by non-Recipients. These individuals are wielding power they were never meant to have. If they are allowed to retrieve the object that has been placed here, it would be trouble. It must be finished.”

“Very well. Come Minion, we cannot be here when it happens,” the Swordsman said.

The Minion then vanished in a burst of light while the Swordsmen cut open time and space before disappearing into it. The Faceless then held his arms out in front of him, wrists overlaid.

“You should have desisted. Now you are about to face a weapon that has not been used since the time of…I digress. Witness the fury, of the Gliding Avatar,” said the Faceless.

Suddenly, entire sections of the air around them, spanning for appeared to be miles, crystallized into transparent shards. They all began to fly toward a central location behind the Faceless just above the tree line. A discernable shape began to form something, something big.

“Is this real?” asked Veronica.

“Kaleena, what’s happening?” asked Hunter.

“He is calling an Avatar,” Kaleena explained.

“What is an Avatar?” asked Raika.

“A weapon that Benders use during the most undesirable circumstances. We will need the zords,” said Kaleena.

Nikolai instantly whipped out his Tracker in order to contact Hank.

“Hank, send the Drive zords,” Nikolai said into his Tracker.

“The megazord system hasn’t been completely implemented yet! It may not work!” Hank shouted, the sound of buttons being pressed coming through the Tracker.

“Just send them!” Nikolai shouted.

“Alright. I’m going to open an Invisiportal to send your Control Drivers. You’ll need them to pilot the zords!” Hank said back.

An Invisiportal immediately opened, and briefcase resembling devices with a steering wheel on the side came through. The Rangers ran and grabbed one each, just as the zords arrived on the scene. The Rangers got into their respective zords, placing the Control Drivers into the console and placing their Trackers in the side. The large mass that was forming then colored in itself, and there stood what appeared to be a humanoid robot.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Zatenks2/TheGlidingAvatar.jpg


The Faceless stood indisposed, stationary and seemingly in a trance. Everyone watched on their individual viewscreens of the opponent that had put before them.

“Drivemax Megazord, activate,” said Nikolai, pressing in a key combination on his Tracker before spinning the wheel.

The other Rangers then removed their Control Drivers from the consoles, before their seats slid back and moved them through a shaft. The zords were chugging and moving slowly, but the sequence was working and they began to combine. All five Power Rangers then entered the cockpit, side by side in front of consoles where they then placed their Control Drivers.

“Wow, this thing actually works,” said Hunter.

“Amazing,” said Raika.

“I hope it isn’t too hard to control,” said Veronica.

“Just do it like we practiced,” said Nikolai.

“We didn’t have several thousand tons beneath us last time,” said Hunter, as the helmet lowered itself onto the head.

The Drivemax Megazord was complete, with the Drive Digger in one hand, and the Drive Pick in the other. The Gliding Avatar then spread its arms, and faster than anything that size should have been able to move, it took to the sky and dashed past the megazord, attacking with its metallic, clawed hands across the chest. The Rangers inside were shaken a bit from the collision, but began working quickly to adjust. The Gliding Avatar held one arm forward, opening its claws a blue orbs of light began to grow on its finger tips. Like a gatling gun, the energy orbs began to fire light pulses in sequential order at great speed. The blasts pounded into the megazord to great effect, causing the megazord to stumble back, crushing several trees as it did so. Without missing a beat, the Gliding Avatar fired a solid beam of energy from its visor. When the beam hit the megazord, it carried the giant robot backward, plowing through trees before falling back down nearly a mile away. It did so sluggishly, but the Drivemax Megazord got back to its feet.

“We need to get into this fight. That thing is going to tear the megazord apart at this rate,” said Nikolai.

“We can use the Drive Digger saber mode,” Raika suggested.

“Done,” said Nikolai, activating the console command for it.

The Drive Pick then combined with the Drive Digger and became a large sword.

The Gliding Avatar took flight once again, and in mere seconds it had closed the distance between the two. The Drivemax Megazord was ready, and it defensively raised the sword, blocking the incoming collision with the broad side. The Gliding Avatar continued flying forward, picking up the megazord and taking it along for the ride. With its free arm, it punched the megazord’s chest repeatedly. The Red Ranger grew frustrated.

“Veronica, get down there and take whatever was left there,” Nikolai ordered.

“On it,” said Veronica, before being ejected from the megazord.

The Yellow Ranger hit the ground running, sprinting at top speed in order to reach the cleared patch where the Faceless was in time. The megazord managed to free its sword, and shoved the business end into the Gliding Avatar’s faceplate. It worked. The Drivemax Megazord was dropped to the ground on its feet, and the Gliding Avatar came for a landing.

“Hit it hard before it recovers!” Nikolai shouted.

The engine component on the Drivemax Megazord’s chest began to rumble as it powered up, translating into incredible torque for the arm. The Drivemax Megazord raised its massive weapon, and slashed down with incredible force. The sword connected with the top portion of the Gliding Avatar’s torso, and went through it, leaving a laceration. It was not defeated, but the injury caused it to clutch the opening as though it hurt.

“Wait, that thing feels?” Hunter noticed.

The Gliding Avatar then flew directly up, hovering into the air, as ambient energy began to sweep and swirl into what appeared to be a ball of energy in front of it.

“That thing looks like it’s about to shoot something big, Veronica, update!” Nikolai shouted.

The Yellow Ranger was already on site, and had brushed past the immobile Faceless, her Tracker scanning the area. The Faceless was giving off so much energy that it nearly masked what she was looking for. A small but concentrated energy signature was shown just underneath the dirt. The Yellow Ranger knelt down and used her hand to dust off that part of the ground, finding a golden shard buried barely a centimeter underneath. It was no larger than an average rock. A strong beep from the Tracker let her know it was what she was looking for.

“I found it!” Veronica said back.

“Good. Now all we have to do is end this fight,” said Nikolai.

“Doesn’t this thing have any ranged attacks?” asked Hunter.

“None that I know of,” Raika responded.

“Veronica, this thing looks like its going to wipe everything out. Take the object back to GridFire!” Nikolai implored.

“The hell I’m leaving,” Veronica said to herself.

The Yellow Ranger then looked at the object, and held it up so that the Faceless could see it.

“Hey fishbowl face! Want this?” Veronica taunted.

The Gliding Avatar then stopped preparing whatever it was creating, and then broke apart into millions of sparkling shards that moved with the wind and left the area.

“It left?” Raika asked.

“The Faceless deliberately broke his hold over it,” Kaleena answered.

Back on the ground, the Faceless began to move again. Clutching the golden shard tightly in her hand, the Yellow Ranger stood defensively.

“You dare bait me? I am not playing your game child, give me that object,” the Faceless demanded.

“Make me,” Veronica spat back.

“Very well,” the Faceless said, as smoke from its dome head began to feed a sphere of smoke over both its fists.

Before anything further happened, the Red Ranger suddenly came dashing onto the scene, the headlights above his visor glowing red. Moving like a human blur, the Red Ranger struck the Faceless with his Drive Lance, the Blue Ranger followed immediately behind striking with his Drive Vortex, the Black Ranger similarly with the Drive Slammer, ending with the Pink Ranger hitting with her Drive Geyser. The attack was enough to interrupt the Faceless’ attack. They then joined ranks with the Yellow Ranger.

“Bloody good timing,” said Veronica.

The Faceless staggered forward, more out of irritation than anything else.

“You may have averted your fate on this day, but there will most definitely be more of those. I suspect the object you carry is only one of many, and you will not be as fortunate in retrieving those. Until that time, you live to fight another day. As for you Observer, this will not go unpunished,” said the Faceless, before turning into a mass of smoke and vanishing from the scene.

The Power Rangers breathed a sigh of relief, as the Drive zords were sucked into Invisiportals along with them. Back at GridFire Industries, the Rangers had power down. Hank was there, with bags under his eyes. The Rangers told him everything, about the Swordsman, about the Gliding Avatar, and the object they had found. When it was over, Hank led them into a separate room with a table and a number of diagnostic tools.

“So Hank, what do you think this thing is?” asked Hunter, as Veronica handed him the golden shard she had found.

“I don’t know, but if the Benders went to those kinds of lengths to get it, it must be very important,” Hank observed.

“They are from the Case Holder,” Kaleena spoke up.

“What?” asked Nikolai.

“I thought the Case Holder was imprisoned,” said Raika.

“He is. This is likely all he was able to send to us. We must collect these wherever he sends them. It is crucial that the Benders do not obtain them. If they do, we will have no way of getting them back,” said Kaleena.

Everyone fell silent. One by one, Hank, followed by the Rangers, leaned in scrutinizing the tiny golden shard they had received.

[dragomuseveni]

Is that shard what I think it is? Because if it is...BRILLIANT!!!! I am not going to say, because i dont want to give anything away, but if you are doing what I think you are then this is going to turn out really really cool. That being said you are its authoer so of course it is going to be cool...though i feel you rushed things a little in this chapter getting to the forest scene, because you had them teleport to siberia and then teleport agian really fast, but other than that great work!!!

[Taioh No Kami]

what could this shard be???

[Duke Org: Zen-Aku]

oh wow... i think i have an idea of what the shard is....if its what i think it is then i hope it takes much longer for them to find the other pieces....I do agree with what was said...i feel the pacing was a little fast....or perhaps it was that i didn't read it quite right.

[Galaxy Black Ranger]

Oh please tell me it isn't what I am assuming it is. *cough* quests *cough*

[Beckoner]

I know you probably clicked this thread expecting episode 6. Unfortunately, it's 95% finished, and in a matter of hours, I'll be heading out of state for my sister's baby shower. I won't be getting back into town until Tuesday or so, and I keep World Bender locally on my hard drive. All my files are kept on this machine, so I won't be able to finish the last portion of the episode till I get back. So sorry for the delay. It's a long episode, which is why I've been taking so long. That's why I punched out episode 4 and 5 so fast, to make up for it. So, just letting you guys know why this week's episode will be late.

Also, to answer a previous question, no I'm not really setting up quests. Collection of the shards will be a passive, reactionary effort. They won't be waking up in the morning hunting for them. As for what they are, well, you'll see.

Due to how much needs to happen this season, pretty much every episode is going to be 30% longer on average blow for blow compared to the last season.

As a little hint, there will be a new foe introduced in the next episode.

And yeah the transition from the plains to the forest last episode was a bit quick. That was more impatience on my part. My apologies!

[dragomuseveni]

Wow this is really good!!! I really like it!!! It seems like hunter and kaleena are developing an interesting relationship...I liked nikolai's interaction with hank. There is soooooo much i liked i cant describe it all

[Beckoner]

Update. Sorry for the delay. I am currently grieving a personal loss, and as such my motivation to write has been diminished. Not to worry, I'm not quitting. The next episode is nearly finished, and it won't be too much longer before I post it.

[Beckoner]

Another update. I HATE to keep you guys waiting, but a major wrench has been thrown into my clock. As such, I'll have difficulty getting internet access for a bit. It's only a temporary situation, but once this passes, World Bender will get back into full swing.

[Beckoner]

FINALLY! SO sorry for all the delays and waits. I hope you guys are still sticking with me, because I've got a little present for you all. Since it's been two months since the last episode, I'm giving you a marathon. That's right, episode 6, 7, 8 AND 9!

I hope it makes up for all the lost time, if you guys are still checking this thread. Anyway, here you go! I really hope they were even partially worth the wait.

--------

World Bender Season 3
Episode 6: Vengeance from the Grave

Veronica and Raika walked out of the computer room, fully dressed in the morning. Veronica had her purse ready, her GridFire phone tucked into the outside sleeve.

Hunter was still in shorts and a t shirt from bed, his hair a mess as he wandered out of the kitchen with a bowl of cereal. Veronica caught him as she headed toward the door.

“Hunter, Raika and I are going to the mall. If Nikolai isn’t up soon, can you wake him? It’s nearly 10 o’ clock,” Veronica asked nicely.

Hunter sighed.

“Nikolai is already up. I heard him showering,” Hunter answered, still somewhat groggy.

“Oh. What about Kaleena, I suspect she’s awake by now?” Veronica queried.

Hunter shook his head as he shoved cereal into his mouth, milk dripping off his lip.

“Nuh uh. She’s still passed out. Apparently she really likes to sleep,” Hunter remarked.

Veronica giggled.

“Well I reckon we have you to thank for that. Make sure she’s up before noon alright? I know sleeping is a new thing for her, but she can’t do it all the time,” said Veronica.

Kaleena then walked out of her room, evidently just having woken up.

“Good morning Kaleena. We’ll be back later. Be a dear and say hello to Nikolai for me?” Veronica greeted, before leaving the habitat with Raika.

Hunter quickly got up and retreated to his bedroom, leaving Kaleena to stand in the kitchen. She withdrew a container of eggs and a spatula. At that very moment, Nikolai left his room to go into the kitchen as well. He saw her crack two eggs into a bowl before beating them with a fork.

“What are you trying to make?” asked Nikolai.

Kaleena continued beating the eggs while turning her attention to Nikolai.

“Scrambled eggs,” she answered, as though using those words for the first time.

“I would ask you if you need help, but the safer assumption would that you already know how,” Nikolai mused.

Kaleena looked back to her current activity.

“I have observed many recipes being prepared,” said Kaleena.

Nikolai moved to the fridge and took out a pitcher of orange juice.

“And just how many recipes have you learned that way?” asked Nikolai.

“All of them,” Kaleena responded.

Nikolai scratched his head.

“Familiar answer. So I should assume you know how to do everything? You can fight in any style you want, and cook anything you want,” Nikolai deduced, “It must be crazy being you.”

Kaleena continued to prepare her food as though he wasn’t even there.

“And very empty,” said Nikolai.

Kaleena stopped beating the eggs, and slowly turned to look at Nikolai. She tilted her head.

“That is an interesting conclusion. I request that you elaborate?” Kaleena spoke softly.

Nikolai sat at the middle counter where Kaleena had been making her food, pouring two glasses of orange juice before pushing one toward her.

“You live with us. You are incredibly talented. You learn quickly, you have seen everything, and you possess powers that I would have thought of as fiction just two weeks ago,” Nikolai began.

Kaleena listened intently, never taking her eyes off Nikolai’s.

“But at the end of the day, you have no personality. Maybe you can learn, maybe not. You have no feeling, and no motivation. Despite all your great power, you simply exist. No one, even other Benders do not understand you. I certainly do not know if you are even human. You are an orphan Kaleena.” Nikolai finished.

Kaleena reached for the orange juice, before beginning to gulp it down rapidly.

Nikolai eyed her, before starting to consume his own orange juice.

“We have at least that much in common: we both like orange juice,” said Nikolai.

“Hunter is teaching me how to have fun. Do you think I can learn to be like you?” Kaleena asked, finished with her drink.

“Why? Do you want to be like us?” asked Nikolai.

“I do not know,” Kaleena seemed to be in thought, “But it would be different than what I have adapted to.”

“Kaleena, you can never be like us because you are not like us,” Nikolai paused, “I would suggest to just be who you are.”

“So I should not learn what fun is?” asked Kaleena.

Nikolai took another sip of his orange juice.

“Learn anything you want. But do not adjust your behavior simply to blend in. There is a difference between growing, and changing,” Nikolai spoke.

“Understood. Shall I continue playing video games with Hunter?” asked Kaleena.

Nikolai shrugged.

“If that is what you would like,” said Nikolai.

Kaleena then took the egg batter and walked to the stove, turning on the heat and place the skillet over it.

“Do you want a portion of the food I am preparing?” Kaleena asked, as she poured the batter into the skillet, prompting a sizzling sound.

“Are you offering to cook for me?” asked Nikolai.

“Yes,” said Kaleena.

“I would appreciate that,” said Nikolai, giving Kaleena a probing look.

While Kaleena was cooking, Nikolai went into the living room area to turn on the television. He clicked through several channels using the remote control until he found the news. He was instantly invested in what was being reported. There had been a mass murder at Fort Bragg.

“Whoa, what’s goin on?” Hunter commented, the television quickly grabbing his attention.

“If your government could have covered this up, they would have. A lot of people died today,” Nikolai figured, watching images of people trying desperately to leave the residential area of the military post.

The news reporter was on the scene as military personnel tried to partition off the area and contain whatever was causing people to run.

“Do you think it’s the Benders?” asked Hunter.

“Hank would have called us by now. The Benders have not attacked civilians from what we know. This is a madman,” Nikolai answered.

“I guess this is something for the army to handle,” said Hunter.

Nikolai’s nose tensed up. Kaleena brought his scrambled eggs to him wordlessly. Nikolai gratefully took the food into the kitchen.

“Will you not be eating?” asked Kaleena, watching his expression carefully.

Nikolai shoveled the food into his mouth quickly, and washed it down with more orange juice.

“Thank you,” Nikolai said curtly, before leaving the habitat without a further word to anyone.

Still in his pajamas, he raced to the elevator. He pressed the call button, but even though it only had to move 2 floors, it felt like half an hour had passed. When the door opened, Nikolai got in and pressed the button for command floor. The elevator door had barely opened before he squeezed through, and hastily walked down the hallway toward the command center itself. He entered the room and saw employees making their way about the room. He did not see Hank anywhere.

“Where is Hank?” Nikolai asked aloud with urgency.

A number of the employees stopped and looked at Nikolai, silent and confused. Nikolai looked left, then right. He did not see Hank anywhere.

“Where is he?” Nikolai asked again.

“Hank is in a meeting in the GridFire skyscraper above ground,” a technician spoke up.

Nikolai was not interested in waiting, and he immediately walked toward the locker room. Once he approached the door’s motion sensor, it did not open. Instead, a red light on the sensor flashed and a buzzing sound emitted from it.

“You are not authorized to go in there right now!” another man said, while the rest of the personnel began to slowly approach him.

Nikolai tried to pry his fingers into the partition splitting the door in two, trying to pull it open. The man who warned him then walked up to him and clasped his shoulder.

“You can’t go in there!” the man repeated.

Nikolai then grabbed the man by the scruff of his shirt and pulled him close. The other employees started to walk over in order to restrain him, but a sharp look from Nikolai told them it was not in their best interests. He then looked back to the man he was accosting.

“While you worry about protocol, people are dying. Your own countrymen are being slaughtered. What is the point of being a Power Ranger if you do not protect people?” Nikolai said in an aggressive tone.

The man said nothing.

“Open it,” Nikolai demanded.

The man did not argue, and punched in a key code on the console next to the door. Nikolai released the man, and instantly rushed into the room to get dressed. When he was done, he walked back into the command center as every whispered to each other and looked at Nikolai suspiciously.

“Open an Invisiportal to a place called Fort Bragg,” Nikolai ordered.

“Fort Bragg?” asked an operator.

“We can do or we can teach. You pick!” Nikolai spat impatiently.

There was no debate, and in short order an Invisiportal was opened for Nikolai, who immediately jumped through. When he came out, he was not far from the main entrance to Fort Bragg. What he saw was horrific. Hordes of women shielding their children were coming out, being directed by Army personnel. The sound of gunfire could be heard in the distance. Police cruisers were forming a blockade, and thus Nikolai saw an opportunity. He sprinted as fast he could, pushing through crowds in order to maintain his momentum. A police officer saw Nikolai coming, and held his hands up.

“Stop!” the cop shouted.

Nikolai closed in very quickly, and punched the police man across the face, knocking him down and buying himself time. As he closed in on the main gate, a group of four soldiers who were forming a perimeter saw him. They were not so quick to dismiss his running in a strange uniform. They assumed a defensive posture, preparing to lift their rifles. Nikolai stepped onto the hood of a police cruiser while taking out his Zip Shooter, and jumped off the top of the car. With the touch of a button, a blinding flash came out of the Zip Shooter, temporarily incapacitating the soldiers. Landing in front of them, Nikolai hooked his leg around a soldier’s leg, before grabbing him rifle while yanking the leg out. The soldier was instantly tripped.

Nikolai then knocked the fallen soldier out with the butt of his own gun, before spinning the rifle in his hand and elbowing another shoulder in the abdomen hard. He followed up with a palm strike up the next soldier’s nose. The disorientation allowed for Nikolai to slip the barrel of his rifle into the trigger guard, prying it out of the soldier’s hand. The rifle went flying into the fourth soldier’s head. Nikolai jumped into the air while spinning, roundhouse kicking the same soldier down. He then use the rifle in his hand to strike the last soldier three times in the chest before a kick into his genitalia. These Army men were not so easily dispatched however, and tried to get up one by one. Nikolai then fire the zip line from his Zip Shooter onto the barrel of the rifle he was carrying. He quickly switched on the safety, and began to swing the weapon around by the string, continuously knocking each soldier in the face as they repeatedly tried to get up. It only took two hits each to knock them out for good.

Nikolai then disassembled his rifle into its component pieces, effortlessly as he was evidently familiar with the weapon. Surveying his surroundings, Nikolai noticed that he was standing underneath the shade of a tree, which was on the opposite end of the fence. People were starting to notice him standing over the pile of soldiers at his feet, so he needed to move quickly. Using the Zip Shooter once more, he pulled himself up into the strongest branch hanging over the security fence, and made his way over. Once dropping down to the other side, he ran toward the sound of gunshots, relying on the chaos of the situation to mask his movements. The sounds grew louder, and so Nikolai stopped and his around the corner of one of the barracks. Several gunshots fired, and then suddenly a strange high pitch whirring appeared. Another noise immediately followed, much like the whistle of a small bottle rocket. An explosion followed shortly after, and the gunfire stopped.

Nikolai then jumped out from around the corner, and saw numerous American soldiers lying dead on the ground. They were badly burned. One man was barely recognizable. To him, it was a familiar sight. Nikolai felt his stomach churn at the sight, but then he noticed a figure standing facing him not far from the bodies. It was covered in metal armor, and there was what looked to be a cannon in place of where its right hand should have been. The business end of the cannon was smoking.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Zatenks2/SonofZeltrax.jpg


“The exit is that way boy,” said the metal construct through some sort of voice amplified effect.

“Are you a Bender?” asked Nikolai, anger laced in his voice.

“Bender? What the hell are you talking about?” said the metal man.

“So you’re wearing a suit?” asked Nikolai.

The cannon on its hand began to emit a high pitched whirring noise again.

“What you are witnessing is justice. This suit was constructed using discoveries made while studying our fallen leader: our martyr,” it responded.

“Who are you?” Nikolai wanted to know.

“Not I, we. We are that which has awakened at our dead master’s command. We are the Sons of Zeltrax. We have come to confiscate weaponry, but it looks there need to be….casualties,” said the armored man.

“Farewell stranger, you should have run when you had the chance,” said the Son of Zeltrax.

It then aimed its cannon directly at him. Nikolai ripped the Tracker off his shoulder faster than he knew his reflexes would allow.

“Overdrive, Accelerate!”

Nikolai’s body was enveloped by his Red Ranger suit a split second afterward.

The Son of Zeltrax then visibly jerked at the sight.

“A Power Ranger?” it asked in surprise.

The Red Ranger instantly drew his Drive Defender, firing it in blaster mode. The Son of Zeltrax fired his cannon as well, discharging a blue energy pulse. The two opposing blasts collided equidistant from each combatant, exploding into a shockwave that both shielded their helmets from. The Red Ranger jumped into the air, switching the Drive Defender to saber mode, and landed in front of his opponent. He struck downward with his weapon, but the Son blocked with the broadside of his hand blaster. The Red Ranger twirled the saber over his head, causing the blade to sing as it traveled through the air, before stabbing the son directly in the chest. The Son froze, seemingly shocked. It became evident that the saber did not pierce all the way through the armor, it then yanked the blade out angrily. Without using any hands, the Red Ranger performed a cartwheel, throwing out his right leg and kicking the Son in his left shoulder plate.

The force of the kick indented him a bit, and the Son was forced to stumble away. After composing himself, the Son began to chuckle.

“That is some impressive strength and agility. Interesting. Your suit is skin tight and yet you have the strength to penetrate my armor. I guess you Power Rangers are the real deal. However, I am not without my defenses. This suit packs an impressive power source, and to avoid burning it out, I’ve only been operating at about 35% output,” the Son of Zeltrax explained.

Nikolai knew what was coming. The Son’s red eyes then flashed red, lightning up brighter than they had been before.

“Let’s see how you handle 65%,” he continued.

Quicker than before, the Son of Zeltrax ran forward before slamming its fist forward. The Red Ranger crossed his forearms in front of him, blocking the punch but being knocked back several feet, his feet skidding on the dirt. Recovering quickly, the Red Ranger flipped back to his feet and put his weapon away. Focusing his thoughts, the Red Ranger got into an aggressive fighting stance before charging toward his enemy. The Son of Zeltrax tried to kick out, but the Red Ranger blocked it with his knee, noting the strength it took to block it. The two traded blows, with the Red Ranger relying on his speed to avoid certain punches altogether. The Red Ranger then left himself wide open, and the Son of Zeltrax punched his chest as hard as possible. Collision sparks burst out of him, and he flew into the side of the barracks, imprinting his shape in the crumbled bricks.

“It looks like your Ranger powers are outdated in the face of my leader’s glory!” the Son boasted.

“No, not really,” said Nikolai as he got to his feet.

“I just wanted to feel you out. You are tough, I will grant you that, but you can not beat me,” Nikolai answered.

“Is that so? Well, considering you’re still alive after a punch like that, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. However, I am not alone,” the Son of Zeltrax warned.

The Red Ranger was suddenly blasted from behind as an energy pulse crashed out of the barracks behind him. The force of it sent him hurtling toward the Son of Zeltrax, who then grabbed him by the helmet as he passed by, throwing him into the ground. He stuck his cannon in the Red Ranger’s face, but he rolled away before the cannon could fire. Getting back on his feet again, the Red Ranger looked toward the source of the attack. There was another Son of Zeltrax walking out of what used to be a wall. Then there was another coming from an adjacent barrack. Two more carrying M16 weapon crates soon followed.

“Great,” Nikolai said to himself.

All five Sons of Zeltrax formed ranks aside each other, powering up their cannons. With no where else to go, the Red Ranger summoned his Drive Lance, preparing for what was to come. Suddenly then, a flurry of laser blasts rained down from the sky, striking both earth and Son alike. The Red Ranger looked up behind him for the source, and saw the other Power Rangers flying down. They ran up to the Red Ranger, who was relieved to see them.

“What have you gotten yourself into?” asked Veronica.

“This,” Nikolai replied, gesturing toward the five enemy assailants, “They call themselves the Sons of Zeltrax.”

“Zeltrax? That bastard terrorist? I thought all of his followers died with him,” Hunter commented.

“Apparently not,” Raika added.

“They have been dormant until now. I do not know where they got this technology, but we have to stop them,” Nikolai affirmed.

Without being told, the Yellow Ranger brought out her Drive Claws and began running toward the Sons of Zeltrax. They all began firing their arm cannons, but the Yellow Ranger deflected the oncoming blasts by punching them. The Black Ranger, Drive Slammer in hand, then jumped over the Yellow Ranger in order to crash the hammer down onto the middle Son’s left shoulder plate. In retaliation, the Son next to him aimed his blaster straight at the Black Ranger’s helmet. Before he could fire, the Blue Ranger had come up to them, and fired his Drive Vortex. It sent that Son flying into the other Sons, knocking all down. The Pink Ranger was already prepared for the coup de grace, and fired her Drive Geyser into the pile of them, dealing significant damage. The original Son of Zeltrax got back to his feet, and opened a tiny compartment in his cannon. A series of buttons were inside, and he quickly pressed them. His hand cannon suddenly started to glow red hot, and the high pitch whirring began to grow very loud, like an obnoxious siren.

He fired an unstable energy blast that detonated before it even struck any of the Rangers, but the shockwave knocked them well away.

“Come brothers! We do not have time to deal with them. There will come a time to avenge Zeltrax, but today is not that day!” the Son shouted.

An Invisiportal then opened above them, sucking in both the stolen gear and every Son of Zeltrax except the one who fired.

“Your advantage will be short lived! In the meantime, have fun dealing with this!” the Son of Zeltrax shouted.

Another Invisiportal opened, this time far larger than the previous ones. A giant robot they had all seen on the news then appeared before them. It was a HybridBot Mark 2. Demonstrated to be effective against the Dino Thunder Rangers, they already knew they were in for a fight. The Red Ranger took out his Tracker in order to speak into it.

“Send the zords!” Nikolai demanded.

“Why?” Hank’s voice questioned through the Tracker.

“Do you not detect the multiple Invisiportals? If you do not, a lot of people are going to get crushed by a giant machine,” Nikolai answered sternly.

“We have no idea what the consequences of deploying zords in a military facility would be,” Hank replied.

“If lives are saved, I do not think they will care. I am telling you that the situation calls for it. Do it,” Nikolai said menacingly.

There was a delay, as Hank did not respond. More Invisiportals then opened, and the zords arrived on scene. A cylinder of light suddenly pierced through the clouds and touched down on the ground. A slight shockwave forced the Rangers to back up. The light cleared, and there stood the sight of a woman wearing what appeared to be a dark, cybernetic uniform with a large assembly hanging from the back of her head.

“The Herald,” said Kaleena.

“A Bender?” asked Nikolai.

“An important one. If she is here, then it has gotten serious,” Kaleena responded casually.

“It just got worse,” said Raika.

“I should have anticipated this. It looks like you are not the only ones stealing forbidden abilities from former Recipients,” said the Herald, who watched as the Son of Zeltrax was pulled into the HybridBot by a pulley system protruding from its chest.

The Herald then looked to the Rangers, focusing on the Pink Ranger.

“We don’t have time for this, we need to get the Megazord up and running,” said Hunter.

“Agreed. Kaleena, you and Hunter stay here and deal with this Herald. The rest of us will commandeer the megazord,” Nikolai planned.

“I have not come here to fight. That is not my function. I have come to talk, to her,” the Herald said her controlled, alto sounding voice.

“I’m staying with her,” said Hunter to Nikolai.

The Red Ranger nodded, before snapping his fingers and running toward the zords. The Blue and Yellow Ranger followed.

“You will leave, boy. This conversation is not for anyone else’s ears,” the Herald warned.

The Black Ranger clutched his Drive Slammer tightly as he stood next to the Pink Ranger.

“I’m not leaving a teammate behind. You wanna talk to her, you do it with me here. If you can’t handle that…” the Black Ranger swung his Drive Slammer so that he could hold it in an aggressive position, “Feel free to do something about it!”

The Herald placed her glove-covered palm against her forehead and closed her eyes with a sigh.

“Very well. I suppose such petulance cannot be reasoned with, so stand there quietly child,” said the Herald.

The Pink Ranger tilted her head, saying nothing.

“I always held the utmost respect for you Observer. You were pure, flawless, without fault. You performed your function more diligently than any other Bender. And now look at you. Look around. Do you not see the consequences of your actions? Chaos beckons and destructions rains from all corners of the world while you follow the Case Holder on his petty crusade,” said the Herald, motioning toward the Pink Ranger.

“An interesting summation, however false it may be,” said Kaleena.

The Herald’s expression indicated a very bored form of surprise.

“You would pit your intellect against mine? I have said nothing untrue,” the Herald argued back.

“You’ve missed the point-” Kaleena was interrupted.

“What do you mean by ‘you’ve’? You just used a contraction. You never use contractions,” said the Herald, her eyes narrowed.

“I suppose I did use one didn’t I? I just used another one there,” said Kaleena, seemingly fascinated with herself.

Even Hunter picked up on the significance of it.

“You have also avoided answering,” the Herald chastised.

“The Case Holder is indirectly responsible for my freedom. Ethically, I should free him. You fault him for assisting in the death of the Butcher, but you merely request that I return even though I am directly responsible for the Armor’s death,” said Kaleena, her voice faltering for a brief moment, “I fail to fathom the distinction. You are being…what is the word? Unfair.”

“Priority Observer. It has been argued, that despite all your intellectual progress, you are highly susceptible to suggestion and thus are not responsible for your actions. Your function is also a highly valued one. The Case Holder not only deliberately undermines us, his function is not as vital as yours. There is nothing you have done yet that cannot be…forgiven,” explained the Herald.

“Kaleena, you can’t go back. You’re one of us,” Hunter tried to argue.

The Herald sighed exasperatedly.

“I told you to remain silent, boy. Perhaps my message was not clear enough,” said the Herald.

The two tentacle-like tendrils hanging from the back of the Herald’s head then began to move, outstretching themselves parallel to her face. They then locked into that position, as a tiny purple orb of light began to form in between the tips of them. The Black Ranger stood ready, amazed at what he was seeing. The orb began to swirl rapidly, until it suddenly dashed forward. It struck the Black Ranger with such force, that the resulting collision sparks nearly lit the grass beneath on fire. Flying through the air like a stunt double, the Black Ranger was knocked through a brick wall on one of the adjacent barracks. The Pink Ranger looked to where the Black Ranger had gone, before slowly turning back to the Herald.

“You should not have done that. Now I am going to fight you,” said Kaleena very delicately.

“If you attack me Observer, I will have no choice but to use necessary force,” the Herald warned.

“As will I,” Kaleena responded in kind.

The Pink Ranger the instantly summoned her Drive Geyser as the Herald prepared another purple orb of light. Holding the Drive Geyser in one hand, the Pink Ranger fired the weapon while the Herald launched her own attack. The orb collided in the air with the discharge from the Drive weapon, exploding in between the two. The Pink Ranger jumped off one leg, throwing out the other in an attempt to kick the Herald. The Herald blocked the kick with one forearm, holding that position.

“These Ranger powers of yours are no substitute for the ones you once wielded,” said the Herald.

There was no response, and the Pink Ranger kicked off the other leg in order to attack with her heel. The Herald effortlessly blocked the attack, before the two tendrils on her head suddenly swung out and wrapped around the Pink Ranger, holding her tightly in place. The force was enough to make her drop her Drive weapons.

“Eat this bitch!” shouted the voice of Hunter.

The Black Ranger was suddenly behind the Herald with his Drive Slammer at the ready. The Black Ranger swung hard, but the Herald quickly jabbed out with her hand, catching the handle just underneath the hammer portion before it could connect with her. The Black Ranger then drew his side arm. The Drive Defender was aimed directly at the Herald’s head. She turned her head and looked straight at him, then her eyes widened. The Black Ranger thought he had her, but white beams of light came from where her pupils were, and it struck the Black Ranger in his visor. The Black Ranger stayed put, using the strength of his neck to keep his head there. He suddenly noticed that the beams were pushing harder into the visor, and he saw cracks forming where it was happening.

“Shit!” Hunter shouted as he threw his head back, allowing the beams to hit a flag pole, completely knocking it away.

The Pink Ranger managed to free one of her arms, and she grabbed one of the tendrils before yanking on it. The Herald was pulled along with it, and she was released. The Pink Ranger sent her fist directly into the Herald’s abdomen to noticeable affect. Capitalizing on the opening, the Black Ranger jumped up, throwing an inward kick directly into the Herald’s head assembly. The Herald nearly fell over, but managed to regain her composure as the Black Ranger came back next to the Pink Ranger while touching the crack in his helmet.

“Damn. Aren’t these things unbreakable? I didn’t think anything could do that,” Hunter remarked.

“She can,” Kaleena responded, “The Herald’s function is to relay messages and intent. Should anyone decide to attack her, she may defend herself.”

“So she’s just a mouthpiece? Then I guess I’ll just have to shoot the messenger,” said Hunter as he aimed his blaster at the Herald.

The deliberate pun was lost on the Pink Ranger. The Black Ranger fired his weapon, but the Herald swatted away the oncoming laser blast into an adjacent wall.

“This pointless fight is over. I will return when there is less riff raff to influence your decision,” said the Herald.

“She’s choosing this for herself!” Hunter protested.

“You have no idea of what you speak. The fact that you must answer for her illustrates my point perfectly,” the Herald said dismissively.

“You know what bitch? L-” Hunter was cut off as the Pink Ranger gestured for silence.

She then stepped closer to the Herald as the ground tremored from the Megazord fighting the HybridBot.

“There is a lot I have yet to grasp Herald, but I am acting of my own volition. I will not desist without a fight,” said Kaleena, her tone unusually serious.

“Very well. Beginning now, you will be held accountable for your actions. The price of slaying the Armor is now on your head. The consequences of destabilizing everything will now be levied upon your very life. When you are vanquished, these Power Rangerfriends of yours will have to make the choice to discard their abilities or face a similar fate,” the Herald warned.

The Herald then took to the sky as her body dissolved into light, which quickly faded into the clouds.

The Pink Ranger continued looking at the sky, motionless. Another tremor shook the ground, and they were reminded of the grander fight happening not far from them. The Black Ranger walked up to her and touched her back.

“Are you alright?” asked Hunter.

The Pink Ranger turned to look at him.

“Yes,”

“Let’s join the others then,” Hunter suggested.

The Pink Ranger nodded, and in a moment, the two jumped high into the sky, carefully timing their jump to intercept the megazord and land in it.

“Ya miss me?” asked Hunter as he got into his seat.

“We need to increase the energy output, this thing moves almost like our megazord,” said Nikolai.

“That’s because it has some megazord technology right?” Veronica postulated.

“At any rate we cannot afford to lose,” said Raika.

The HybridBot aimed its rifle at the Megazord, which had to quickly strafe out of the way of the destructive pulse that came from it. The Megazard cocked its arm back, and threw a punch which landed on the HybridBot’s chest. With the Drive Pick, the megazord followed up with a quick swing past the shoulder. Suddenly something struck both the megazord and the HybridBot. A series of small explosions kept colliding with them. The megazord turned its head, and noticed a group of tanks approaching.

“Why are they shooting at us? We’re on their side!” Hunter complained.

“They do not recognize this megazord, they might think the Hybrid is on their side,” Nikolai offered.

The HybridBot then aimed its cannon at the line of tanks, before unloading onto the helpless vehicles. One by one, they exploded into a mess of shrapnel and smoke. The Drivemax Megazord then grabbed the HybridBot’s rifle, and yanked it up so that it could not fire upon the military anymore. Exerting a great deal of mechanical strength, the megazord then started to crush the barrel of the gun. A loud metal wailing resulted from the rending metal. The megazord then assembled its Drive Saber, and proceeded to sever the hand that the HybridBot was using to hold its gun. The tanks then opened fire again, this time exclusively on the HybridBot. The HybridBot began to randomly throw out its one good arm, smashing into the megazord several times.

“Guys, we’re in a megazord. I know that robot is a nasty little bugger, and we haven’t spent too much time practicing, but we should have no problems winning,” said Veronica.

“Now is the time to attack. Charge the right arm and cut that damn thing in half,” Nikolai said in a frustrated tone.

Another tank shot struck the HybridBot directly in its optical array, blinding the pilot inside. The Rangers saw the opportunity too good to pass up, and the megazord lifted the Drive Saber aloft. Blinded from his interface, the pilot inside the HybridBot jettisoned from the massive vehicle, flying straight into an Invisiportal.

“He got away,” Raika lamented.

Regardless, the megazord swung down hard, separating the HybridBot into two halves. The twin pieces of hulking metal then slammed down onto the ground below, causing a tremor that nearly shook the tanks off their tracks.

“You realize that the Army is just going to repair it right?” Hunter pointed out.

“It will keep the Sons of Zeltrax from retrieving it for now,” said Nikolai.

“I think we have a bigger problem,” said Veronica, pointing at the viewscreen.

The Army personnel looked up at the massive figure that was the megazord, confused and shocked altogether.

“They didn’t know about us. Now they do,” said Veronica.

“We should leave. I detect something…nearby,” said Kaleena.

“Is it a Bender?” asked Nikolai.

“I am unsure, but I believe it is observing us,” Kaleena answered.

“That settles it. Let’s get the hell out of here,” said Hunter.

The megazord was then teleported via Invisiportal back to GridFire, with the Rangers exiting it and making their way to the command center. Hank was waiting there for him, looking apparently disturbed. Still morphed, the Rangers came up to him. Without a delay, Hank set his digital tablet down.

“You used your Overdrive Tracker unauthorized and revealed yourselves to the United States Army. In addition, an untold amount of damages were done,” Hank berated the Red Ranger.

“I made a judgment call, and lives were saved. You are just a techie brain sent to babysit us; I’m team leader. If you don’t like it, take it up with Curtis, because I am not interested,” Nikolai responded bitterly.

Nikolai then powered down and held his Tracker in front of Hank’s face, and then dropped it before storming out of the command center. Hank was completely silenced, and evidently baffled. Hunter held his hand to where his mouth would be on his helmet.

“Jesus Christ,” Hank finally managed to say, picking up Nikolai’s Tracker.

“Harsh,” Hunter commented.

“I’m sorry about that,” Veronica tried to say.

“Forget about it,” Hank tried to brush it off, “So what happened out there?”

“Zeltrax had followers who were staying hidden until now. They have weapons and suits that are able to fight us,” Raika explained.

The quiet murmurs around the room attested to how unwelcome this turn of events was. Hank’s face was blank, but his eyes were narrowed.

“I take it they were the ones responsible for the attack at Fort Bragg?” Hank asked.

“Yes,” said Raika.

Hank grumbled.

“Great. Now we have to fight a war on two fronts,” Hank said irritably.

“That’s not all,” Hunter interjected.

Hank then looked to the Black Ranger.

“Kaleena said she could ‘sense’ something. She said it was watching our entire fight. I think that might bump us up to 3 fronts…” Hunter elaborated.

[Beckoner]

As promised, the next part of the World Bender marathon, episode 7! And episode 10 already well underway!

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World Bender Season 3
Episode 7: Hidden Enemies

Veronica sat in the computer room reading a book silently, separated from the noise of Hunter playing the Xbox in the living area. Engrossed in her romance novel, Veronica did not notice Raika come into the room in order to go on one of the computers. She read at a leisurely pace, choosing to stop when she completed the chapter she had been reading. Noon was fast approaching, and her stomach was beckoning her to grab a snack. She made her way to the kitchen and opened the bottom part of the fridge to grab an apple only to find that the previously full bag of Red Delicious apples were missing. Veronica walked to the living room to address Hunter.

“Hunter, do you know who made off with the apples?” she asked.

Hunter paused his game to look at her.

“Kaleena dug into them. Check the garbage,” he replied.

Veronica went back into the kitchen and stepped on the lid level to reveal an empty plastic bag, and about a dozen apple cores. Veronica let the lid back down before shaking her head. She made her way back to the living area.

“I’m just going to go fetch some more. When you see her, ask her not to eat them all next time?”

Hunter nodded his head as he furiously worked his controller. Raika then came out of the computer room and sat down next to Hunter.

“Sup?” asked Hunter, who instinctively tossed him a controller.

“Your keyboards are still taking some time to become used to,” said Raika, who picked up the controller and pressed the green “X” in the middle to activate it.

Hunter acknowledged the reply before beginning the game.

“So, what do you think of Kaleena? She’s unlike anything ever before. You think she’s even human?” Hunter interjected.

Raika was a bit confused by the question, but continued to play despite the conversation.

“In places of Japan, she would be thought of as a demon. It is thought that some demons fool people by looking like young women,” said Raika.

Hunter chuckled.

“She’s a little too pretty to be a demon don’cha think?”

Raika shrugged, before putting his controller down.

“Don’t wanna play?” asked Hunter.

“Bathroom,”

Nikolai then entered the living area, having been gone for some time.

“Hey dude, want in on this?” asked Hunter.

Nikolai shook his head and proceeded straight toward his room, when suddenly Raika’s GridFire cell phone, which was sitting on the table, began to ring. Hunter immediately put down his controller and saw a text message. Deciding not to wait for Raika to return, he checked it. It was Hank, calling him to the command center.

“Raika’s busy right now. Let’s go ourselves. Maybe we can help,” Hunter suggested.

In short order, Hunter and Nikolai had disappeared in order to answer the summon. When Raika got out of the bathroom, he saw how the living area had been deserted. He took this opportunity to go for a walk. He snatched his phone off the table unaware he had received a message, and left. After getting into a company car that he was allowed to drive, Raika drove downtown to the industrial district where a local food outlet served sushi he was quite fond of. He opened his phone to dial ahead so that it would be ready when he arrived, but found that his phone’s battery was low. He shut it off.

In the command center, Nikolai and Hunter were just walking in to Hank’s confusion.

“Where’s Raika?” asked Hank.

“He was indisposed, so we came instead. Can we help?” asked Nikolai.

Hank turned to a computer console.

“Not exactly. The Drill Driver has hit a hot gas pocket during its drilling, and it isn’t able to keep drilling. We need to adjust the drill vector, but without seeing it in person we can’t remotely correct the problem. It’s too dangerous for any of our geologists to inspect in person, so as our field geologist, Raika as Blue Ranger needs to check it out,” Hank explained.

Nikolai then took out his own phone, and dialed Raika’s number. It went straight to voice mail every time.

“He turned his phone off,” said Nikolai.

“Dammit. Alright, I need you guys to find him. I’m going to check the visitor log to see if he’s left the complex,” said Hank.

Nikolai turned on his heel to leave, while Hunter took a second before turning around. Hank called out to him before he went.

“When you see Raika,” Hank pulled out an Overdrive morpher, “Give him this.”

Hunter took it and left. Meanwhile, Raika was just walking out of the food outlet, and decided to take a walk with his food. He took a piece of catfish sushi and shoveled it into his mouth after dipping it in ginger sauce. He passed by a number of old warehouses and defunct factories, when he saw a group of men speedily walking toward him. They rudely brushed past him before turning into an alleyway between two adjacent buildings. Raika dismissed it, but then heard the familiar sound of an Invisiportal opening. He curiously backtracked, looked down the alleyway. The men were gone. The alleyway was at least a quarter mile long and there were not building entrances. If they disappeared, it was into an Invisiportal, and Raika knew that only one other group of people knew about Invisiportals other than GridFire Industries.

He dropped his food, and proceeded to walk down the alleyway. He carefully observed his surroundings, realizing that he would not be able to track them if they had already left. He was about to give up, when he saw a tiny bit of green light floating in the corner of his vision. He looked, and saw what appeared to be the “scar” of a two-way Invisiportal that was kept open at all times. It was barely larger than a toothpick, just a tiny sliver of green light hovering just below a sidelamp. He was unarmed, and didn’t have his morpher, but he knew he needed to investigate further. His phone was dead, and it would take far too long for the others to catch up.

He reached up and touched it. The Invisiportal then opened up like a celestial mouth to suck him in. He arrived inside of what appeared to be one of the old factories. The sound of several generators filled his ears, and he saw cords running under his feet and into a much larger open area. He remained hidden underneath the rafters, and some sort of makeshift laboratory that had been set up. There were several large, glass vats filled with some sort of dark, thick, liquid that almost resembled tar. There were some old, partially constructed SARCOS units dangling from chains, along with several computer terminals connected to a rack server assembly.

On a work table near the group of men, was what appeared to be a corpse. It was considerably decomposed but in one piece. Raika wanted to throw up, but he held his composure the best he could to conceal his presence. One of the men walked to one of the vats, and slid a small black cylinder the size of a coke can into a receptacle just underneath the glass portion of the vat. A deep humming noise could be heard, and the level of black “goo” inside the vat decreased slightly. A green light appeared on the receptacle, and the man withdrew the cylinder.

“Stand back,” the man instructed.

The others did so, and the man pressed a button on the top of the cylinder before placing it on the table. Portions of the cylinder then slide aside to reveal tiny holes. The cylinder released a quiet HISS and tiny black suds discharged into the air. As if controlled by some sort of intelligence, the black suds changed direction in midair and began to stick onto the corpse.

“It detects and seeks decomposing tissue perfectly,” the man commented.

The black suds on the corpse then began to expand, forming growths on the body. Raika watched with horror as the growths began to consume and shape over the body until it was fully enveloped. When it was over, the corpse looked almost exactly like Zeltrax, but with much sleeker armor; almost a skin tight variant. The man then tied a blindfold around its visor. The corpse then began to sit up abruptly, causing Raika to scream. This alerted the other men who turned toward him.

“Who’s there?!” the lead man shouted.

Raika then steeled himself, and walked out of the shadows.

“What have you done? That is a dead body!” Raika shouted.

“How did he get in here? The place is locked down,” one of the other men asked.

“Apparently our friend here knows something about Invisiportals, otherwise he wouldn’t be here. Whoever you are, you’ve just borne witness to the fruits of one of Zeltrax’s many projects that he left behind for us. You obviously came without any backup, so I’ll allow our newly created Cadaver to handle you,” said the lead man.

Raika assumed a fighting stance.

“Take everything. Let’s get out of here,” the man told the others before reaching the blindfold on the Cadaver, preparing to pull it off.

“These Cadavers are little more than aggressive, reanimated corpses with a few upgrades to sustain their bodies. They have no mind. They’re highly responsive to physical suggestions and gestures and they don’t respond to verbal commands,” the man explained to Raika, before pulling the blindfold off, “They just attack the first thing they see.”

The Cadaver then set its visor upon Raika, and began running toward him. The men then began to take apart the laboratory, feeding the various devices and resources into an Invisiportal as they prepared to evacuate.

For a dead body, the Cadaver was surprisingly nimble and accurate in its movements. It swung at Raika’s face, who spun on his heel to strafe out of the way. He kicked the Cadaver in the side, knocking it down. The Cadaver immediately got back to its feet, and charged Raika once more. It made several attempts to strike him, but Raika skillfully blocked each attack, before sending his fist straight into its face. The Cadaver stumbled back, before assuming a stance identical to Raika’s.

“What?” said Raika.

The Cadaver then jumped into the air far higher than any normal human was capable of jumping, and landing a flying kick into Raika’s chest, knocking him against the workbench. It was learning. Raika remembered his phone, and turned it on despite having low power. He wouldn’t be able to send out a message or a call, but GridFire would be able to track it for as long as it was on. The Cadaver was now on him, trying to send a flurry of aggressive punches into his body. Raika managed to block a few, but not without receiving a few body shots. Raika locked his leg behind the Cadaver’s right knee, and pushed hard in order to knock it down.

Almost instantly, the Cadaver had sprung to its feet. Raika was on the attack now, sending punch after punch into various pieces of the Cadaver’s body. In the corner of his eye he saw the last man leaving through the Invisiportal, and he knew he needed to hurry up. Raika jumped into the air, performing an airborne roundhouse kick into the Cadaver’s face, knocking off its face covering. The Cadaver was now visibly worn, and it did not appear to be capable of sight anymore. Raika then kicked the Cadaver in the abdomen; he kicked again before using the momentum from the previous kick to brutally smash the side of its chest, breaking a rib in the process.

The Cadaver released a gargle, and then fell down like a discarded Barbie doll. The compound that formed the Zeltrax-looking suit around it then began to dissolve into a puddle of black goo beneath it, revealing the corpse that was inside. They were formidable, but they were fragile, Raika realized. It was too late, the men had evacuated with everything, and the Invisiportal closed behind them. Just then, Nikolai and Hunter appeared on the scene via Invisiportal.

“Raika! What’s going on?” asked Nikolai.

“Sons of Zeltrax. They have something that Zeltrax worked on before he died. It brings back dead people to fight. I just fought one. It was tough,” Raika explained, pointing at the body that was lying on the ground.

“Well this changes things,” Nikolai commented.

“Here, take this,” said Hunter, who handed Raika his morpher.

“You follow them to wherever they went, we have to get back and gather the others. Can you handle that?” asked Nikolai.

Raika nodded.

Nikolai clapped Raika on the shoulder before leaving with Hunter to find an exit. Raika opened his Overdrive morpher and aimed the little barrel at the spot where the Invisiportal had been, pressing a button and allowing it to use the residual energy to trace it. Raika pressed another button, and a tiny light flashed from the morpher’s barrel, reopening the Invisiportal so that Raika could jump through. When he was on the other side, he was some place cold, and noticeably darker. He saw what he knew to be the Northern Lights coloring the sky. Raika opened his morpher and looked at the location tracker: he was in Alaska.

Raika surveyed his surroundings and saw that he was just outside of what seemed to be a small town. He had no idea where the men had gone, so the only thing he could do was ask around. Raika walked into town, seeing a series of small shops, homes, and a little martial arts dojo with the light still on. The stores weren’t open yet, but Raika saw movement in the dojo. He walked to the place and knocked on the door. He knocked again. The third attempt rewarded his efforts as a young man clearly his own age answered. He had a friendly smile on his face, pale complexion, same height, with curly brown hair.

“Hello. Um, you’re clearly not from around here cause I know everyone ‘round here. You must be new. Dojo isn’t open yet, but I come by every morning to help sensei clean up. My name is Tyler. What can I do for ya?” he asked in a disarmingly nice tone.

“Hi. My name is Raika. I am here looking for some men. You would not recognize them either. Has anyone come through here?” Raika asked.

Tyler pressed his fingers to his chin, in thought, before shaking his head.

“I don’t think I’ve seen any strangers. Maybe I could help you find them. This town is small and there’s not many places they could be,” Tyler offered helpfully.

Raika thought in frustration, trying to figure out where the men would go with the equipment they had made off with. Then he got an idea and cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner.

“Is there a cemetery around here?” asked Raika.

Tyler smiled.

“Of course.”

Relying the navigational skills of his helpful acquaintance, Raika and Tyler came to a small cemetery where sure enough, the men were shuffling the equipment into a crypt they had broken into.

“Um, they’re not supposed to be doing that,” Tyler commented.

“That is because they are bad guys. You go get help, I will try to stop them,” Raika requested.

“Stop them with what?” asked Tyler.

Raika balled his fist and held it up.

“This,” said Raika grimly.

Tyler shook his head, and cracked his knuckles.

“Help is 20 minutes away from this town. There are four of them, and one of you. I do more at that dojo than clean. I’ve been going there since I was a kid. I’ll help,” Tyler urged.

Raika didn’t want to put a civilian in harm’s way, but at the same time wasn’t about to turn down the help. Raika gestured for Tyler to follow, and the two ran toward the crypt.

“Hey you! Can’t ya respect the dead?!” Tyler shouted to get the men’s attention.

The leader turned around and saw the pair, clearly irritated.

“You should really learn to quit while you’re ahead, because from where I’m standing, you’re in serious trouble!” the man shouted back.

Reaching into his pocket, the man pulled out another cylinder, armed it, and tossed it into the middle of the cemetery. Raika watched as it bounced a few times before coming to a stop as it released its black discharge.

“This is trouble,” said Raika.

“Why?” Tyler asked innocently.

“The dead are going to come alive again,” said Raika.

Tyler’s eyes widened, but Raika grabbed him by the shoulders.

“These people work for Zeltrax. He was the one the Power Rangers fought against last year. That thing he used is going to bring back the dead as soldiers. No matter how scary it is, you have to beat them,” Raika explained.

Tyler nodded his head, as the blackened hands of several Cadavers began to rip out of the soil. One by one, they emerged from their resting place, forming nearly two dozen in all. Tyler stared in acute, amazed, fear as the abominations rose from their graves. They all locked onto Tyler and Raika, and began to run toward the pair.

Raika ran toward the closest Cadaver, jumping into the air and kicking it back, before spinning to his right and connecting his foot with another one. He swung his arm out and backhand fisted another one in the face. Tyler froze for a moment, but when he saw a Cadaver’s hand grab his shoulder, he instantly reacted. He clutched the Cadaver’s wrist and tripped it over. Without missing a beat, he tossed it into another Cadaver which knocked both down.

Raika punched a nearby Cadaver in the face, before turning to attack another, but he was outnumbered. Two Cadavers simultaneously slammed their fists into his chest, sending him hurtling to the ground. Apparently the Cadavers worked together as well. Tyler then jumped over Raika in order to defend him. Tyler jump-kicked each offending Cadaver in succession, and then punched another Cadaver hard enough to knock it down. After helping Raika back up, Tyler stood back to back with him. The countless Cadavers began to surround the two, their numbers working heavily to their advantage. Raika instinctively gripped the morpher in his pocket, but wasn’t sure if he should use in front of Tyler. The situation was becoming dire, and Tyler didn’t know who he was, so perhaps there was no harm in it.

Suddenly, Nikolai, Hunter, Veronica and Kaleena had arrived. They began to fight their way through the perimeter of Cadavers, making their way to Raika and his companion.

“Are you okay? Who is this?” asked Veronica.

“This is Tyler. He was helping me. Right now we have to defeat these things,” Raika said, pointing to their numerous enemies.

“Right. Tyler, thank you for your help, but please take a step back,” Nikolai urged before taking out his morpher, “Ready?”

Despite the unwanted witness, the others drew their own morphers.

“Ready!”

“Overdrive, Accelerate!”

The group of them had vanished in the resulting flash of light, Power Rangers now standing in their place. Tyler’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets at the sight.

“Time to go to work,” said Nikolai.

The Red Ranger then drew out his Drive Defender in blade mode.

“Wait!” Tyler shouted.

The Rangers hesitated as the Cadavers began to change their formation.

“These are dead people. You’re gonna wreck their bodies and hurt the families who buried them,” Tyler pleaded.

“He is right,” Raika began, “We don’t have to cut them up. If we do enough damage, they will stop. Trust me.”

The Red Ranger then switched his Drive Defender to blaster mode, and adjusted the power setting on it.

“Alright,” he said.

Firing a shot into the crowd of Cadavers, the laser blast blew away a large patch of the suit on one of them, causing the suit to destabilize and ending its tenure as a threat. Holstering his weapon, the Red Ranger led the rest of the Power Rangers into the group. With their enhanced speed and strength, they all took on several Cadavers at once. The Red Ranger kicked off of one Cadaver, using the momentum to punch into another. A Cadaver then tried to grab him, but he chopped away the incoming clutch with his hand before backhanding it in the chest and then immediately sent his fist into the one next to it. The Blue Ranger had his Drive Vortex out, and was using it to create thrust. He sent his own body flying through the air while twirling, kicking an entire row of Cadavers down. The Black Ranger had his Drive Slammer out, and used the long handle to whiplash one Cadaver’s feet from under it. He then pushed the top of the hammer into another Cadaver’s face, breaking off the visor piece. He spun it by the handle with both hands once more before swinging the hammer into another, pulling the hit at the last second but still knocking the Cadaver away.

The Yellow Ranger performed a forward moving flip over one Cadaver, kicking it in the head as she passed, and using her inertia to strike another Cadaver in front of her as she landed. She looked to her right, and saw a Cadaver running at her. She roundhouse kicked it away, and then delivered a palm strike into another approaching Cadaver. The Pink Ranger ran as fast as she could to build speed, and then jumped through the air. She flew straight with her arms out in front of her much like Superman, but when she made contact with a Cadaver, she grabbed it, and then her momentum shifted. She was now flipping over the Cadaver while still clutching it, and when she came to a landing behind it, she threw it into two more Cadavers. Four of them surrounded her on all sides, and moved in at once. The Pink Ranger jumped up and performed a split in the air with her legs, effectively kicking two Cadavers at once. She turned just a bit when she landed, and did the same thing again to deal with the other two.

In short order, the Cadavers were defeated, leaving a battlefield of exposed corpses in their place. Despite their success, they felt a sense of disgust.

“So this is what they are resorting to, using the dead to do their killing for them?” Veronica spat.

“Where did they go?” asked Hunter.

Raika pointed into the crypt further up the cemetery.

“I doubt they are still there, but let’s check anyway,” said Nikolai.

“Someone is here,” said Kaleena.

The other Rangers immediately paid attention.

“What?” asked Raika.

“We are being watched. This way,” Kaleena said before abruptly running toward the town.

Unable to do much else, the Rangers after her, following her down the street and to the shoreline where the Alaskan waters waited for them. It was a nice view, with the lights in the distance and the mist hovering over the water. The Pink Ranger then pointed into the mist-obscured water.

“There. He is there,” said Kaleena.

“Who?” asked Veronica.

“The Sentinel,” Kaleena answered blandly.

The mist then began to shift, and move with purpose. It gathered into an area above the water not far in front of them, it took shape, and then formed into a tall being which stood atop the water. Its robes and long white hair flowed in the winds, the large blade attached to its forearm nearly singing as air passed over it.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Zatenks2/TheSentinel.jpg

“Another Bender,” Nikolai said with clear irritation.

“The dead are not to be disturbed. Balance is being disrupted,” the Sentinel replied in a decidedly male voice.

“We didn’t wake them up, the bad guys did!” Hunter protested.

“Perhaps not directly. However, every action has a consequence, and your actions have led to those monsters being used against you. When you are gone, those monsters go with you,” said the Sentinel.

“Are you trying to pick a fight with us? Why do you not pursue the Sons of Zeltrax? They are the ones responsible. And even if you got rid of us, it would not stop them from using those things,” Nikolai reasoned.

“I never said that both sides of the equation would not be balanced. However, you are a greater disruption than they. And with the Observer aiding your antics as the dead walk the earth again, I have been forced to action. Prepare to die, Power Rangers,” said the Sentinel.

The edge of the Sentinel’s blade then glowed with a blue light, before it swung that arm out, causing a crescent beam of light to move through the air and strike all of the Rangers. As collision sparks burst from their bodies, they fell to the dirt below. As though the water were made of solid earth, the Sentinel walked across the surface before coming onto dry land where the Rangers were. The Sentinel then held out its other hand, as an orb of blue energy coalesced in front of it. It was aimed at the Pink Ranger.

“I would have preferred not to use this, but you leave me no choice Observer,” the Sentinel lamented, before the orb suddenly began moving toward her.

The Yellow Ranger was right next to her, and pushed her out of the way, but the orb changed direction and continued moving toward her. This time, the Black Ranger jumped in the way, swinging his Drive Slammer into the orb before it could strike her. The resulting explosion tossed him away like a rag doll, and the other Rangers were shoved back from the force of it. Immediately upon hitting the ground, the Black Ranger demorphed, leaving Hunter unconscious and vulnerable.

The Pink Ranger then brought out her Drive Geyser, and opened fire on the Sentinel, who used his blade to repel the blasts. The Red Ranger then jumped over the rest of the Rangers with his Drive Lance, and swung down hard. The Sentinel blocked once more with his blade, the two locking their weapons together.

“You are ill equipped to deal with me young one,” the Sentinel warned, before pulling his blade away and bringing it across the Red Ranger’s chest.

The Red Ranger was violently knocked away as the Yellow and Blue Rangers tried to come to his aid. The Pink Ranger stood defensively in front of Hunter, who would not survive any attack from the powerful Bender. Hunter’s eyes fluttered open, and he quickly remembered where and what he was doing.

“Stay down,” Kaleena instructed.

“And let you guys have all the fun?” Hunter managed to groan out.

Rather lethargically, Hunter morphed once more, his Drive Slammer in hand. He tried to stand up using the handle of the Drive Slammer for leverage, but was too badly hurt. He then let himself fall back down to his knees, and dropped his weapon.

“Take my hammer. As long as I’m morphed, it’ll stick around. You need everything you can get,” said Hunter.

The Sentinel then slashed out, sending another slice of energy toward the Black Ranger. The Pink Ranger immediately grabbed her comrade, and jumped away with him and narrowly avoided the attack. The Sentinel then began to create another orb, this time somewhat larger than the first. It then split into five separate orbs. They all knew what was about to happen. A golden light then suddenly shined underneath the surface of the water behind the Sentinel, and it instantly distracted him, who turned around with urgency to look. Suddenly, Tyler jumped out from behind the harbor gate having stolen the Drive Slammer, and ran directly toward the Sentinel. The Sentinel was far too focused on the light underneath the water to notice in time, and was struck directly in the back with the business end of the Black Ranger’s weapon. It caused him to stumble forward and directly make contact with all five orbs, which exploded and sent Tyler tumbling away.

“Tyler!” Raika shouted with concern.

All of their Overdrive Trackers were beeping loudly, and the Red Ranger took his out in order to take a reading of the light.

“I think this is another golden shard, like the one in Canada,” Nikolai said to the others, before turning to the Blue Ranger, “Raika, you go get that shard, Veronica will look after Tyler.”

Raika was hesitant, but obedient. With his Drive Vortex on his arm, he ran straight past the clearing smoke where the Sentinel was kneeling.

“No you will not!” the Sentinel shouted in a noticeably burdened voice, apparently damaged from his own attack.

He swung out with his blade, but the Blue Ranger jumped over his arm and dove directly into the water. The glow began to die down, and the Blue Ranger noticed that there was indeed a shard, beginning to fall deeper into the water. He would not be able to swim fast enough to reach it, so he activated his Drive Vortex and used it to propel himself further downward, his other arm reaching out toward the shard that sunk ever deeper into the depths. Back on dry land, the Sentinel managed to get back to its feet, but not in the same condition it had been in before.

The other Rangers, excluding the Black Ranger, brought out their Drive Defenders in blaster mode, opening fire indiscriminately upon the Sentinel. A number of blasts struck it before it yelled out angrily and a translucent green orb formed around it, protecting it from further arm.

“I will withdraw for the moment, but know that you have now gained a new adversary,” the Sentinel declared, before dissolving into mist and fading away.

The Blue Ranger then shot out of the water and into the sky, the Drive Vortex having launched him that far, before coming to a landing back with the other Rangers. The others were now kneeling in front of the Black Ranger and Tyler, the latter of which was no longer conscious.

“Did you get it?” asked Nikolai.

The Blue Ranger held out his hand and revealed another golden shard piece, affirming his success. The Yellow Ranger clapped him on the shoulder.

“Brilliant effort, Raika,” Veronica encouraged.

“Power down,” Kaleena said quietly.

Scooting closer to Tyler, Kaleena touched his chest before tilting her head.

“He is not harmed. The concussive force of the explosion rendered him unconscious. He will wake soon,” said Kaleena.

“That’s good,” Hunter commented.

“So who is this guy anyway?” asked Veronica.

“A very good acquaintance who helped me out. I suppose not everyone is an enemy of the Power Rangers,” said Raika.

“The Sons of Zeltrax got away. This two front war being fought by us five is becoming more difficult. Let’s get Tyler home, and then get back to base,” Nikolai ordered.

Working tirelessly, the Rangers returned Tyler to the dojo he had been at, lying him down on one of the training mats. There was not much they could do about the corpses in the cemetery, and the Sons of Zeltrax had taken another Invisiportal inside the crypt to escape. The residual energy had long since vanished and thus was untraceable. With the new golden shard in hand, the Power Rangers took an Invisiportal back to GridFire Industries. After turning in the golden shard, Raika explained everything to Hank and the other Rangers; about the Sentinel, the Sons of Zeltrax and the Cadavers. Even Tyler received honorable mention. When he was done, Hank pinched the bridge of his nose and straightened his glasses as he thought things through. When he was done, his head snapped up.

“So Zeltrax was working on a way to turn corpses into soldiers, and the Sons of Zeltrax have gotten their hands on it? This…this is huge. We don’t know if they can replicate that compound that reanimates corpses. From what Raika saw, it didn’t take much. With this, their numbers are potentially limitless. Just imagine the chaos they could create by stealing corpses and turning them into an army. This is bad,” Hank explained in all seriousness.

Hank paced around the command center trying to think, and then he simply shrugged.

“As much as we need to reach the Case Holder, the Sons of Zeltrax are an immediate threat. I don’t like the idea of 5 different Benders having it out for us, so we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board. Your Rangers powers aren’t enough for this conflict. Go get some rest, I have to work on finding a power source for your newest weapon,” said Hank.

“What weapon?” asked Nikolai.

“The Defender Vest. That’s all for now. Dismissed,” Hank replied.

The group then returned to their habitat and sat down on the couches. Hunter walked with a slight limp, being very sore, and slumped against his preferred spot in front of the television. Nikolai sat only for a moment, but then disappeared into his bedroom while Raika went into the kitchen to prepare some food. Veronica could tell that everyone was feeling a bit under the weather, excluding Kaleena who was very passive, and decided to try and socialize. She turned to Kaleena and touched her arm to get her attention.

“So what’s the Sentinel playing at? What’s his um, function, as you would say?” asked Veronica.

“The Sentinel is supposed to prevent people from doing things that you would consider, unnatural. Raising the dead comes into conflict with his function, and that is why he will fight us now,” said Kaleena.

Veronica looked disappointed, but then thought of something.

“I couldn’t help but notice how soft your skin is. Spending so much time outdoors makes me coarse sometimes. What product do you use?” asked Veronica.

Kaleena tilted her head.

“I don’t-” Kaleena paused, presumably in fascination with her use of a contraction, “use products.”

Veronica raised an eyebrow.

“You’re very lucky then. Your skin is unnaturally perfect. I guess being a Bender has its benefits doesn’t it?” Veronica quipped, trying to lighten the mood.

Her smile faltered, and she then got up to make her way to the bathroom.

“Perfect skin huh?” Hunter questioned, “I call shenanigans.”

Hunter then reached out and poked Kaleena in the arm with his finger, and then poked again. Kaleena allowed him to do it, simply observing his hand.

“Huh,” Hunter cadenced.

He then extended two fingers, and ran them up and down her arm. It took him a bit before he realized that he had gotten carried away, and was now stroking her arm. He stopped, and looked at Kaleena’s face, who was making direct eye contact with him. Hunter abruptly pulled away.

“Sorry,” Hunter said, red in the face.

“Why apologize?” Kaleena asked, curious.

“I kinda got in your spot there. Didn’t mean to invade your space or anything. Sorry I touched you,” Hunter said somberly.

Kaleena tilted her head.

“Until the original recipients defeated me in the conflict that claimed the Butcher’s life, I had never been touched before. I have found it to be a rather peculiar sensation,” Kaleena answered.

“Oh, so being touched gives you the heebee jeebies?” Hunter questioned.

“No. I am still becoming familiar with different forms of physical contact. Your technique in making contact with my arm was…pleasant,” Kaleena found the word she wanted.

Hunter felt a bit embarrassed, and averted his eyes.

“Oh. Well I guess I’m glad you liked it,” Hunter said bashfully.

“Yes. You may touch me whenever you like,” Kaleena said as-a-matter-of-factly.

Hunter looked back at Kaleena, choking back a laugh.

“Oh um, you shouldn’t say things like that,” Hunter tried to explain.

“Have I offended you?” asked Kaleena.

Hunter held up his hands in protest.

“No nothing like that. It’s just um, that kinda thing isn’t very ladylike,” Hunter replied.

“I would not know what a lady does or doesn’t do,” said Kaleena.

Hunter shrugged, and then got an idea.

“Well, as part of your social education, I challenge you to some Street Fighter 4. I gotta warn you though, I’m pretty nasty at that game,” Hunter declared.

Kaleena nodded her head in agreement. Hunter popped in the disc and booted the game up, and before long the two were mashing away at the controllers, with Hunter pulling out all the stops in order to win. He won a total of 3 fights against Kaleena. On the fourth, she won with perfect victories in both rounds. She had learned. Hunter sat back in shock.

“I can’t believe it. This is my game. I never lose Street Fighter. You are one spooky girl,” Hunter said in disappointed amazement.

“I believe the term you would use is, ‘sore loser’,” Kaleena said experimentally.

Hunter looked at her with a smile despite her blank gaze.

“Oh so you beat me at my own game and think you’ve earned bragging rights huh? Well I didn’t teach you that, but I’ll teach you a lesson!” Hunter threatened.

He then threw down his controller, moved across the couch, and started tickling Kaleena. Her eyes widened and she sharply inhaled through her nose. She froze for just a moment, and then started to squirm.

“Never been touched like this have you? Don’t know what to do, do ya?” Hunter taunted.

He continued to torture her with the unfamiliar sensation, before the corners of Kaleena’s mouth started to move upward. Hunter immediately stopped.

“How about that? I think you almost smiled,” Hunter teased.

“That was…different,” Kaleena responded, as if she had been traumatized.

“It’s called tickling. We do it for fun. You must have seen it before,” Hunter pointed out.

“Yes I have seen it. I just did not know it would be like that,” Kaleena answered.

“You don’t like it?” Hunter asked cautiously.

Kaleena tilted her head.

“I do not know what to make of it. Do it again,” Kaleena asked.

Hunter raised his eyebrows, but gave in. He started to tickle Kaleena will full fury, who reacted much the same as before, with the same surprised expression. The torment did not stop as quickly as before; and this time Kaleena opened her mouth, and released a sound. It sounded like a laugh. Hunter pulled back. It wasn’t a strong one, but he was looking at a genuine smile on her face.

“Now that’s more like it,” said Hunter, who was beaming right back at her.

[Beckoner]

Oh oh oh, what's this? EPISODE 8. I told you guys! Since I'm posting 4 episodes in all within rapid succession, I'd appreciate some feed back on what you think of the characters. I've been working really hard on the characterization and the various relationships between the Rangers.

I think by now, enough time has passed for you guys to get a basic feel for some of the characters. I'd love to know how they come off to you. And I love Kaleena. Writing her development has been an honor. She's easily my favorite character. She started off as..well...you know. You all read season 2 so I don't have to say it. Having her as this season's Pink Ranger has been a blast to write.

Anyway, I'm done stalling. Onto the episode!

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World Bender Season 3
Episode 8: Infiltration
“It’s been too quiet lately. I like having the break, but it makes me nervous. Especially with so many people after us,” Hunter complained.

“Maybe that is a good thing. It gives Hank more time to finish the Defender Vest,” Nikolai suggested.

Hunter shrugged.

“He’s been taking a long time to finish it. I don’t understand what he needs to make it work,” Veronica noted.

“We call it the Acceltector in Japan. It needs something powerful to work. I saw your American version. You used a Dragon scale, but things like that aren’t real,” Raika added.

“Who knows what’s real anymore, with what we’ve seen in the short time we’ve been Rangers?” Hunter questioned.

The others nodded in agreement. Kaleena then exited her room, having woken up for the day and emerging from her room.

“Morning,” Hunter greeted.

Nikolai then resumed the conversation from before.

“I’m sure there are many power sources that would be able to run the Defender Vest, just none that are small enough. A cell phone battery would not power a chainsaw, never mind Ranger gear,” Nikolai pointed out.

“There are small power sources that generate energies far beyond what you are accustomed to,” Kaleena said as if it were obvious.

Everyone’s eyes were now on her.

“Do tell,” said Nikolai.

“There are constructs, made by my brethren. There are places where civilization doesn’t go. In these places, constructs are made,” Kaleena explained.

“Okay…go on,” said Nikolai.

“Each construct is powered by an artifact small enough for our purposes,” Kaleena finished.

“What do these constructs do?” asked Raika.

“They function much like what you call watchtowers. They extend the sight of the Benders, and provide other valuable tools. A Bender may temporarily live in one in order to regenerate, or use one as a beacon to call other Benders to it,” Kaleena elaborated.

Nikolai’s interest was piqued.

“So not only do they have something we can use, but they are of strategic value to the Benders. Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone,” Nikolai said to himself more than anything else.

In the nick of time, Nikolai was on his phone texting Hank. He received a response not long after.

“I’m going to talk to Hank. Maybe we can use this,” Nikolai announced before leaving abruptly.

“He can be so insufferable sometimes,” Veronica pointed out.

Raika nodded his head in agreement. Veronica then suddenly sprung with energy. She went into the kitchen, and returned with a garbage bag.

“Well I’m going to make some tea. Hunter, you left the computer room a complete mess last night. You left your pizza box right on the floor and there are soda cans and crisps all over the floor. Go clean it up please,” Veronica asked.

Despite how politely and voluntarily her request seemed, Hunter felt in his gut that he really didn’t have a choice. He took the bag and stood to go to the computer room.

“I will assist,” said Kaleena.

Veronica froze, and looked at Kaleena strangely.

“Alright then. That’s very kind of you,” said Veronica.

Hunter welcomed her help, and the pair of them began to gather derelict paper plates and soda cans. As the two cleaned, Hunter looked to Kaleena and offered a friendly, thankful, smile. It formed at a deliberate pace, but Kaleena gave him a light smile back. He then started to toss them into the black garbage bag he had been given.

“So Kaleena, I’m not really sure what to make of some things. I’m gonna guess that you have feelings, cause it would really suck if you looked at everything the way a robot does. I dunno, we’ve been talkin’ to each other for a while now and I guess I wanna know if it means anything to you?” asked Hunter, holding a handful of stale potato chips.

“You want to ascertain if I am capable of forming emotional attachments; if I view you simply as a teammate?” Kaleena recited as more a statement than a question.

“If you put it that way I guess,” Hunter shrugged.

Kaleena tilted her head.

“Hunter,” Kaleena called him by name for the first time, “Personal connections are new to me, and difficult. They are however, not out of my reach.”

Hunter looked disappointed.

“So what am I to you?” he asked.

Kaleena’s next words were spoken in a delicate tone that she had never used before.

“I consider you a friend. I would prefer if no harm came to you, and I find myself…fond, of our interactions,” Kaleena admitted.

Hunter’s chest swelled, and he exhaled as though relieved. He felt victorious. In his mind, he had taught her how to feel. Maybe there was hope for her after all. Maybe the Benders weren’t as inhuman as he had come to believe, despite their wild appearances. He was proud to be her friend. Before he could catch himself, Hunter took the garbage out of Kaleena’s hands, set it down, and hugged her. Kaleena simply stood there. He realized maybe he had been a bit too hasty and pulled back.

“Why did you hug me? I have observed this behavior before despite the lack of context,” Kaleena asked.

“Well, um, you see. How do I put this? Hugging is how you show affection to people you care about. For example, I don’t really like Hank so I would never hug him. But you and I are friends, so I would hug you because I like you,” Hunter explained.

Kaleena tilted her head the other way.

“What are appropriate times to hug a person?” asked Kaleena.

“Well you can do it almost anywhere and any time. You’d hug someone because you like to see them. You’d hug someone if you thought they were hurt but you found out they were safe. You’d hug someone because you missed them-” Hunter rambled.

“Missed?” Kaleena interrupted.

“Oh. That one is kinda hard to explain. Okay, so let’s say you and me were separated for like, ten days. Since we’re friends, I’d want to be around you. But since we’d be apart, I couldn’t. Missing someone is when you want to see someone who isn’t around,” Hunter said as succinctly as he knew how.

“I see. What else is an acceptable motive for hugging?” Kaleena questioned.

“Oh well uh, if someone you like does something nice for you, you’d hug them as a way of saying thank you. Sometimes, you hug someone just because,” Hunter finished.

“Just because?” Kaleena repeated.

“Yeah. Sometimes you don’t need an excuse to show someone you care about em.”

Kaleena quietly nodded her head, processing the new information. Hunter then got back to cleaning up, and they finished within minutes.

“That looks like all of it. Thanks a lot Kaleena,” said Hunter.

“Are you going to hug me?” she asked.

Hunter laughed.

“No not this time. I’ll tell you what I WILL do, I’m gonna say we should hang out. Friends go visit places and do stuff for fun sometimes. This place is cool and all, but I wanna get out of here. We should do somethin,” Hunter suggested.

“Like what?”

“Um...I know! We should go see a movie! Dude Transformers 2 just came out. I’ve been psyched to see it. You should come with me!” Hunter offered excitedly.

“Alright.”

“Let’s go, like right now. Before any shenanigans start and we have to go fight someone.”

Hunter then went to his room to change his clothes, while Kaleena changed in hers. After they were ready, Hunter grabbed his GridFire-issued credit card and the two went on their way. After taking the first elevator up to the basement level, they walked down the long series of corridors that would eventually lead them to an elevator that would take them to the first floor. It did not take them long to get a car and leave the complex. They arrived at the theater, which was packed despite it being early in the day. After buying some popcorn, soda, and nachos for the pair of them, Hunter led Kaleena to their seats.

“Is this your first time in a theater?” asked Hunter while the lights began to dim so that the previews could roll.

“Yes,” Kaleena responded.

“Oh you’re in for a real treat,” said Hunter as he helpfully handed Kaleena her treats inside the flimsy cardboard box they got.

The next couple of hours were filled with cheering from the crowd, boos, and laughs. Hunter laughed the loudest any time the lead actor made a wise crack about something. He nudged Kaleena every time something amusing happened, trying to get her to loosen up. During the final battle sequence, Hunter was on the edge of his seat, his gaze transfixed upon the silver screen. Kaleena watched along with him, though she occasionally observed his thorough enjoyment of the film. When the movie was over, Hunter started rambling on about how great it was, talking about some of his favorite parts. Kaleena listened to every word. Upon spotting the arcade section, Hunter shouted,

“DDR! Let’s go! You’re gonna love this.”

She was a bit clumsy at first, but Hunter showed her how the game worked: stepping on the arrows in sync with the music as they rolled up the screen. Before the day was over, Hunter had made sure Kaleena had played every game in the arcade. She had decided that DDR was her favorite. Hunter left the theater smiling widely as they went to the car.

“Man that was awesome. What did ya think? Better than playing the Xbox?” Hunter probed.

“Yes, very much so,” Kaleena admitted.

Hunter nudged Kaleena on the shoulder.

“I told ya that you’d love it,” Hunter declared victoriously.

“Perhaps we can come again?” Kaleena suggested.

Hunter smirked.

“Yeah. That’d be cool.”

The two of them made it back to GridFire, turning in the corporate car and going down the special elevator that went into the underground portion. They walked down the first set of long corridors at a leisurely pace. Suddenly then, the lights flickered. They stopped, while Kaleena looked straight up. The lights flickered again just moments later, and the sounds of something loud leaked through the ceiling.

“Something has found us,” said Kaleena.

“What has?” asked Hunter, who was reaching for his phone.

“I am not sure,” Kaleena responded.

Hunter called the security kiosk demanding answers.

“What’s going on?”

“Something has infiltrated the building! It’s trying to reach the underground elevator! My God, it’s so fast!” the phone then cut off.

Hunter looked to Kaleena.

“Is it a Bender?” asked Hunter.

“I don’t know what is up there.”

“Can’t you sense when other Benders are nearby?” Hunter questioned as he started dialing Hank’s number.

Kaleena took a moment to think, and then her face became noticeably focused.

“Benders cannot mask their presence from one another. That function lies within one Bender. If I cannot detect this, then it means only one thing,” Kaleena explained.

Hunter looked at her expectantly.

“The Scout. If it is here, then it knows we are as well. It cannot leave until it has verified the presence of its targets. It will come for us, then it will do what it must to secure its escape and report back,” Kaleena revealed.

“So if this thing spots us, it’s gonna tell the other Benders where to find us?!” Hunter shouted in outrage.

The elevator door in front of them then burst apart, and a four legged automaton with a smooth body portion and six circular eye “lights” stepped through.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Zatenks2/TheScout.jpg

The six eyes adjusted on the two of them, and then flashed blue. Hunter instinctively reached to his arm where his Tracker would normally be in his field suit, but cursed when he realized he didn’t have it.

“Stand back,” said Kaleena as she moved forward.

The Scout turned around preparing to re-enter the elevator, but Kaleena then held her hand out. The air in front of her seemed to distort and twist, until suddenly a rope-like tendril of light appeared in her hand and connected to the Scout. She pulled back hard, and the Scout was yanked out of the elevator and fell over. The Scout then got back up on all fours, and then erected itself on its hind legs. The lights on its main portion then turned orange, and it launched itself toward Hunter. Before he could respond, the Scout wrapped its four legs around him, then crumpled itself into a ball-like shape, and a pulse of concussive force suddenly emanated from it. Kaleena was knocked into the wall, and fell unconscious.

When Kaleena awoke, she was in the GridFire infirmary where Hank, Curtis, and the other Rangers waited.

“She’s coming to!” Veronica exclaimed.

Everyone immediately shuffled close to the bed.

“What happened?” asked Curtis.

“The Scout,” Kaleena said.

“Another Bender?” asked Hank.

Kaleena nodded her head.

“Where’s Hunter? He was with you when the attack happened,” Nikolai questioned.

“The Scout found us, it was going to report back, then…” Kaleena struggled to regain her memory.

She sat up when she did.

“Hunter has been taken. The Scout used him as leverage to escape,” Kaleena spoke.

She then started to get out of bed.

“Where are you going?” asked Raika.

“The Scout must return to a construct in order to inform the other Benders of its discovery. Killing is not its function, but any Benders that become aware of the Scout’s findings are more than capable of doing so. If Hunter is with it, then he is in danger. The Benders will likely torture him for information before he is killed,” Kaleena explained.

“Tell me about these constructs. Nikolai said you mentioned them before. You’re saying Hunter has been taken to one?” Curtis ascertained.

Kaleena nodded her head.

“He could be anywhere. If there’s multiple constructs we won’t get to him in time before we find all of them,” Hank said in frustration.

“Kaleena, is there a pattern to the Scout’s movements? Will it go to any construct, or is there one it will go to in particular?” asked Nikolai.

“I am unsure,” Kaleena answered.

“Think,” Veronica urged.

Kaleena took a moment, and she made eye contact with Curtis when she came to a realization.

“The Scout will take the most efficient course of action. It will go to the nearest construct from the location of its discovery,” said Kaleena.

Hank then handed Kaleena a touchpad tablet with a topographical map already prepared on its screen.

“Can you show us where?” Hank asked patiently.

Kaleena scrolled through the map, moving through grid after grid before finally homing in on one location.

“There,” she pointed at the place on the map.

Curtis immediately started texting on his phone.

“That’s way up in the mountains. Impossible to get to on land. I’m going to get a plane ready. It’ll take too long to map out a course on the Invisiportal network. Nikolai and Raika, you guys will go to the construct and find a way inside, rescue Hunter, and find a way to destroy the Scout. If the Scout isn’t supposed to kill, then I doubt it has the tools to fight that well. Veronica and Kaleena, we’ve detected what we think is another shard. You girls are going to go pick it up,” Curtis instructed.

“I should go with them. I have been in a construct before, they will not know where to go,” Kaleena addressed Curtis, gesturing toward Nikolai and Raika.

“You’ll be taking an Invisiportal to the area where the shard is. You’re the only one who can somehow sense where these shards are. You’re needed to pin point the location. After you’ve gotten the shard, return it here, and by then we should have an Invisiportal route setup for you to join the others,” Curtis replied.

Kaleena looked as though she had more to say, but she acquiesced as Hank handed out their Trackers. After taking them, the guys went with Curtis as they were led to the hangar with the Zords. Waiting there for them, with the pilot having prepped it, was a strange looking plane. It was very aerodynamic and unlike any plane Nikolai or Raika had ever seen.

“Welcome to the Delta Transport. I built it back during Operation Unity. This thing travels faster than the Concord and will get you there. There won’t be any place to land, so you’re going to have to jump when you reach the vicinity,” Curtis introduced them to the vehicle they were going to take.

Meanwhile Hank led the girls down to the command center, preparing the Invisiportal generator to the coordinates of the suspected shard location.

“Alright. The destination is programmed in. Get going girls,” Hank urged.

Kaleena went first, followed by Veronica. They appeared in a large meadow surrounded by hilly terrain. Trees dotted the landscape in the east, with the sun high in the sky. Veronica took out her Tracker and slid the screen open.

“Lead the way,” Veronica encouraged.

Kaleena then began walking forward, her head slightly tilted forward while they headed in the same direction that Veronica’s Tracker was indicating they go. Although at a distance it looked flat, there was a drop off in the meadow that they had to go down. They walked around it, as Kaleena led them to a spot on the other side, but saw the Minion already there. His hand hovered over the side of the drop, as dirt began to slowly shift away, as though he was telekinetically “digging”. The Minion spotted them before Veronica’s expression of displeasure.

“Bugger,” Veronica said quietly.

“You shall not be permitted to retrieve this shard,” the Minion warned.

Both girls had their Trackers already running down their arm.

“Overdrive, Accelerate!”

The Yellow and Pink Ranger stood there defiantly, in fighting stances unique to themselves.

“You realize that no good can come of this do you not?” the Minion warned.

The Pink Ranger was already in the air firing her Drive Geyser, as the Yellow Ranger moved in with her Drive Claws equipped.

Nikolai and Raika sat in the Delta Transport strapped in their safety harness as the Delta Transport traveled beyond supersonic speeds. The transport then suddenly slowed down, and the pilot urged them to go as the bay door in the back began to open. Nikolai and Raika moved to the back of the Transport, able to do so due to the much lower speed it was moving at now. They held onto a hand bar as the it dipped and dropped altitude, to the point where the rocky terrain was just a few hundred feet below them.

“Go!” Nikolai shouted.

Nikolai jumped down, followed by Raika. The two free-fell with nothing to save them, as they had foregone parachutes. Nikolai then tightly clutched his Tracker, and morphed in mid air. Raika did so shortly after. The Red Ranger then drew his Drive Defender, and began blasting the rocks below him so that they would not be as jagged when he landed. He then brought his Drive Lance, and as he passed along a rock formation, stabbed it with the lance. He began to slow his descent as the Blue Ranger simply used his Drive Vortex to cushion his fall. They both landed in the partially vaporized area the Red Ranger had created.

“That was something,” said Raika.

“Yes it was,” said Nikolai.

They both started to look around, and then the Red Ranger saw it clear as day and pointed.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Zatenks2/env.jpg

“There,” said Nikolai.

They saw a building unlike anything ever built. And it was obvious that it had somehow been constructed without disturbing any of the terrain surrounding it: a feat that would be impossible with today’s current level of technology. The two of them then began to super jump over the mountain range toward the construct, wondering what they would see inside it. After moving around it, they found what appeared to be an entrance. There was no door, no special portal, just a tunnel that led directly inside. The Rangers cautiously moved through, the tunnel going no deeper than 50 yards before they got inside. The space inside was large. They were standing in some sort of circular room with a bronze floor that led to a large assembly in the center. The architecture was an array of geometric shapes and structures being held in impractical angles that would be all but impossible to build. All of the light sources seemed to come from the floor, with it becoming darker as they looked up.

Unknown devices and objects hovered from attachments coming from beyond the darkness above them, and the entire building seemed to hum with a resonating tone. It was as though the structure itself had a heartbeat. There were little streaks of trailing light moving around the room, abruptly changing direction and moving in straight lines rather than angles.

“What is this place?” Raika asked in amazement.

Nikolai restrained his interest, and pointed to the giant, metallic ball in the center of the room.

“Let’s keep moving,” said Nikolai.

The two then moved to the ball, which seemed to have a number of creases traveling over its surface, which then began to shift rapidly until a discernable walkway was created. With nowhere else to go, the Rangers went inside, and saw no console or buttons to select a floor. The ball simply sealed itself off and they began to travel downward. It happened smoothly and rapidly, and when the ball reopened, they were in an open space much like before, but there was no floor. The only light source was far below them, a golden light coming from some sort of halo shaped metal ring that was visibly rotating. Above them, the Red Ranger saw the Scout, standing on some sort of translucent glowing surface despite there being nothing to walk on. It waited, with Hunter lying unconscious next to it.

“There! Let’s go!” said the Red Ranger.

“How?” asked Raika.

“I’m not sure. There are no floors, but…”

The Red Ranger then stepped out of the ball, and his feet found a surface. The Blue Ranger came out also, and the two began running. The problem was that the Scout was above them, and there was no visible way to move up.

“How do we get up there? This invisible floor does not seem to-”

Suddenly the floor dipped up, and they were now running directly up, and gravity itself seemed to shift and anchor them despite their orientation. They didn’t question it, and they continued to run toward the Scout. They were closing in, when suddenly they saw something descend from the darkness above. It looked like a woman made of bronze, clad inside some sort of equipment that nearly enveloped her. Long, thick cables lowered it slowly before the Scout, and it gazed upon Hunter as it came to just a few feet above where the Scout stood.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Zatenks2/Magus_by_Wen_JR.jpg

It was that moment that the Rangers caught up.

“Terminal activated. Enter your query,” the bronze woman said like a computer.

The Red Ranger was not going to wait for the Scout to complete its mission, and he drew his Drive Defender and fired a laser blast directly at the Scout. The laser pulse burned its exterior, and it abruptly turned around, its eye lights a deep orange. One of its legs reached out to snatch Hunter, but the Blue Ranger jumped in the way, his Drive Vortex firing full blast, stopping the appendage from proceeding any further. The Blue Ranger then grabbed Hunter and slung him over his shoulder, before instinctively diving. There was no invisible floor to catch him, and he free fell toward the light source far below them.

“Raika!” Nikolai shouted.

He had no time to be concerned, as the Scout then turned around, preparing to do something. The Red Ranger switched the Drive Defender to blade mode, and jumped onto its top, before driving the blade directly into its front part. The Scout began to shake and flail about wildly.

“Enter your query,” the bronze woman repeated, unaware of what was transpiring.

The Red Ranger immediately swapped the Drive Defender back to blaster mode, and shot the bronze woman in the head. The laser pulse pierced this “terminal” in the head, and it remained motionless, saying nothing. The Scout shook the Red Ranger off its back, knocking him to the “floor”. The Scout then jumped into the air, all four arms preparing to grab its quarry. The Red Ranger simply held his Drive Lance out in front of him, and let the Scout impale itself. The Scout began to make some sort of mechanical gagging sound, and the Red Ranger twisted the lance, before ripping it out violently. The Scout limped around for a few moments, and then it fell down through the invisible floor it had been standing on. It remained motionless as it tumbled down below, its weight carrying it past the Blue Ranger. The Scout struck the brilliant light sources below, and snapped the spinning metal ring in two. The Blue Ranger then thought of a floor, and he had one. He was now on the same level. There was a podium, with what must have been thousands of small metal tubes running from it, and spreading out throughout the structure. He spoke through his Tracker in order to contact Kaleena.

The Yellow Ranger pounded the Minion across the head, before delivering an uppercut into it. Without missing a beat, she slammed both claws into its abdomen to make it step back. Meanwhile the Pink Ranger was also fighting a Minion, it having replicated itself earlier. The Minion sent numerous punches toward her, which she caught, before twisting its arm until it was lifted into the air. She then jumped high up above it, before coming down and kicking it away. Raika’s voice came through on her Tracker.

“Kaleena? What do the devices that power the constructs look like?” asked Raika.

The Minion capitalized on the opening, and punched her hard. Collision sparks burst from her body and she fell to the ground. The Yellow Ranger tried to press her attack, but the Minion fired beams of light from its eyes which hit her in the chest. The Pink Ranger pulled out her Tracker to reply.

“It is shaped like a cube,” Kaleena spoke.

Inside the construct, the Blue Ranger saw such a cube floating just above the podium in front of him. It was no larger than an apple. He reached out, grabbed it, and pulled. It seemed to resist him at first, but after a mighty yank, it suddenly released itself and Raika had secured it. All of the lights inside the construct went dead. The Minion instantly stopped, and reformed back into his singular self.

“You have no idea just how far you have escalated this!” the Minion shouted angrily.

“You should not have invaded our home, nor should you have taken Hunter. You brought this upon yourselves,” Kaleena responded.

The Minion shouted his rage aloud, and then took to the air, moving like a bullet through the sky.

“What just happened?” asked Veronica.

“The construct has been shut down, and its power source removed,” said Kaleena.

“That’s good right?”

“It must be destroyed for good if the Benders are not to make use of its services once more,” Kaleena answered.

The Yellow Ranger ran over to the place where the Minion had been digging, and used her Drive Claws to continue the job. A golden shard fell from the side of the drop right into it.

At GridFire Industries, the Blue Ranger appeared in the infirmary with Hunter in hand. He abruptly laid him down in one of the beds, before taking it back out to where the construct was. He returned to the exterior of the construct, where the Red Ranger was running out of the tunnel. The Yellow and Pink Ranger was already there.

“Where is Hunter?” asked Kaleena.

“We got him. He is safe. So now what?” asked Raika.

“This thing must be destroyed,” said Veronica.

“Is the Scout?” Veronica left the question open.

“It is dead. Time for the zords,” said Nikolai, before summing them via his Tracker.

Much like in Canada, pieces of the air began to crystallize and move toward a central location. It was the Gliding Avatar. The Rangers did not wait, and the Drivemax Megazord was assembled once more with its saber ready. The Gliding Avatar began to fly toward it, but the Drivemax Megazord crushed the construct with a mighty swing of its blade. The resulting explosion knocked the Gliding Avatar off its course, causing it to fall into the mountain range with the Drivemax Megazord, which was struggling to maintain its footing. When the Gliding Avatar stood back up, one of its winged had been clipped. It made no attempt to fly.

“It’s grounded. We have to do this right,” Nikolai said to the others.

The Drivemax Megazord then separated its blade back into the Drive Digger and Drive Pick, and began to swing them about in order to sculpt its surroundings. It began knocking some of the stone from the surrounding mountains into the Gliding Avatar, which swatted them away as though they were flies. The megazord moved in, and stabbed the other wing with the Drive Pick, before shoving the Drive Digger into its abdomen. Using its strength, the Drivemax Megazord picked up the Gliding Avatar and threw it onto the smoldering ruin that used to be the construct.

The Gliding Avatar got back up, its visor flashing brightly like a strobe light. Suddenly, collision sparks began to explode on the megazord all over its body, forcing it to tumble over. Unable to stop itself, the Drivemax Megazord tumbled down the mountain range. Weighing millions of pounds, it decimated every rock surface it fell on, falling uncontrollably thousands of feet, past the cloud line, and rolling downward. The Rangers inside were thrown around the cockpit, unable to do anything to slow or stop their fall. The Megazords body was becoming contorted, damaged, and dented badly. Veronica waited until she was thrown back to her seat, and clutched onto her steering wheel. With the press of a button, the megazord split into its component zords. Weighing far less apart than they did together, they continued to free fall but to less catastrophic effect. It felt like an eternity before all the zords had smashed into ground level. The Rangers slowly began to climb up, still in the cockpit. The lights were flickering, dozens of warning lights beeps angrily, but they were still alive.

Hank’s voice came in on the comm.

“Rangers, I’m getting some bad readings back here? What’s happened?” he asked.

The viewscreen still worked, and they saw the Gliding Avatar “surfing” down the side of the mountain toward them, apparently with every intention to finish them off.

“The zords are really worse for wear Hank. We can’t fight anymore,” Veronica answered.

“We need Invisiportals, now,” said Nikolai.

Hank obeyed, and the zords were all sucked away along with the Rangers just as the Gliding Avatar landed where the Dump Driver originally was. Back at GridFire, Hank ran into the zord hangar, mortified at how much damage had been done to them.

“Oh my God. This is bad. Repairing these is going to take…I don’t even want to think about it,” said Hank.

“We did not leave empty handed,” said Raika, who handed him the power cube they had stolen from the construct.

Hank took it gratefully, but they all knew it was a bittersweet victory. They would be without the use of their zords for some time, despite destroying one of the Benders’ own constructs.

“You guys are dismissed. I have to figure this out,” Hank said in a defeated tone.

The Rangers eventually returned their Trackers, demorphed, and went back to their habitat. Access to Hunter was denied so that they could keep him overnight for observation despite him having superficial injuries. Veronica distracted herself from the day’s events by reading a book. Raika meditated, and looked at pictures of his family back home. Nikolai laid in bed, until he eventually went to sleep. Kaleena waited. That night, no one slept particularly well, as no one knew if the Scout was successful in its mission. If it was, then the Benders knew where they lived, and would be able to come get them in their sleep. None feared this more so than Veronica, who wondered if she would be around to cook breakfast for her teammates the next morning.

It was the longest night in some time.

The next morning, everyone found themselves still intact. Kaleena simply waited in her room, disinterested in anything as her usual activity buddy was in the infirmary. She heard the sound of Veronica cooking, and smelled that she was making an omelet for everyone that morning. Even Nikolai had come out for her cooking. When they had been served, Raika started speaking first.

“What is going on with Kaleena? She has been acting rather strange since yesterday,” Raika pointed out.

“Yes. She was rather eager to go with you to the construct. Maybe there was something she wanted to do before we destroyed it?” Veronica added.

“I can’t comment on her motives. She doesn’t interact with us, except for Hunter who forces her to play videogames. She did appear rather…motivated yesterday. Perhaps she wants to rejoin the Benders?” Nikolai suggested.

“I sure hope not. She seems rather nice. I would hate for her to turn on us,” Veronica lamented.

Raika nodded as he began to eat his omelet along with the others. The main entrance then opened, and Hunter stepped through with a few bandages, bruises and scrapes.

“Hunter! You’re alright!” said Veronica.

“Yup, I’m alright,” Hunter said dismissively.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d make it to breakfast, but I’ll put an omelet on for you if you’d like,” Veronica offered.

“That sounds fine. Lemme know when it’s done. I need to lay on a REAL bed right now,” Hunter revealed as he went straight into his room.

As soon as Hunter’s door had shut behind him, Kaleena emerged from her own room and immediately went into his. Hunter never locked his door, so it opened for anyone. The door shut behind her, and the others were left confused.

“What is she up to?” asked Raika.

Nikolai shrugged.

Hunter turned around in order to sit on his bed, when he saw Kaleena standing there.

“Oh, hey,” said Hunter.

He looked at the bandage wrapped around his arm and held it up.

“That Scout is pretty rough. Squeezed me pretty hard when he took me. That’s an experience I won’t miss,” Hunter complained.

Kaleena tilted her head, her expression uncharacteristically strained. She looked as though she was having difficulty choosing her next words. Her lips were tightly shut, and she simply looked at him.

“You okay?” asked Hunter, growing a bit worried.

Kaleena then began walking toward him, barely faster than normal but enough that Hunter noticed the difference. She threw her arms around him and pressed her head into his chest. Hunter felt his heart melt right there. When he snapped out of his shocked reverie, he returned the embrace. Kaleena then looked up at him, something resembling concern in her eyes.

“So you picked a good time to hug someone huh?” Hunter tried to brush off the significance of it.

“I thought you had been killed,” Kaleena admitted, before lowering her head back to his chest.

Hunter smiled. He never thought in a million years that she would ever show genuine concern for anyone. Despite being an empty drone when they had first met some time ago, she was giving her first hug now. She was quickly becoming his best friend. She had come a long way. Hunter tightened his grip on her. When the hug ended, Hunter got an idea.

“I’ll tell you what, we’re watching a movie marathon today,” said Hunter.

“At the theater?” asked Kaleena.

“Nope. Right here in my room, on my TV. I’ve got DVDs, chips, soda, and a bed. We’re chillin like villains today,” Hunter said proudly.

Kaleena nodded her head.

“I have not changed my clothes. I will return briefly,” said Kaleena, something strange in her voice.

“Go for it,” said Hunter as he went to his dresser to start picking out movies.

Kaleena left the room shortly after. Although he hadn’t paying attention to the sounds of activity outside his room, Hunter noticed when it became suddenly silent. It lasted for nearly a minute, before some quiet murmuring began. Nikolai, Raika, and Veronica suddenly entered his room. Raika looked confused, Nikolai as though he had seen a ghost, and Veronica looked terrified.

“Hunter…” Veronica said carefully, “What just happened in here?”

Hunter was perplexed, wondering why he was being interrogated.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he said.

“Try us,” Nikolai said forcefully.

Hunter hesitated, but eventually spoke.

“Well, Kaleena gave me a hug, being worried for me and all that, and then she went to go get changed so we can watch movies. She’s my friend you know. Been tryin to teach her jokes but she doesn’t get them yet,” he explained.

Veronica began blinking rapidly, stammering. Raika was looking down as though someone had just told him he had cancer, while Nikolai looked skeptical.

“Goodness. Well, that’s rather wonderful actually. I had no idea any of this was going on. Good job Hunter, teaching her people stuff and all, really. But um, is that all that happened?” Veronica asked, surprise in her voice.

Hunter then knew there was something else he didn’t know.

“Yeah that’s pretty much it, why?”

“She just walked out of your room..” Nikolai started.

“Yeah so?” Hunter asked, bemused.

“Crying,” Veronica added.

Hunter felt like he had been run over by a truck, and visibly recoiled.

“Oh my God,” he said to himself.

“Is that bad?” asked Raika.

Hunter started chuckling to himself before he started to speak.

“No. That’s actually really good. really good.”

[Beckoner]

Here we go, last episode in the 4 episode marathon! I hope you guys haven't lost faith or abandoned this series yet, cause this season is just starting to get good in my opinion.

This episode....is very close to my heart. Really tugged at my heart strings, along with the ending of episode 8. It's been a delight to write. For you Kaleena/Observer fans out there, she's getting some more well deserved focus (since she didn't get as much in season 2). I know I'm showing a little favoritism to Kaleena giving her so much focus, but she has more development to get than any other character I've ever written, and they're all being given their time in the limelight simultaneously.

But anyway, I think this one might be a real frustrating crowd pleaser for some of you. Tried my hand at some comedy as well. I think it fits the characters. Enjoy!

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World Bender Season 3
Episode 9: Two of a Kind

Nikolai paced around his room, feeling restless. While the others were content to have a break, he felt like a sitting duck. He didn’t like the idea of the megazords being incapacitated any more then he liked thinking that the only Bender they had destroyed since becoming Rangers was the Scout. The Scout wasn’t even a combatant, just some useless surveillance drone. The others would not be so easy, and they hadn’t been. The Minion, the Herald, the Faceless, the Sentinel, the Swordsman: they all wielded powers beyond his understanding.

How had such beings gone so long unnoticed? Where did they come from? The Kraken was a monstrosity, and yet had never been seen or reported in any news media. Then there were the Sons of Zeltrax, who moved about with impunity, stealing, killing, and becoming a nuisance. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind when Veronica knocked on his door.

“Nikolai, lunch time. Everyone else already ate. Come out and have a bite,” Veronica said through the door.

“Maybe later,” Nikolai responded.

“No, now. You need to eat and stay strong. You’ve moped around in there long enough,” Veronica chided.

Nikolai opened his door, looking displeased.

“That got you out here. Now come on and have some food,” Veronica scolded him before going to her room.

Nikolai grumbled to himself, and went into the kitchen to take a mandarin. He wondered if the vodka he had bought was still in the bottom compartment of the fridge. He checked, and it was gone. Veronica did not seem the type to drink, and Raika had expressed no interest in it. Only one person other than himself would want it: the American. Nikolai marched over to Hunter’s door, and heard both his, and Kaleena’s voice speaking in unison,

“One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war-”

Silly.

Nikolai opened the door and saw Kaleena’s thumb “pinning” Hunter’s.

“Aw! Nikolai totally distracted me. We’re going again!” Hunter protested.

Kaleena tilted her head.

“You are making excuses. I won. However if you are interested in providing me with another victory-” Kaleena said with the slightest hint of sarcasm.

She was becoming more human like every day. Was it really the result of the time she was spending with Hunter? The guy was a buffoon; obsessed with videogames, skateboards, and lounging around. What possible lessons could she be getting from him? He wondered if it was an elaborate act intended to gain their trust, or if the tears she had shed the other week were in fact sincere. If it was an act, then Hunter was spending an excessive amount of time fraternizing with the enemy. He put it out of his mind, and remembered why he came here.

“Did you take my vodka?” Nikolai asked irritably.

Hunter looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

“That was yours? Sorry man. I didn’t open it. I was gonna try and see how much alcohol Kaleena could take tonight. It’s on my dresser,” Hunter pointed to where the unopened bottle was.

Nikolai snatched the bottle and was about to leave, when Hunter spoke up again.

“Hey dude, you’re 21 right?” Hunter asked slyly.

Nikolai knew where this was going.

“What do you want?” Nikolai asked exasperatedly.

“To get drunk tonight. Could you get me some Captain Morgan’s? Private Stock for the win,” Hunter told him.

Nikolai sighed, and but agreed. Their phones then beeped. Hunter and Nikolai both flipped their phones open at the same time. They had received a text message from Hank. He was informing them that a team had been assembled to start hunting for the shards, and that they would only be called upon to retrieve them if absolutely necessary, given the threat posed by the Sons of Zeltrax. Nikolai closed his phone and continued to his room. Meanwhile Hunter grinned at Kaleena.

“You’re getting drunk tonight!” Hunter said cheerfully.

Kaleena merely tilted her head the other way, wondering what his fascination was with the idea. Apparently, Nikolai had wanted to get it over with, as he had immediately gone to pick up the alcohol and returned within 20 minutes. Hunter laughed mischievously when the rum was brought into his possession. Nikolai quickly left them to their own devices, and went into the living area and turned on the television. He saw more disturbing images of Cadavers being let loose on random towns, the police and National Guard having to step in and deal with the situation. One woman who was interviewed wept as she told reporters how her late mother rose from the grave when she went to pay her respects.

The Sons of Zeltrax were probing, testing their limits. They needed to be stopped. If he knew where they hid, Nikolai knew he would’ve gone off and dealt with them right then. He started peeling his mandarin as Veronica came in. She caught a glimpse of the television and decided to sit down. Nikolai didn’t look at her.

“Did you eat?” Veronica checked.

Nikolai held up the mandarin he was peeling. Veronica shook her head in disapproval, but didn’t press it. She then got up and went into the kitchen. An aroma began to fill the kitchen as she whipped something up. Nikolai didn’t pay any attention, and continued to watch the news. Some time later, Veronica came out with a plate of eggs benedict and milk. She placed the plate right in his lap, and put the glass of milk on the table next to the couch. Without saying a word, she left and went into the computer room. Raika then entered the habitat, having been gone for some time. He came and sat on the loveseat adjacent to the couch, resting for a moment. After taking a second to observe Nikolai, Raika tried to make conversation.

“When you go back to Russia, what will you do? You’ll have made a lot of money when this is over,” Raika asked.

“I have not thought that far ahead,” Nikolai said curtly.

Raika gave a sheepish look. It was obvious that Nikolai was not going to talk, so he did not continue. Raika then stood to go into the kitchen. He didn’t feel comfortable sitting there anymore, and so Nikolai retreated to his room. His hand reached out and dimmed the lights in his room, leaving only a spotlight on so that he could read War and Peace: one of the longest books ever written. He was only a hundred pages in, but at a good pace, he’d make it through a hundred pages an hour. The plan was to complete the book by the end of the week, barring any complications. Before he had realized it, Nikolai had been reading for several hours. Due to the lack of windows in their underground habitat, he had no way of telling that the sun was going down. He had gone through several hundred pages by now, and the sounds of laughter and noise started to occupy the space outside. Shutting his book forcefully, Nikolai got up and opened his door. He saw all of the others, Kaleena included sitting on the couch with the rum on the table.

Veronica was smiling as she passed around shot glasses. Hunter pulled the cork and started pouring liberally. Everyone’s glass was filled. Raika eyed the dark brown liquor suspiciously, while Kaleena tilted her head as she looked into her glass.

“Alright now I dunno if you guys can hold your liquor, but this stuff is really good. Raika, I know you’re not used to strong flavors, but we Americans like our stuff strong and rough. Try not to take it all at once. Sip it until you get used to it. Go ahead, try,” said Hunter.

Raika took a brief sip of the rum, and then started coughing. It took all he had not to drop his glass. Veronica and Hunter started laughing. Nikolai walked into the living area and sat on the sofa.

“How nice of you to join us,” Veronica said in a wily voice.

“Rum?” Hunter offered.

Nikolai gestured in the negative, not really sure why he was there. Hunter then gulped his shot down as though it were water, and then beat his torso with the side of his fist.

“Ooooh that’ll put hair on your chest,” Hunter remarked.

Veronica held her glass to her lips, and looked at Hunter with a pseudo-scared expression, a bit of a smile mixed in with it. She then took her shot. She was much slower than Hunter, but she drank it all down. She didn’t cough, but she made a foul face and her cheeks turned pink.

“Nice one! I guess you Brits can hold your liquor after all!” Hunter teased.

Veronica smacked him on the arm playfully. Everyone then looked expectantly at Kaleena.

“Alright now you don’t have to take it all at once, just-” Hunter tried to say.

Kaleena downed her shot instantly. Veronica’s jaw dropped. Raika was still working on his glass bit by bit. Kaleena tilted her head, then she looked at the now empty shot glass.

“That was…interesting,” said Kaleena, who showed no visible signs of difficulty.

“More?” asked Hunter.

“Please,” Kaleena responded, holding out her shot glass.

“Kaleena has more balls with her alcohol than I do it looks like,” Hunter laughed.

Nikolai felt the knot in his chest loosen a little bit, and he grabbed two spare shot glasses that were on the table. He snatched the rum from Hunter and filled the two.

“I will show you how it is done,” said Nikolai.

“Oooh,” Veronica teased.

Holding both glasses, Nikolai took each shot in succession. Raika looked sick.

“I don’t know how you do that,” said Raika, only halfway through his shot.

“Impressive,” said Hunter graciously.

Having not eaten much, Nikolai could already feel the alcohol going to his head. He didn’t dare show it.

“It’s a party tonight!” Hunter declared loudly.

Some time later, everyone had taken several shots. It took a lot of encouragement and flat out taunting, but Raika had finally taken two full shots in one go. After just 4 shots, he was completely drunk.

“I think I’m…completely pissed,” Veronica said in slurred English.

“You had almost as much as I did. You’re a trooper,” said Hunter, who was visibly drunk but managed to speak surprisingly well.

Kaleena had taken nearly 10 shots, more than anyone else. Nikolai sat in his seat, trashed but trying to maintain his composure.

“You’re drunk,” said Veronica, who tried to get up off the couch.

Veronica then fell onto the floor, and then crawled on all fours over to where Nikolai was.

“No I’m not,” said Nikolai.

Veronica smiled with a dazed look, and started wiggling her finger in front of his face.

“Yeeees you are. Yer tryin to have us on but I see your face. Yer drunk,” Veronica said, her head swaying back and forth.

Raika laughed hard and started speaking rapidly in Japanese. This prompted Hunter to laugh at him. He then turned to Kaleena.

“So Kaleena, don’t tell me Benders can’t get drunk! You gotta be feelin something! Try to stand up,” said Hunter, one eye more open than the other.

Kaleena did as she was told, and was visibly disoriented when she tried to stand up. She almost fell over, but managed to keep her footing.

Veronica and Hunter cheered.

“Haha! You’re smashed!” Hunter said with his fist in the air.

Kaleena blinked hard, and then looked at Nikolai, a confused look on her face, her body moving back and forth. She started to fall, and Hunter quickly stood up to catch her. Being drunk as well, she simply fell onto him, and they both went to the floor. At the very least, Hunter cushioned her fall. Kaleena looked at Hunter’s face, and a smile formed on her face. She started laughing. Raika pointed and cackled manically. Veronica was having trouble staying conscious, having rested her head in Nikolai’s lap.

“You…are all…out of your minds,” Kaleena managed to say, slowly getting back to her feet.

Hunter got up to pour himself another shot.

“I ain’t crazy,” Hunter said.

“This rum…completely disrupts…rational thought,” Kaleena said, pausing as she looked for words, “You do this…voluntarily?”

“Feels good doesn’t it?” Hunter quipped.

“Maybe,” Kaleena said, sounding it out slowly.

She then took the rum and started to drink directly from the bottle. She drank the equivalent of 3 shots before giving it back to Hunter.

“Party foul! Never drink….um..huh?” Hunter lost his train of thought.

He downed his own shot. Raika got up and ran to the bathroom. The sounds of vomiting soon followed. Veronica was already passed out, still in the position with her head on Nikolai’s lap. Nikolai’s eyes were wide, he was trying to stay conscious, but everything was spinning. His head dipped back, and he was unconscious. Hunter and Kaleena were the only ones left.

“Wimps,” said Hunter.

“They aren’t…troopers…like you said. That means this-” Kaleena took the rum, “belongs to us.”

“Damn right!” Hunter agreed cheerfully.

Kaleena stumbled forward, and stood very close to Hunter.

“We should...do something,” Kaleena blurted out, holding onto Hunter for balance.

“What’s the plan….hic…chief?” asked Hunter.

“Movies…wait…I don’t want to go anywhere. Let’s go sleep, in your room,” said Kaleena, before taking another swig of rum.

Hunter held his finger up, as though he were about to announce something important.

“That sounds good to me,” Hunter assured.

The two then clumsily made their way into his room. Hunter tripped onto his bed, but took it in stride. He climbed further onto it and sprawled himself out. Kaleena got onto the bed, and then pushed Hunter over. She got close to him and then laid down.

“You’re really warm,” Hunter commented.

“No…you are,” Kaleena argued.

“Then get closer. Sheets are too far,” Hunter complained, even though they were lying right on top of the sheets.

Kaleena scooted closer, her back to Hunter. Hunter didn’t budge, almost completely out. Kaleena then snatched his arm and pulled it over herself. He tried to pull away, but she tugged his arm back over her again.

“I said you are warm. Give it,” Kaleena ordered.

Hunter made a grunting sound, and then obeyed. With that, he was out. Kaleena closed her eyes, and soon found herself sleeping as well.

The next morning, Nikolai awoke with a foul nausea in his stomach. Veronica was still in his lap, so he carefully got up, and wandered to the public bathroom where Raika was asleep over the toilet. There was some unsavory stomach matter in the toilet bowl. Nikolai looked away and decided to try the bathroom in his room. He splashed water over his face and then went into the kitchen in order to consume several glasses of fluids. Raika awoke not long after, evidenced by the sound of a flushing toilet. He was pale and hung over as he wandered into the living room. He held his stomach with a look of pain on his face, and slumped onto the couch. Veronica was next to wake up, looking a bit diminished but surprisingly lady like. She looked at Raika, and saw his strained expression.

“Oh dear. I’ll go fetch you some tea,” said Veronica, despite her own hangover.

She swept her hair back with her hand and then entered the kitchen to prepare some. Earl Grey was the order of the day. Veronica gave a brief smile to Nikolai and then went about her business. After swallowing down another glass of water, Nikolai moved to leave.

“Go wake Hunter and Kaleena will you?” asked Veronica, her back still turned to him.

Nikolai checked Kaleena’s room, but she was nowhere to be found. He guessed where he’d find her. He opened Hunter’s door and saw the two cuddling. This did not make him happy. He walked over and snapped his fingers in front of Hunter’s face.

“Wake up,” Nikolai demanded.

Hunter slowly came to, and saw Nikolai’s displeased expression looking down at him before he left. Hunter then started to shake Kaleena’s arm, in an effort to wake her. Her eyes fluttered open and looked up at him.

“Morning,” Hunter said, before moving off the bed.

Kaleena sat him, and moved a strand of silver hair out of her eyes.

“The morning after isn’t usually so fun,” Hunter explained.

“I am fine,” Kaleena responded.

Hunter raised an eyebrow.

“You’re not hung over? Lucky you. The rest of us mortals get messed up when we wake up,” Hunter joked.

Kaleena then inhaled through the nose.

“I smell like alcohol,” she said.

“Yeah I’ve been meaning to ask you about that. Do you EVER shower? I mean you always smell nice and your hair doesn’t seem to frizz, so I guess you really wouldn’t need to,” Hunter observed.

“It would seem that I require one now.” Kaleena inquired.

Hunter went and grabbed a spare luffa, a bar of soap, and a towel. He offered them to her.

“I’m assuming you know how to take a shower,” said Hunter.

Kaleena nodded, before heading to her room. Hunter went into the living room where Veronica was practically nursing Raika back to health. Nikolai was pacing, and he did not say anything as Hunter got a cup of coffee. Hunter took it back to the sofa to drink, and began to sip when finally Nikolai spoke up in a hostile tone.

“Whatever you’ve got going on with Kaleena, I do not like it or approve one bit,” said Nikolai.

Raika and Veronica tuned in to the conversation at hand.

“You’re gonna blow up my spot now? What’s your deal?” Hunter replied.

“Kaleena isn’t some pet project. You can’t teach her to be like us because she’s not one of us. She’s one of them,” Nikolai spat.

“Nikolai…” Veronica tried to interject.

“She could turn on us at any moment. Not only does she have Ranger powers, a zord, and knowledge of our mission, but she has supernatural powers that could end any of us in an instant. And here you are acting as though she isn’t a liability. What is wrong with you?” Nikolai questioned.

Now Hunter was getting hostile.

“You don’t know her. She’s changed. Maybe she was once, but she’s not one of them anymore. She likes to sing. She loves orange juice but hates oranges. Did any of you know that? No! I know her. She’s different. She’s learning. I’m her best friend. If I don’t look after her, who will?” Hunter shot back.

Nikolai’s eyes shot daggers at Hunter.

“Delusional!” Nikolai shouted.

“Nikolai!” Veronica said firmly.

He ignored her.

“This isn’t one of your videogames. The ending is not always nice! If she’s on our side, why hasn’t she told us about the Benders? She has inside knowledge, but she tells us nothing,” Nikolai pointed out.

“She told us about the constructs-” Hunter interrupted.

“And what else. She tells us the names and functions of the Benders we come across, but doesn’t tell us about them ahead of time. You tell me: why is she keeping her mouth shut about the enemy. When is she going to start volunteering information?” Nikolai barked.

“She’s still learning. There’s a lot she doesn’t get. You can’t just badger her for information!” Hunter protested.

“You’re her friend right? Why don’t you ask her about the Benders and save us all a lot of trouble?” Nikolai retorted.

“She doesn’t like to talk about her past. It makes her feel uncomfortable, and some of it she doesn’t understand,” Hunter explained.

“Oh how convenient!”

“Shut up,” Hunter said threateningly, “You just don’t get it. All you see is a freak who could be a strategic advantage. She’s a person with feelings. She just hasn’t realized it till now.”

“Wake. Up. Damn you Hunter, why won’t you use a little sense?” Nikolai then narrowed his eyes, “Oh I get it. You’re attracted to her aren’t you?”

“We’re just friends,”

“Answer the question!”

“Well obviously she’s pretty-”

“So that is it. You think if you show her a few tricks, and teach her a little bit about humanity, that she’s show her gratitude to your loins? What’s next in your lesson plan; going to teach her how to spread her legs?”

“Nikolai shut the hell up!” Veronica finally said in a tone that commanded respect.

“That’s it, I’m gonna kick your ass!” Hunter threatened.

“Aim high,” Nikolai invited.

Veronica then stepped between them.

“That’s enough out of both of you!” she shouted.

“We are supposed to be a team.” Raika said sheepishly as he sipped on his tea.

“That is what I was led to believe,” Kaleena interjected.

Everyone looked to Kaleena’s door. She had gotten dressed, her hair still drying. She was looking directly at Nikolai. It was difficult to place, but her eyes were communicating something; something like anger.

“Oh dear. I’m so sorry you had to hear that,” Veronica apologized.

She walked over to Nikolai and stood directly in front of him. Even though he was well aware of how easily she could overpower him, he stood firm and did not let his defiant expression falter. Kaleena tilted her head, and then made direct eye contact. Nikolai glared right back in a test of will, but then slowly started to feel a distinct sense of terror. He was facing down something much greater than himself, and was not up to the task. His confidence quickly slipped away. The way she was looking at him, made him feel small and impotent. Her gaze was piercing, intense, and absolute. Nikolai could not stop himself from looking away. He never wanted her to look at him that way again.

“This is where I want to be. I am where I belong. If my presence disturbs you, you may leave at any time. Do not make the mistake of upsetting my friend again,” Kaleena said in a very cold tone.

She then walked away, and the tension in the room was thick to the point of being suffocating.

“Is that a threat, Observer?” Nikolai found the courage to say.

Kaleena stopped walking.

“Benders do not make threats. We merely state our intentions,” she answered smoothly.

Kaleena then took Hunter’s wrist, and led him toward his room.

“Veronica, will you accompany us?” Kaleena asked in her usual way of speaking.

“Will you be alright?” Veronica asked Raika.

Raika nodded his head. Veronica then followed Kaleena and Hunter into his room. Kaleena sat down on the bed, and Hunter sat next to her, while Veronica stood directly across from her. She looked a bit disturbed. Hunter took her hand into his, which she allowed.

“Something is not right,” Kaleena responded.

“What do you mean?” asked Veronica.

“I…I wanted to harm him. It was as though the pleasantness I…feel…when Hunter and I interact, was nowhere to be found. All I found was aggression,” Kaleena described.

Veronica walked over and knelt in front of Kaleena. She put her hand on her knee and looked up at her.

“It’s called anger. What you’re experiencing is perfectly normal,” Veronica said comfortingly.

“I do not want to experience it again,” Kaleena admitted, and she squeezed Hunter’s hand a little.

“Anger is a part of life. You’re going to feel it again. It’s good that you didn’t give into it. Don’t try to fight the anger, or it’ll come out later even worse. Let it run its course, acknowledge that its there, and then let it pass over you,” Veronica advised.

“What if I cannot control my actions the next time I experience the sensation?” Kaleena asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

“You’ll be fine,” Hunter interjected, “We trust you.”

Veronica nodded her head in agreement. She could tell that Kaleena would want to be alone with Hunter, as the two had grown close. He could help her now. She then stood up to leave.

“I’ll give you two a moment,” she said softly.

Kaleena dropped her guard, and turned to Hunter to hug him. She held on tight. Hunter hugged her back. It was the second time she had done so, and it gave him the same feeling as the first.

“I cannot be permitted to lose control. I do not want to harm you unintentionally. I don’t like anger,” said Kaleena.

“Just think of the fun we have next time you get angry. Sound good?” Hunter suggested.

Kaleena then pulled away, and looked into Hunter’s eyes. He returned the look, but noticed that she was looking much more intensely that she had before. It was as though her stare had a purpose behind it.

“There is something I want to communicate, though I am not sure if there are any words I can use,” Kaleena admitted.

“I’m here for ya. Just say what’s on your mind. You can tell me anything,” Hunter encouraged.

“You taught me situations where a hug is appropriate, yet a hug seems insufficient. But I think I know how to properly express my thoughts right now,” Kaleena thought aloud.

Kaleena then locked eyes with Hunter, as if asking permission. She seemed unsure of what to say, and she slowly moved her face closer to his. Moving just off to the side of his face, she did something she had never done before, and pressed her lips against his cheek. The kiss was so soft that he wasn’t sure he would have felt it if she had been any more delicate. She then backed away slightly, and then turned her face a bit more. She kissed his cheek again, but this time a little bit closer to his lips. Hunter’s heart began racing. She backed away a bit once more, and then moved her face directly in front of his. She tilted her head to the side slowly, closed her eyes, and then moved forward. Hunter noted that she had the softest lips he had ever kissed. The contact lasted for a moment, and then their lips met again, then again, and again. Kaleena inhaled deeply through her nose, and Hunter matched her enthusiasm. The next kiss was much more forceful. Kaleena then clutched the sides of his face and kissed him again while pushing him back a little bit on the bed so that he was almost lying down.

Hunter was completely lost to the world right now. There was him, and there was her; nothing more. Kaleena then abruptly pulled away, displaying another emotion she had never shown before: fear. She started breathing very rapidly, and then began looking everywhere except at Hunter.

“Kaleena, are you okay?” Hunter asked, concerned.

“I-I-I should not have done that,” Kaleena stammered.

“It’s okay,” Hunter tried to calm her down.

“I was never meant to feel like this. I do not know what I am feeling now. I do not feel well,” Kaleena said, her eyes still racing around the room.

Hunter walked up to Kaleena and clutched her by the shoulders. She relaxed just a bit, and made eye contact with him again. She looked genuinely frightened.

“What you’re feeling is okay. Just go with it,” Hunter tried to assuage her.

For the second time in her life, tears began to well up in Kaleena’s eyes. They did not fall, but the extra layer of moisture covering her eyes was apparent.

“I don’t understand what I’m feeling. I have no idea what I’m doing or what I am,” Kaleena hesitated, “I don’t know what to do Hunter.”

She never sounded more human than she did then. Kaleena then stormed off toward her own room. He felt confused, rejected, and worried. With nothing left to do, Hunter walked out of his room and knocked on Kaleena’s door. She didn’t answer.

“Now what?” asked Nikolai, still bitter from before.

“She…she kissed me. And I….I kissed back,” said Hunter.

Their phones then rang. It was Hank, he wanted to see them in the command center immediately. Veronica pointed at Hunter.

“We are talking about this later,” she said with finality.

Veronica then walked to the door and knocked.

“Kaleena dear? It’s me, we have to go now,” she said.

Still no answer. Hunter moved to knock but Veronica held her hand up, forbidding him to proceed.

“Just leave her be Hunter. We’ll do this on our own,” she said.

Despite a look of disgust from Nikolai, Hunter sped past him and the others all went with him to the command center. When they arrived, Hank was waiting expectantly.

“Where’s Kaleena?” Hank asked.

“She won’t be coming,” said Hunter, disappointed.

“Excuse me?” Hank questioned, appalled.

“Don’t push it. She’s going through something right now,” Veronica spoke.

Hank looked to her.

“As an active member of the Power Rangers, and a Bender, she can’t simply decide to take a day off,” Hank said, before dialing something into his phone.

“Stop,” Nikolai said, causing Hank to halt, “She’s having some emotional problems. She’s of no use to us right now. Veronica is right. Leave her alone.”

Hank looked a bit concerned, and his eyes shot to Hunter’s.

“A being with her kind of ability taking personal time is a big disadvantage to us. I know what you’re trying to do. It’s a nice idea, but do you really think teaching her how to feel is in our best interests?” Hank scolded.

“It’s in her best interests,” Hunter snapped.

This seemed to disarm Hank for now, who quickly went back to looking at his tablet.

“This is the deal, the Benders are back. We’ve been getting all kinds of strange readings near highway I-81 crossing into Maryland. Someone is tapping the morphing grid. What they’re doing there is unknown. You guys need to go check it out,” Hank instructed.

“What is the status on the Defender Vest?” Nikolai asked.

Hank exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Still putting some finishing touches on it. We’ve been dividing our resources working on…other projects. Dismissed,” Hank answered.

Nikolai nodded his head, and led the others into the changing room. After switching to their field suits, they came back to the command center where their Invisiportal waited for them. When they emerged, they were not on the highway, but in the forest area off to the side of it. Raika took out his Tracker and detected a signature further east.

“This way,” said Raika, holding his stomach.

The sunlight bothered them, as they were all still quite hung over. It was finally hitting them now that they had walked around so much. Hunter then tapped Veronica as they walked, slowing enough so that Raika and Nikolai would move ahead.

“So what happened Hunter?” Veronica said quietly.

“She kissed me. It was like this perfect moment but then she suddenly started to get all freaky and wanted to act like it never happened,” Hunter lamented.

“Hunter,” Veronica said sympathetically, “She may be a Bender, but she’s still a girl. She really fancies you, and she’s frightened. Don’t think she doesn’t care about you. I mean if she of all people would get the urge to snog you, she must really have it bad. Just let her work through her feelings. If she really wants this, she’ll find her way back to you when she’s ready.”

Hunter shrugged.

“But despite how far she’s come, that’s not what worries me. Being with her won’t be like dating a…” Veronica trailed off.

“A what?”

“Well, a normal person. Kaleena is very special; a girl unlike any other. How bad do you want it? I don’t imagine it will be easy. And don’t forget about her powers. She feels now. So you have to accept responsibility for anything she might do when she’s emotional. If you’re going to play this game, you play for keeps. What I want to know is, do you want this Hunter?” Veronica questioned.

Hunter took a second to think about it, trying to process all the feelings he had gotten since she had kissed him. He always cared for her as they had grown close, but he had no idea just how much until that moment. He finally had his words.

“Yes, I really want her Veronica. I really do. I’ve never connected with anyone the way I have with her,” Hunter said, allowing his sentimental side a moment in the sun.

Veronica nodded her head.

“Make sure you take care of her,” Veronica warned.

Suddenly, the sound of Nikolai yelling out in pain could be heard. Apparently they had gotten very far ahead, because neither Hunter nor Veronica could see them. Nikolai came flying through the woods and fall onto a log, having been launched by something apparently. A flash of blue could be seen in the distance, and Raika’s battle cries could be heard. They ran up ahead, and saw the Blue Ranger trying to fend off the Faceless, who was easily penetrating his defenses. Smoke moved from his head dome and struck the Blue Ranger down. Nikolai then formed ranks with Hunter and Veronica.

“Ready?”

“Ready!”

“Overdrive, Accelerate!”

The Rangers then surrounded the Faceless, and moved in to attack. They would have struck him, but their movements were sluggish and he easily moved away. Hovering just slightly over the ground, the Faceless zipped between them, his head smoke sweeping through them and generating collision sparks. They all fell down together.

“Damn,” Nikolai complained.

“We cannot fight like this,” Raika commented.

“Man, of all the times to have a hangover,” Hunter complained.

“Well we have no choice. Let’s finish this,” Nikolai ordered.

He stood up and summoned his Drive Lance, before moving in to attack. He spun the lance by its long handle, trying to perform a feint and then thrusting the business end forward. The Faceless caught it, and then pulled it out of the Red Ranger’s grasp. Using his own lance against him, he was slashed across the chest. The Yellow Ranger came up with her Drive Claws trying to strike him, but the Faceless caught her left claw, and then hoisted her up. Dangling her like a toy, the Faceless swiped at her several times with the lance before throwing her away. The Black Ranger was next, with his Drive Defender out. He fired a laser blast, but the Faceless generated more smoke that acted as a shield. The Blue Ranger snuck up from behind to fire with his Drive Vortex, but the Faceless saw it coming. He reversed the direction of the lance and stabbed backward, knocking him away.

“You were considerably more formidable the last time we did combat,” the Faceless remarked, before tossing the Drive Lance to the ground.

“What are you doing here?” Nikolai demanded to know.

“You will discover the reason soon enough. Let us say that the price you had to pay in exchange for the Kraken’s help will now be levied against you now,” the Faceless warned.

“What do we do?” asked Veronica.

“We keep fighting. We have to get our heads right,” Nikolai answered.

The Faceless then gathered a large amount of smoke from its head dome, forming it into a shapeless mass in its hand, before infusing it with some sort of energy from his fingers tips.

“Goodbye Rangers,” the Faceless said somberly.

The Faceless moved to throw the mass like a shot put, but then at the last second the Pink Ranger jumped in the way. It struck her, and her alone. The resulting explosion caused the surrounding trees to lean away.

“Kaleena!” Hunter screamed.

When the debris cleared, Kaleena was lying there, demorphed.

“That was unexpected,” the Faceless commented.

“You bastard!” Hunter growled, before trying to get up.

He started running toward the Faceless alone.

“Stop!” Raika shouted.

An Invisiportal suddenly opened in front of them, and someone else stood in front of the Black Ranger, cutting off his route. He was wearing a field suit much like theirs, and there was something on his wrist. The man turned around, and looked at the Blue Ranger smiling. It was Tyler.

“What?” Nikolai asked in confusion.

“You guys really aren’t so bad. My town approves of ya, and that’s good enough for me. You got some weird monsters ‘round these parts. I guess your boss appreciated the help I gave ya a while back, so they been trainin’ me and bringin’ me up to speed until I got this,” Tyler held up the Mercury Morpher, “to come help ya out.”

The Faceless then assumed a domineering stance.

“Leave now boy, this is no place for you,” the Faceless ordered.

Tyler then looked back at the Faceless, seemingly undaunted.

“Man oh man, I never thought you Benders would be this strange,” Tyler commented before pressing the release clasp on his morpher.

“Overdrive, Accelerate!”

He held up the morpher, causing a hologram to be generated in front of him, before they dissolved into his suit. The Mercury Ranger now stood before them.

“They weren’t kiddin’ when they said what this thing does!” Tyler said in amazement.

The Faceless now knew who his newest opponent was, and charged the Mercury Ranger. The Mercury Ranger started running toward him in kind. The Faceless launched a “bolt” of smoke toward the Mercury Ranger, who somersaulted over and threw out his leg. The kick was blocked by the forearm of the Faceless, who responded by throwing his cape out to blind the Mercury Ranger, but it did nothing. The Mercury Ranger now had his Drive Detector out, and slashed through the fabric. He twirled his weapon in one hand before converting it to gun mode, and then fired straight into the Faceless. His shot landed true, and the Faceless withdrew a bit. The Mercury Ranger pressed his attack, launching a flurry of complicated arm movements before slamming his fist into the Faceless’ abdomen. The Faceless kicked out, but the Mercury Ranger caught it, before somersaulting over his enemy.

Now behind the Bender, the Mercury Ranger launched a kick of his own, but the Faceless spun out of the way before firing little pellets of energy from his finger tips. The Mercury Ranger deflected them by punching them away. He then slid on the ground toward the Faceless, firing his Drive Detector as he did so. The Faceless made another smoke screen, and blocked them. It was switched out of gun mode again, and the Mercury Ranger swiped at his lower legs. The Faceless jumped up, and then tried to slam his knee down upon him. Like a silver blur, the Mercury Ranger rolled aside, and then launched himself into an uppercut to knock the Faceless away. The Drive Detector was switched to gun mode again, and fired two shots at the Faceless, who jumped back just shy of being hit by them. The two stood across from another, with the Mercury Ranger hopping up and down a bit as though warming up.

“You fight well,” said the Faceless.

“I know,” Tyler said with a laugh.

“Is this a game to you?” the Faceless questioned.

“Nah I know this is some serious business. But you gotta admit, this is all pretty freaky stuff. And this Mercury Ranger suit is somethin’ fierce. I’m havin’ a ball!” Tyler said excitedly.

The Black Ranger was now kneeling before Kaleena, who was lying unconscious while the other Rangers watched, in shock at what was happening.

“Then allow me to rouse you from your euphoria,” the Faceless warned as he began to create another burst of energized smoke.

“Yeah I see what yer doin’. You plan to throw that at me till I blow up right?” Tyler asked while pointed casually.

“A gross oversimplification,” the Faceless responded as the smoke became laced with destructive power.

“Yeah well you should work on yer moves. I’m not standin’ still for it to hit me. Besides, I can throw something of my own!” Tyler announced.

Before the Faceless could even ask what, the Mercury Ranger switched his Drive Detector out of gun mode, and swung it horizontally. A blue, moon-crescent shaped formation of light then shot from tip of the Drive Detector’s blade, and darted around erratically until it struck the Faceless directly in the chest. His attack was prematurely detonated, doing further damage to him.

“He did it,” said Nikolai.

After slinging the Drive Detector over his shoulder, the Mercury Ranger fearlessly walked over to the Faceless, who was visibly injured.

“You surprise me. Despite your careless regard for my kind, you have proven yourself to be a…significant…threat. I applaud you for catching me off guard. However, you have achieved nothing. There is no victory for you today, as I have accomplished what I set out to do. Witness the arbiters of your demise,” the Faceless warned.

The other Rangers got into a defensive position around Kaleena, and then an explosion suddenly formed right where the Mercury Ranger was. He was fortunate enough to roll out of the way before being engulfed by it.

“Goodness, that was close!” Tyler said graciously.

Somebody then began moving through the woods. There were several of them. Their approach was masked by the foliage at first, but then five beings emerged from the forest behind the Faceless. Everyone was taken by surprise, and both Tyler and Hunter had grown up recognizing what they were looking at. It was unmistakable, clear as a day, and terrifying: the five Zeo Rangers now stood before them. The Red Zeo Ranger had his blaster out, evidently being the one who had fired.

“More Rangers?” Nikolai said incredulously.

“I thought only we had that technology. Now the Benders have made their own?” Veronica said in awe.

“Now you will be struck down using the same instruments you employ against us. Farewell, Rangers,” said the Faceless, before turning into smoke and vanishing from sight.

“We’ve lost the initiative. We have to withdraw! Hank, Invisiportal, now!” Nikolai shouted into his Tracker.

The Zeo Rangers then silently jumped into the air toward them, ready to attack. The Mercury Ranger held his Drive Detector at the ready, but the Overdrive Rangers were sucked into an Invisiportal before combat could begin. Hank was not going to be pleased at the news. Tyler did the job of breaking the news. Hank was very perturbed, and the command center personnel whispered amongst each other.

“Zeo Rangers? This is bad. The Benders have their own team? Did you get to see their faces?” asked Hank.

The Blue Ranger shook his head.

“They were morphed when they showed up,” said Raika.

“This changes things. I’m going to go over the problem with Mr. Lineer, and I’ll try to work out a solution. Your Defender Vest will be finished as soon as possible, followed by the zords. I hope you guys don’t mind the secrecy we took in selecting the Mercury Ranger. We had built the morpher some time ago, but we were unsure as to who would wield it. Tyler here more or less proved himself in Alaska, so he was chosen. He’ll be joining you in your habitat. Alright, you guys are dismissed,” said Hank.

The Black Ranger was carrying Kaleena, who was still unconscious, and turned to move away.

“Ahem, you’re going to have to power down and turn in your morpher Hunter,” Hank warned.

“Dude, just give it a rest. I’m not gonna steal the damn Tracker or lose it. I’m taking her to bed,” Hunter dismissed before walking away.

The other Rangers promptly powered down while the Black Ranger laid Kaleena down in her bed. She was not evidently injured, but she had certainly had the wind knocked out of her. The other Rangers joined them soon enough, their attention now focused on Hunter, who had just powered down.

“We need to talk, now,” said Nikolai.

“I’m not in the mood,” Hunter waved him away.

“What if it doesn’t work out?” Nikolai asked.

“What?” asked Hunter.

“This thing you have going on with Kaleena. What if you mess up, or she messes up, and you aren’t…whatever you two are anymore,” Nikolai questioned.

“That’s not gonna happen,” Hunter responded.

“You better be right about this, because if she turns on us, and we survive, I’m coming after you,” Nikolai warned, before going to his room.

That was the last thing anyone said to anyone else that day, except for Tyler, who seemed uncomfortable around all the tension.

“What did I just walk into?” Tyler said with a hint of amusement.

[Duke Org: Zen-Aku]

Love where your going with this, i see a little John Connor Cameron action going on here from "The Sarah Connor Chronicles". My only problem is I'm having a hard time telling the difference between Raika and Nikolai, I feel like we don't get enough development out of them yet

Oh and Kaleena has easily become my favorite character.

[Taioh No Kami]

OMG THE ZEO RANGERS!!!! This is surely a twist of plot, but then again I had an idea of this when the Kraken had scanned the Rangers one or two episodes ago. also loving the developing of Hunter and Kaleena's relationship. I also like you're realistic take on it with Nikolai's rejection of it. Keep it coming, Beckoner!!

[dragomuseveni]

Lol I totally called it with the kaleena and hunter thing...and im fairly certain that there is a distinction between nickolai and raika tho they might need to be explored more....its funny because hunter really reminds me of conner for some reason.

[Beckoner]

I've decided to post two episodes back to back. Why?

Because episode 10 is more of a character piece. No morphed action this time around. However, episode 11 DOES have action, so to satisfy the story fans AND the action fans, I've decided to post em both. Oh and a little warning for you Kaleena fans out there: this episode has more Kaleena/Hunter interaction if you found yourself wanting more at the end of episode 9.

I couldn't help but notice the comparisons to the Sarah Conner Chronicles. I don't watch tv and haven't seen it so I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing, lol.

Yeah everyone gets a little bit of screen time this episode, in case you were having a hard time getting a feel for Raika. Nikolai is definitely the more serious and detached of the two. Raika has been developed the least so far, but you'll get a good feel for him soon enough.

And yes Drago, you get credit. You definitely called the Kaleena/Hunter thing before anyone else did. Honestly, I'm enjoying the interaction between Kaleena and Hunter more than I did for Sergio and Nicole! I hope I delivered the good this time around. Anyway, without further ado, enjoy episode 10!

-------------------------------------

World Bender Season 3
Episode 10: A Day of Rest

Hunter sat in the living room, lazily playing the Xbox. He wasn’t trying particularly hard so much as he was waiting for Kaleena to come out of her room. Veronica had gone in to check on her since they had encountered the Zeo Rangers the previous day, but she did not leave her room. Veronica forbade anyone from seeing her, and Hunter reluctantly fought the impulse to talk to her. Veronica was in the kitchen preparing tea, and then came into the living room with two glasses. She gave one to him, and kept one for herself before sitting next to him.

“How are you?” asked Veronica with a sympathetic smile.

“I dunno. Fine I guess,” Hunter said dismissively.

Veronica said nothing, and waited. She knew not to push. Like clockwork, Hunter suddenly paused his game and turned to her.

“Has she said anything about me? I mean I don’t get it. She won’t even talk to me. She’s being so impossible,” Hunter complained.

“Hunter, just be patient. Yes, she’s talking about you. The reason she isn’t talking to you is because she’s scared. She’s dealing with feelings she never knew she had. If she isn’t ready, you can’t force her,” Veronica explained calmly.

Hunter wasn’t satisfied.

“I really like her Veronica,” Hunter admitted.

“I know.”

“I just want her to talk to me. I’m so messed up about this.”

“Just wait it out. Don’t push her if she isn’t ready, or she might withdraw into herself. It’s a girl thing.”

“I’m sick of waiting.”

“I know.”

Kaleena’s door then opened, and Hunter felt his heart jump for a moment. She did not look at anyone. She went straight into the kitchen and the sound of the fridge opening could be heard. Hunter was very discouraged.

“She didn’t even look at me…” Hunter lamented.

“Hunter, look at me,” said Veronica.

Hunter obeyed.

“Just give it time,” she said.

Tyler then emerged from his habitat, having had a very good night’s sleep.

“Man oh man I ain’t never slept on such a comfortable bed. What do they call that thingamajigger?” asked Tyler.

“Tempur Pedic,” Hunter answered.

“Oh okay. Yeah so is Raika around? I’m gonna kidnap him and we’re goin’ around town. I’ve never been outside of Alaska, so this kind of warm weather is pretty crazy to me. I wanna see everything,” said Tyler with such optimism.

“He’s in the computer room. Go have a look,” said Veronica with a smile.

Tyler jogged over to the room and yelled something to Raika, who already was prepared to go. The two of them then left the habitat in a hurry.

“Such a happy fellow that one,” Veronica commented.

“The guy acts like he’s on happy pills all the time,” said Hunter.

Veronica giggled. Kaleena then returned from the kitchen and walked toward her room. Just before walking through her door, she stopped. She was apparently about to say something, but then changed her mind continued proceeding into her room.

Hunter was now feeling very frustrated.

“Screw this. I’m tired of waiting. I didn’t ask for this. She kissed me, and now suddenly I’m not even allowed to be her friend. Fine. She can take all the time she wants; I’m done,” Hunter said bitterly before getting up to go to his room.

“Hunter…” Veronica tried to say.

Hunter vanished into his room angrily. That was when Nikolai came out. He was clearly stressed out, but Veronica knew better than to try to get him to talk about it. Veronica then got a text message on her GridFire phone. It was from Hank. Apparently, it was an invitation to a charity ball that GridFire was hosting that night. Senators, Congressmen, men of high importance, and various GridFire employees were all invited. The text message had apparently been forwarded, but hers had a special message tagged at the bottom. It read:

CAUSE YOU GUYS COULD USE A GOOD NIGHT, HANK

Veronica smiled. Hank wasn’t such a stiff after all, despite being a rather single minded fellow. Veronica then went to Kaleena’s room and entered. She was sitting on her bed staring.

“Hey Kaleena. Did you check your phone?” she asked.

Kaleena shook her head.

“I’m sure the others will see their messages soon enough, but tonight there’s a ball. That means we get to dress up pretty and dance,” Veronica said cheerily.

“I see,” said Kaleena, very passively.

Veronica then sat down next to her.

“It’s alright to have a little fun every now and then Kaleena.”

“Will Hunter be attending?”

“Maybe. I don’t reckon him to be the type to dress up in a suit, but I’m sure he’ll go.”

Kaleena averted her eyes, looking something close to unsure.

“Don’t worry Kaleena, I’ll make sure he stays away from you.”

“It isn’t that I want him to stay away-” Kaleena tried to articulate.

Veronica put her hand on Kaleena’s shoulder.

“It’s okay Kaleena, I understand. Now, time to go shopping. I’m going to make an appointment for a spa, and we’re going to have a lady’s day out in time for the ball!”

Veronica then stood up and started making reservations. As soon as Veronica had given their names, the spa had upgraded their package and already had made arrangements. Apparently someone had already prepared. Veronica silently thanked Hank, and went to grab Kaleena. As they headed toward the exit, Hunter was leaving the kitchen with a Mountain Dew. They intercepted each other directly. This time, Hunter didn’t look at Kaleena, but she looked at him. He sped right past them and went to his room. Kaleena looked to Veronica.

“Has he discarded his fondness for me?” Kaleena asked.

Veronica shook her head.

“No, he’s just has to go through something his own way. He’s a bloke, they don’t handle things quite like us girls,” Veronica said encouragingly.

The pair then went off and had a day filled with pampering, chemicals, and even a few smiles from Kaleena. She rather liked being a GIRL. Nikolai was in his room, and pulled a trunk out from under his bed. From it, he retrieved a tuxedo that his father had bought from him for an event once at the Kremlin. He held it up and looked in the mirror. He hated dancing.

Tyler was at the tuxedo junction with Raika, as the attendant went to fit them and help them select something they liked. Despite how horrible it would look, Tyler insisted on a blue tie, and a tuxedo that wasn’t too tight. He loved dancing. Raika had never danced in his life. Hunter groaned when he read his text message, and wasn’t sure if he wanted to go or not. Kaleena would be there, but then again so would everyone else. He was sick of playing video games in the habitat. They just weren’t as fun when Kaleena wasn’t playing them with him. He grunted, and called a cab to take him to a tuxedo shop. He had only worn a tux once in his life to his uncle’s wedding. He hated tuxedos.

Hours later, a convoy of limousines arrived at a massive grand ballroom. It was nearly an hour from GridFire Headquarters, in a place called Genetti’s. It was on the fourth floor. The walls were constructed of intricate, white and gold paneling. There were grand chandeliers dangling from the walls and reflecting light around the room like a magnificent kaleidoscope. The tables were large, round, with posh chairs. There was a grand stage where events could be a held. Aside from the seating area would dinner would be served by the hundreds of caterers and waitresses, was a dance floor made of well maintained wood. A large balcony wrapped around the entire place, overlooking the city below. Several VIPs began to fill the place, their well-done wives hanging on their arms. There were even a few Ambassadors to be found here. The Rangers arrived in separate limousines. Nikolai had arrived on his own wearing his double breasted tux, while Hunter chose to drive himself. He had visited a barber who did little more than wash and style his long hair. Raika and Tyler were elated at the experience, having received a clean shave and their hair being slicked back.

Veronica and Kaleena arrived with Curtis and Hank, their dates for the evening. Hank’s tux was nice, but not as well put together and he hadn’t even taken the time to put on a tie. With so many people in such a large space, the Rangers didn’t even encounter each other. Raika and Tyler sat at their table, picking through the strange food they had never seen before. The escargot seemed to put them off. Tyler didn’t care for them when he found out they were snails, and spit them into his handkerchief before stuffing them in his pocket. A small orchestra began playing tranquil music alongside dinner, which had been a 5 course affair for everyone involved. Hunter’s manners left much to be desired, as he sat with his elbow on a vacant table, avoiding the presence of the others. He looked up and absentmindedly watched a waitress returning a tray of empty dishes, when he finally saw her.

She was being led to pastry table with Veronica. Both of them had clearly been professionally groomed. Veronica looked very nice wearing an, ironically, nearly golden-yellow dress. It was large and flowed a couple feet out from her legs, and her hair was tied up in an intricate, braided bun. Her makeup had been well done.

And then there was Kaleena.

She was wearing a fuchsia dress. It hugged her figure, with no wrinkles or gathered fabric. It must have been silk. The dress itself stopped just above her bosom, having no shoulders or back. On the front where her cleavage would be were two thin straps that went up and around her neck, holding it up. The dress itself began to flow out just around her upper thigh. It was parted on her left side, so that her leg was partially exposed. She was wearing similarly colored open-toe heels. Her straight, silver hair was still down, but the hair that normally would conceal her ears was tucked behind them. Her bangs were parted and swept off to the side, styled in a little curve to the side of her face. She wore very light makeup. It was probably some basic foundation, a little bit of purple eye shadow, and mascara to bring out her eyes. She had on some lipstick, just slightly pinker than her own natural lips, enough to draw attention to them.

Hunter had never seen such a beautiful thing in his life. It was that thought that upset him. He then turned around and made his way to the balcony. There were various people drinking champagne and talking about whatever it was the rich and powerful talked about, and he stood on the edge of the marble balcony looking into the night sky. Tiny lights denoting cars moved about in the distance inside the glowing city beneath the hill. The night itself smelled of wealthy, and Hunter was disinterested in all of it. He didn’t know how long he stood there. Someone then walked up next to him. In his peripheral, he saw that it was Kaleena.

“You were watching me,” Kaleena pointed out.

“How do you know?” asked Hunter, distant.

“I spent a lot of time fulfilling my function. I know very well when I am the one being observed,” Kaleena explained.

Hunter said nothing. Kaleena looked off the balcony as well, and tilted her head.

“Will you permit me a question?” Kaleena asked.

“Shoot,” said Hunter.

“You will remember this because you asked me the same question once. What am I to you?” she asked, less robotically and with a little more feeling.

Hunter then looked at her. She looked even more amazing up close. He kept up his guard.

“Just like you said. We’re good friends,” Hunter said, his voice not coming off as strongly as he had hoped.

“Is that all?” she asked.

“You tell me.” Hunter said bitterly.

“When I…kissed you…you did not resist. Perhaps I have misread the social implications of that, but I had believed-” she was interrupted.

“What do you want me to say Kaleena? Did I feel something in that kiss? Yes I did. I felt something so much that when you blew me off the past couple days, it hurt. Do I want you? Yes Kaleena. I don’t care if you’re a Bender. I don’t care what special powers you have. I don’t care what you did in the past. I don’t even care if you aren’t human. I just wanted you,” Hunter admitted, no longer restraining himself.

Kaleena’s gaze then softened.

“Would it have been the same if I had never learned to feel? I do not know if I can give you what you want, because Nikolai is right: I’m not one of you. I am different,” she responded.

Hunter contemplated his next words.

“Kaleena, I couldn’t have shown you anything about being human if you didn’t already have it in yourself. You can’t learn to feel if it isn’t there, but you did. I just tried to bring out who you are. And I like who you are.”

“I don’t even know who, or what I am. My purpose was to observe. Mentally document everything I saw, and pass it on. I can speak every language fluently, I know the name of every flower on the planet. And that is not even the beginning. Hunter…I’m not what you think I am. Feeling isn’t something I was meant to do.”

Hunter looked away, as he didn’t like where this was going. Kaleena’s hand then reached out and touched the side of his face, gently pulling his gaze back to her. He had never seen such a look in her eyes before.

“But that does not mean I do not care about you. I don’t understand the things I feel. To be truthful, I tried to avoid that range of emotion because I have observed what it can make people do but…you had to be so…wonderful. I could not stop it. But that does not mean we should be together in that way.”

Hunter grunted with displeasure.

“I can’t go back to just being friends Kaleena. It’s too late for me.”

“Hunter, I know I look like a normal person, but don’t let my looks deceive you. I have learned a lot yes, but I do not think I am capable of being like normal girls,” Kaleena lamented.

Hunter stepped a little bit closer.

“I like you just the way you are,” he said.

Kaleena smiled weakly at the sentiment. She then looked into the ballroom for a moment, before looking back.

“Would you like to dance with me?” she asked.

Hunter agreed, and led her into the ballroom on his arm. Once finding a suitable amount of room, they assumed a proper stance, with his hand on her waist, and her hand resting in his. They danced slowly for a bit, with Hunter doing his best not to appear clumsy.

“Perhaps one day I can show you how to do the Waltz,” she remarked.

“I guess you know a lot of dances,” Hunter said as more of a statement than a question.

“I know all of them,” Kaleena responded.

“Should’ve figured,” he retorted.

They danced for quite a while, with Kaleena allowing Hunter to get close. The Cello player then went into a solo to finish out the song, and when it ended, everyone clapping moderately. Hunter then looked into Kaleena’s eyes.

“I want to take a chance Kaleena, I really do,” he laid it all out.

Kaleena then began to look slightly sad, unfamiliar with how to make the expression.

“I am sorry, but I can’t,” she said.

Kaleena then pulled away and walked out in a hurry. Defeated, and rejected, Hunter decided to retreat.

Raika was sitting at a table with Tyler, full from everything they had eaten. On the table were dozens of empty plates. They looked rather uncivilized the way they leaned back in their chairs compared to everyone else.

“Man I tasted some flavors I didn’t know existed!” Tyler commented.

“Me too,” said Raika.

Tyler then leaned forward.

“So Raika, what are ya gonna do with all the money you’ve made when this is all done?” Tyler asked carefully.

Raika smiled.

“I actually hate geology. I want to open my own kitchen. I want to serve food from everywhere, every country. All in one restaurant,” Raika said proudly, “I do not think that will ever happen though.”

Tyler slapped him in the arm.

“You should do it! That’d be awesome!” Tyler encouraged.

Raika didn’t look so optimistic.

“Maybe one day…” he said to himself before turning back to Tyler, “What about you?”

Tyler laughed.

“I want to do everything. I wanna drive a racecar. I wanna fly an airplane. I wanna climb Mount Everest. I wanna be the captain of a boat. I wanna do everything there is to do,” Tyler said animatedly, using his hands to help tell his story, “And then I wanna get married, have some kids and make a living selling beds.”

“Beds?” Raika questioned.

“Yeah like the ones we have. People gotta sleep don’t they?” Tyler reasoned.

Raika nodded his head in agreement. Who could argue with that logic? Veronica was walking through the ballroom greeting various people, charming them with her British accent, when she saw Nikolai in the corner of her vision. He was sitting in a chair right next to the door where the waitresses went in and out of the kitchen, talking to no one. She let out an exasperated chuckle and excused herself from the conversation she was in. Veronica then snuck up on him and sat in the chair next to him.

“So what’s your fancy Nicky?” she greeted.

“What did you just call me?” Nikolai asked, glaring at her.

“I’ve decided to call you Nicky. It makes you sound much more cuddly than you are,” she joked.

Nikolai let out a weak smirk.

“So why do you sit here moping around like you don’t know anyone? There are lots of interesting people to talk to. That man over there,” she pointed to an elderly man with a young woman on his arm, “He’s from Romania. He started an organization that gives GridFire phones to exchange students to talk to their families. That girl is his granddaughter. Very pleasant people.”

“Interesting,” Nikolai said half-heartedly.

Veronica frowned a bit.

“You’re more wound up than Kaleena when she first got here,” Veronica teased.

Nikolai shook his head.

“Why do you keep trying to talk to me?” Nikolai asked.

“Well, from a technical perspective, you are my commanding officer. But we’re off duty. Don’t be such a grumpy old grouch. Now, I’ve grown bored with sitting down. You should lead me to that floor and use those legs of yours to dance, or would you refuse the company of a lovely lady such as myself?”

She certainly had a persuasive way about her, Nikolai thought. The confident, commanding way she carried herself with was something that he admired. She would have made a great military officer. Nikolai stood up, and offered his hand. There was no harm in it he figured. The pair then began to dance. Veronica knew her way about the dance floor, moving with such grace it almost seemed choreographed. Nikolai wondered where she learned to dance. Nikolai was no slouch himself, albeit a bit out of practice. He spun her around and then dipped her just to establish himself as the superior dancer. She squeaked in delight before being pulled back up.

“You’re a cheeky one aren’t you?” Veronica said, before taking a moment to walk to the orchestra.

She whispered something in the ear of the pianist, who then began to pass it along to the others. They smiled mischievously and nodded their heads, bowing their heads to her as she walked away. She snatched a rose out of one of the vases on the dinner tables and took it with her. An edgy, forceful piano intro then played just before the violin kicked in. The ballroom guests smiled in surprise.

“Let’s see if you can Tango,” Veronica taunted.

Fortunately for him, this was one dance he knew. His mother used to do it with him, when she was still alive. Nikolai put the thought out of his mind.

She allowed Nikolai to lead, who put the rose in her mouth and moved in close. The two of them did combat, testing each other with their expertise in this particular dance, eventually drawing a small crowd who watched the two perform something very few people could do anymore. When it came time to twirl Veronica and pull her across the floor, she arched her back perfectly and gracefully held her arm out. The orchestra played with quite a bit of fervor, almost as if Nikolai and Veronica were egging them on. When the dance was over as the final violin note played, everyone who had been watching clapped for them.

“Bravo!” one man said.

Veronica spotted Curtis clapping with a smile on his face, apparently surprised. She then looked at Nikolai and laughed. She was impressed. Nikolai then smiled back.

“I knew I’d get a smile out of you yet,” Veronica teased, “Having fun isn’t so bad now is it Nicky?”

Nikolai smirked. She got the best of him. He admitted it to himself. She was classy, and always seemed to have the upper hand with people. The way she allowed no nonsense from anyone irked him, but knew in the back of his head he appreciated it. In that moment, he allowed himself to acknowledge that she was a real asset to the team. Maybe that was why Curtis picked her. The two then made their way back to their seats, with Veronica fanning herself with her hand. Nikolai handed her a handkerchief to dab her chest with.

“I was thinking,” Nikolai began, “As Red Ranger, I am the team leader. But in my absence, I’d like you to be my second in command.”

“You decided this over the course of a dance?” Veronica joked.

Nikolai snorted.

“I’ve been watching you for a while now. The rest of the team…they listen to you. You’re very capable. I suppose if I was not around, I would not trust anyone else with the job,” Nikolai commended her.

Veronica smiled.

“Well then Nicky, I’m up to the task. Second in command at your service,” she said as she extended her arm.

Nikolai took her hand, and the two shook on it.

The night eventually began to come to a close. Raika and Tyler had managed to stuff themselves so much that their pants began to stretch at the waist. They groaned with discomfort as they made their way to the limousine convoy in order to wait for their rides. Nikolai decided not to ride alone, opting instead to join Hank, Curtis, and Veronica as they waited in the courtyard. The place did not clear out all at once, and it happened over a very slow period of time. Hunter had managed to make his way into a nice lobby at the top of an open stairwell that led out from one of the executive suites. He would wait until everyone else had left before taking his leave. He heard a pair of footsteps behind him. He looked off to the side just a bit, and saw that it was Kaleena. He didn’t bother to figure out how she found him.

“You disappeared,” she commented.

“Yeah. Needed to get away I guess,” said Hunter, despondent.

“From me?” asked Kaleena.

This weakened his resolve a little. He then turned face her, standing a comfortable few feet from her.

“Nah. I guess you’re kinda stuck with me, even if it means being friends,” Hunter acquiesced.

Kaleena looked down, almost ashamed.

“You know, I never did tell you: you looked incredible tonight. Not that you don’t look good all the time, but you pull off being dolled up very well,” Hunter complimented.

Kaleena was still looking down, staring at her manicured hands.

“I was pondering what you said. About taking chances? It occurred to me how much of a chance you took, in becoming my friend, teaching me, trusting me. For a Bender, I do not think very quickly,” said Kaleena.

“Nah, you’re plenty smart,” Hunter replied.

Kaleena chose to ignore this, and continue with her point.

“One thing I learned very early on, was the concept of fairness. You took a chance on me, and thus it would not be fair…if I did not offer you the same courtesy,” Kaleena finally got it out.

“Are you saying…what I think you’re saying?” Hunter asked, cautious.

Kaleena nodded her head.

“I want the same thing as you. It’s just that…I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Me too,” Hunter responded, “Not of you though.”

“There is so much I fear now. I fear for everyone’s safety, I fear what might happen to me if I lost control of my emotions. I fear what I feel. I fear what the Benders will do to punish me for my independence. But most of all, I fear losing what we have,” Kaleena said honestly.

“I know,” Hunter paused, “I just don’t want fear to be the reason we never tried.”

“Neither do I,” Kaleena said, maintaining firm eye contact.

The two then simultaneously began to close the distance from each other. They never broke eye contact. Once they got close, Kaleena looked up at Hunter, who touched her face. His head slowly moved down, while she slowly tilted her head up. Their anticipating lips slowly parted, and then their lips locked. When they broke contact just a hair’s width away from each other, it lasted for just a moment before the kiss resumed. They kissed repeatedly, with Kaleena reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck, and his hands on her waist.

The two of them continued on like that for some time.

[Beckoner]

And as promised, here's episode 11. I've updated the episode index also. Anyway, here ya go!

--------------------------------

World Bender Season 3
Episode 11: What Goes Around Comes Around

Tyler woke up, tasting the food from the night before. Despite that, he knew he was hungry. He had dozed off in his tux, having forgotten to return it. No matter, he still had a day left on the rental. He arose from bed in order to brush his teeth, change his clothes and do his hair. When he was finally prepared for the day, he walked out of his room and into the living area. He walked into the kitchen in order to get some food, when he saw Veronica serving six plates with eggs, asparagus, Italian sausage, and toasted English muffins that she had prepared. She snapped her fingers several times aggressively.

“Out. You’ll get your food in a moment,” said Veronica.

“Yes maam,” Tyler said respectfully, before leaving.

He waited at the counter top on the other side of the kitchen, picking a stool to the far right. Veronica then came out, placing the plates at each seat. Nikolai emerged from his room, taking up his usual spot. Tyler was about to dig in to his food when Veronica slapped his hand.

“Wait till everyone else is here,” she said as she returned to the kitchen for more plates.

One by one, the others came. They all sat down, at which point Nikolai began to eat. Tyler took that to mean it was safe to eat. Everyone began eating, not really talking. The silence made Tyler nervous.

“So how about last night? Was fun wasn’t it?” he started conversation.

Everyone stopped for a moment, except for Veronica, who chose to speak.

“It was brilliant. I wouldn’t mind doing it again,” she answered brightly.

“So what are we doin’ today?” asked Tyler.

“We?” asked Nikolai, a bit put off.

“Well yeah we’re a team ain’t we? I know I’m new to this whole Ranger gig, but I found out about this place across town. They got a pool, mini-golf, bumper boats, and go carts!” Tyler said enthusiastically.

Veronica looked interested.

“That sounds wonderful. We’d love to go with you,” Veronica said kindly.

Nikolai was about to argue, but a disapproving look from Veronica shut him up.

“Terrific!” said Tyler, who shoveled down his food and went into the computer room to surf the internet.

“We have serious things to worry about, and he needs to stop thinking about everything as a game. You’re only encouraging him,” said Nikolai.

“And why shouldn’t I?” Veronica questioned, “I think he has a rather refreshing spirit.”

“He loves life,” said Raika with authority.

“I think he’s alright,” said Hunter, who finished his plate.

After finishing his drink, he went to sit on the couch.

“Turn on the news,” Nikolai instructed from his stool, still working on his food.

Hunter frowned, but did so. Raika came to sit on the loveseat, watching the television. Kaleena then finished her food and came into the living room. She sat right next to Hunter, and then leaned on him. Hunter moved his arm to put it around her. Raika looked a little stunned. He didn’t know when the status of their relationship changed, but the difference in mannerisms was apparent. Raika then looked at Kaleena, who seemed content simply being near Hunter. It seemed the Bender had a boyfriend. Nikolai then sat on his usual chair, taking a brief look at the couple, but said nothing. Veronica gathered up the empty dishes and took them to the kitchen to rinse and put in the dishwasher. When she was done, she went into her room. After a short while, she came back out with a bag in her hand.

“Kaleena, come with me for a bit will you? There’s a few things I’d like to pick up,” Veronica asked nicely.

Kaleena nodded her head. She moved to stand up, but Hunter tugged on her wrist. Kaleena turned to look at him, and gave him a slight smile. She then leaned over, and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. This seemed to satisfy him for now. Veronica smiled as though it was the most adorable thing she had seen, before taking Kaleena with her out of the complex. Raika then decided to comment on what he had just seen.

“That was…weird,” Raika admitted.

Nikolai shook his head, but remained silent.

“Might as well get used to it,” Hunter said smugly.

Raika held his hands up defensively.

“I mean no disrespect. I am happy for you. It is just, unsettling to see Kaleena act that way,” Raika said with a smile.

“I think that’s why she did it,” Hunter said with a laugh.

“Excuse me?” Nikolai finally chimed in.

Hunter gave him a probing look.

“Kaleena only does emotional stuff in private with me. I think that kiss was for your benefit,” Hunter said briskly.

Nikolai gave a foul expression. If she was trying to taunt him, it was working. Tyler then came out of the computer room, looking at the others.

“What’s this I hear?” asked Tyler.

“I’m going out with Kaleena,” Hunter declared.

“Oh. She’s the spooky alien girl ain’t she?” Tyler asked casually.

“She is no alien,” Raika explained.

“We don’t know what she is frankly. All we know is that she is something called a Bender, whatever that is,” Nikolai added.

“Gotcha. I guess she looks human enough. That’s good enough for me. Well, best of luck to ya,” said Tyler, unperturbed.

Nikolai’s GridFire phone then rang. He picked it up and began speaking. Whoever was on the other line, it wasn’t Hank’s voice. Nikolai scratched his nose and then sighed. The phone call ended shortly after.

“Who was it?” asked Raika.

“Veronica. She wants us to pack our swimming attire. She is getting some for herself and Kaleena, and then she’ll be back to pick us up,” Nikolai revealed.

Tyler was instantly headed for his room to grab some trunks, while the others took their time in getting it together. Eventually, Veronica would return to collect the others, and they managed to squeeze themselves into one of the large, black, Chevy Suburbans that GridFire owned. Nikolai did the driving, and they found the place across the bridge that split the town into two. Tyler was particularly enjoying the bright sun on his face, not being accustomed to it where he was from. When they arrived, Veronica paid their way in, and the group then split up to change. The boys changed the quickest, only needing to remove their t-shirts and put on their trunks. After slipping into some flip-flip sandals, they went to the poolside to await the girls.

Tyler didn’t wait. He ran and dove right in, creating a large splash that struck Raika. Raika shivered, and tried to avoid all the splashing that Tyler was doing.

“Hey come on man, hop in!” Tyler encouraged.

Raika then made a devious expression, and performed a cannonball into the pool to Tyler’s delight. Nikolai sat on one of the chairs by the white towels, still deciding if he wanted to get in or not. Hunter sat near him, allowing some time to warm up.

“Doesn’t winter last almost all year in Russia?” Hunter asked.

Nikolai nodded his head.

“Well then try to enjoy America while you can. If you sit around all day skipping everything, you’ll have wasted it,” Hunter reasoned.

“I’ll be jumping in, just not yet,” Nikolai brushed off,

The girls had been approaching them in their bathing suits, though Nikolai and Hunter hadn’t noticed. Nikolai tapped Hunter on the shoulder to get his attention, and then pointed at them. Veronica was wearing a leopard print bikini. Even Nikolai could appreciate a woman’s voluptuousness when he saw it. Veronica was well endowed, and her athleticism served her figure well. Hunter oogled Veronica for a second, but then gawked at Kaleena. Her petite frame was misleading through her clothing. In constrast to Veronica, who showed little hints of muscle definition here and there, Kaleena’s surfaces were all smooth. Even though she was somewhat pale, it was an even complexion. No blood vessels or pasty appearance. While shorter and smaller than Veronica, she was by no means lacking in curves, shape, and endowment. She was wearing a white, two piece bikini. It was a bit more revealing than what Veronica was wearing, the top portion being two cups rather than a tube top.

“Damn,” Hunter said surprisingly, finding himself a bit turned on.

“Does this attire displease you?” asked Kaleena.

Hunter caught himself.

“No, it’s just that…well, you’re hot! God must’ve taken his time when he made you,” Hunter quipped.

Veronica rolled her eyes before sitting down to tie up her hair. Nikolai looked at her for a moment, and then turned his attention to Kaleena. He scrutinized every inch of her. She appeared completely normal, despite being uncommonly well shaped. She even had nicely formed legs, and a bountiful posterior. No deformities or anomalies to speak of. He couldn’t make sense of it. Nikolai then noticed Hunter’s flushed face.

“Don’t get too excited,” Nikolai warned.

Hunter ignored this, and stood up and touch Kaleena by the waist. Kaleena did not mind. They then both went into the water and swam around. Veronica stood up, apparently struggling with her hair.

“Nicky, would you be a dear and help me with this?” she asked.

Nikolai reluctantly got up and reached for her hair, but then Veronica suddenly side stepped him, moved to his side, and pushed him into the pool.

“You really thought I couldn’t manage my own hair? Silly boy,” Veronica teased, before diving in herself.

Tyler pointed and laughed, and Nikolai just sighed in defeat. Raika then challenged Tyler to a race up and down the pool, who was more than willing to go for it. Nikolai floated about, while Veronica spent large periods of time underwater. It was a nice time. Hunter was evidently less interested in swimming and more interested in Kaleena. He had led her to the edge of the pool where they floated, her back against the wall. Despite the fact that there were children in this pool, Hunter kissed her anyway. Kaleena then opened her eyes mid kiss, and thought that it might not have been appropriate, so she pushed Hunter back into the water. He then splashed some water onto her. She responded by holding her hand out in front of her, and then suddenly some surface water was thrown at him. Hunter looked surprised, but pleased. Nikolai noticed, and swam up to him.

“You should have her tone down the supernatural shenanigans,” Nikolai advised.

“Aw come on, let her be herself,” Hunter complained.

Kaleena then cut in.

“It is alright Hunter. For the sake of anonymity, I will refrain,” said Kaleena.

They all continued to enjoy the pool until the sound of a GridFire phone beeping got their attention. Nikolai got out of the water first, and went to retrieve his phone. It was Hank.

“Show time,” Nikolai said loud enough for the others to hear, who had now gathered closer to that part of the pool.

They then began to get out of the pool quickly to gather their things in order to head to the locker room. Everyone grabbed a towel except Kaleena. She seemed to have begun dripping at an unusually quick rate. By the time they had made it indoors, she was already dry. Nikolai drove urgently back to GridFire after they were all dried and dressed. In the command center, Hank was busy calibrating the Invisiportal generator.

“What’s up?” asked Hunter.

“Our special recovery team has managed to retrieve a number of golden shards. No longer than an hour ago, they retrieved another one,” said Hank.

“That’s good, ain’t it?” asked Tyler.

Hank pressed a button on his console, bringing up an image on the main view screen. It was unmistakable, there was a construct sitting in the middle of a river surrounded by jungle and mountains.

“It appeared right next to another construct. Now we’ve taken the shard, and so far there’s been so Bender retaliation. We want to take this opportunity to study this construct, but we can’t risk harming our personnel. I want you guys to investigate, and find out whatever you can. Kaleena, if there is anything useful we should look for, tell us now,” Hank urged.

Kaleena tilted her head.

“Every construct contains records of its activity. I can withdraw that information if it is of any value,” said Kaleena.

“Do it. Your field suits are waiting for you,” Hank ordered.

The Rangers were dressed in their field suits shortly thereafter. Into the Invisiportal they went, and standing outside the construct was where they had been deposited.

“Kaleena, do you detect any Benders nearby?” asked Nikolai.

“No,” she responded.

“Alright. Suit up and then we enter,” Nikolai instructed as he pulled out his Trakcer, “Ready?”

“Ready!”

“Overdrive, Accelerate!”

Now in morphed form, the Rangers cautiously began walking through the tunnel that would lead into the interior of the construct. Once inside the main area, those who hadn’t been there before marveled at the sights they were seeing. Despite Nikolai and Raika having been in one before, the sight was still quite a thing to behold. The Pink Ranger led them to the “elevator” orb in the center, and they all went in. The elevator took them down to the lower level. They arrived in the floorless section, where the Pink Ranger stepped out and began walking on air just as the Red and Blue Ranger had experienced before. The Yellow, Black, and Mercury Ranger were a bit hesitant at first, but soon followed.

After reaching what seemed to be an arbitrary spot, the Pink Ranger looked up, and the same “terminal” began to descend. The bronze, mechanical-like woman then spoke out exactly as the previous one.

“Terminal activated. Please enter query,” it spoke.

“Memory,” said Kaleena.

The terminal then held out its right hand.

“Essence identified. Welcome Observer. You have been given a message. Dispensing now,” it said.

A periwinkle blue orb of light then formed in its hand, which then floated down to the Pink Ranger. As though it were made of solid material, the Pink Ranger took it, and held it in both hands. She then began to make a number of hand movements as though she were manipulating a rubix cube. The other Rangers simply sat and watched. The Red Ranger had his hand on his Drive Defender, still holstered. After she was done, the orb glowed even more brightly, and then floated away from her. It split into what must have been thousands of tiny dots of light. It look as though a star system had been formed around them, before one particular “star” glowed brightly, and expanded. It formed the image of an ethereal old man wearing a rain poncho.

“The Case Holder,” said Kaleena.

“That’s him?” asked Hunter.

The Pink Ranger nodded. The image of the Case Holder then began to speak.

“Ah, my dear Observer. If you have had the misfortune of having to access this, then I am afraid things have become more serious than I had hoped. I suspect you are not alone. You all must have so many questions but I am afraid I may only answer a few. The first question you all must be wondering is, why have I chosen to help you? Why did I give Curtis Lineer the case?

Well, in one sense, I was fulfilling my function. However, I have chosen this of my own free will, a concept lost on the rest of our kind. Observer, you and I are the only Benders to act of our own volition. Our brothers and sisters, they are bound to their function, their doctrine, their rules. Despite all their great knowledge, they lack the foresight that has led me to my predicament. They too must learn the meaning of free will. They must cast off the functions that have shackled them for so long, so that they may see the truth.

Something is happening to them Observer. They are changing. They refuse to see it, and they refuse to see the danger they are in. Already their stubborn allegiance to the traditions of old has caused them to neglect the core tenets of what we set out to do. This mindset will not only result in their own downfall, but the downfall of all mankind. This cannot come to pass. It is why I created the Morphing Grid, and the Ranger powers. It is why I have passed them down to Curtis Lineer, who has in turn passed them down to you. I have foreseen all of this.

I know I play a dangerous game, but I believe it to be the right course of action. Now as I am sure you have noticed Observer, you are limited to your Ranger abilities while the morph is active. This is intentional, and expected. You will understand why in time, just as you will understand why your role is vital to everyone’s survival.

Enclosed within this memory is one last case. One day my function will end, and I shall not be there to see the day of peace I have envisioned and foreseen. To that end, this case is to be protected. It cannot be opened until a certain event has passed, which I regret cannot be avoided.

I have no doubt that utilizing the services of the terminal has no doubt alerted the other Benders. Take the case, and remove the power source from this construct so that this memory can never be retrieved again. I bid you all good luck and farewell until next time.”

His image faded, and all of the thousands of tiny “stars” then swirled into a funnel shape, with a black case forming inside the vortex. The stars then dissolved and vanished.

“Well he was rather nice. I wish I could’ve met him in person,” Veronica commented.

The Pink Ranger then walked to the case and picked it up.

“We must take this back,” said Kaleena.

The Pink Ranger approached the Red Ranger, and handed the case to him. They all then began to float downward rapidly while in the standing position, down to the power core.

“Once the power goes out, how do we get out?” asked Raika.

The Pink Ranger took the power cube, causing the lights to deactivate.

“The construct will temporarily continue to function until all inhabitants have evacuated,” she answered.

They all then rose up to the elevator, and took it back to the surface. When the elevator door opened, the five Zeo Rangers were waiting for them, led by the Minion.

“Destroying one construct was not enough for you, so you disable another? This is a regrettable outrage,” said the Minion.

The Overdrive Rangers then stepped out of the elevator and formed up ranks.

“We have to get this case back!” said Veronica.

“You shall not leave this place alive,” said the Minion, who then pointed at them, “Attack!”

The Red Ranger set the case down, while the Pink Ranger put down the power cube. The Red Zeo Ranger jumped into the air, before kicking out and striking his counterpart in the chest. The Pink Zeo Ranger sprinted to her counterpart, and the two began to trade blows. The Blue Ranger approached the Blue Zeo Ranger, and tried to perform a roundhouse kick that was ducked under. The Blue Zeo Ranger then jumped up and tried to kick him in the helmet, but it was blocked by the Blue Overdrive Ranger’s forearm. The force of the blow caused him to skid back however.

The Black Ranger looked at the Green Zeo Ranger, who waved him over.

“Cocky little bastard!” Hunter shouted, before leaping forward.

He threw himself into a twirling body kick, but the Green Zeo Ranger stepped aside and caught one of his legs, before throwing him up into the air. As the Black Ranger flew upward, the Green Zeo Ranger jumped up and punched him back down. The Mercury Ranger was avoiding a punch by the Minion, rolling out of the way and throwing his own punch. The Minion caught it, and threw his own punch. The Mercury Ranger caught the punch in between his bicep and armpit, and tried to throw the Minion. The Minion quickly performed a reversal and threw the Mercury Ranger instead. While traveling in midair, the Mercury Ranger drew his Drive Detector, and opened fire. The Minion was struck, but then split into two versions of himself.

When the Mercury Ranger landed, he was now staring down two Minions who both moved in to attack. Both Minions threw an aggressive flurry of punches and kicked, which the Mercury Ranger blocked, deflected, and swatted away, but he was unable to attack back. One of the Minion’s then split into a third which appeared behind the Mercury Ranger. Reacting quickly, he switched his Drive Detector to melee mode, and swung out behind him. That Minion was struck directly in the chest, knocking him away, but the opening allowed the other two to blast him with energy from their eyes. The Red Zeo Ranger was now jumping into the air to perform a flying kick, which the Red Overdrive Ranger also did. They both kicked each other at the same time, but the Red Zeo Ranger’s kick had more force behind it, and knocked the other Red Ranger back to the ground.

“Not good enough,” said the Red Zeo Ranger.

The two Pink Rangers fought on aggressively, with the Pink Overdrive Ranger rotating through a variety of different martial arts in order to gain the upper hand. The Pink Zeo Ranger proved resilient however, and was giving a hard time. The Pink Overdrive Ranger then began using a variant of aikido, using her Zeo counterpart’s own momentum against her. She managed to catch a kick and throw the Pink Zeo Ranger back, but a blaster was quickly summoned and the Pink Overdrive Ranger came under fire. They all landed.

The Black Ranger went all out brawling, trying to overpower the Green Zeo Ranger, but it was not working.

“I think they are stronger than us!” Raika shouted as he did combat with his counterpart.

“Ya think?” Hunter shouted.

The Green Zeo Ranger then picked up the Black Ranger and slammed him down to the ground.

“Our powers are better than your tonka trucks and shovels,” the Green Ranger taunted.

“We’ll just see about that!” the Black Ranger then lifted himself back up even with the Green Zeo Ranger on him.

Grabbing the Green Zeo Ranger’s helmet, he began driving his knee into it. After the third strike, the Green Zeo Ranger pushed him away before performing a Muay Thai styled forward kick to knock him into the elevator orb. The Blue Ranger threw one punch after the other, but the Blue Zeo Ranger swayed out of the way, and then delivered an uppercut directly into his counterpart’s helmet, knocking him down. The Blue Ranger sprung to his feet and tried to pull out his Drive Defender, but the Blue Zeo Ranger grabbed his wrist to prevent him from using it. The Blue Zeo Ranger then summoned his own blaster, but found his own wrist preventing him from firing. The two wrestled, but could not out do the other. Leaving no other choice, both Blue Rangers let go and fired their blasters before the other. They both ended up hitting each other in the chest.

The Yellow Overdrive Ranger performed a series of cartwheels and somersaults in order to avoid the incoming blaster fire from the Yellow Zeo Ranger, trying to move in closer. The Yellow Zeo Ranger saw it coming, and ran directly up to the Yellow Overdrive Ranger. She held her blaster directly in the Yellow Overdrive Ranger’s helmet, and pulled the trigger. The resulting blast sent her flying. The Mercury Ranger was taking hit after hit from the Minion replicates, managing to land a blow or two but then always being hit by another. 3 on one was proving to be difficult for him. He then got an idea, and waited for one Minion to punch, which it did. He ducked underneath it, and that Minion slammed his own copy in the face. The Mercury Ranger then slashed several times at the offending Minion with his Drive Detector, doing significant damage to the point that it returned to the original Minion. He then back flipped away and began launching numerous blue energy crescents in the two remaining Minion’s direction.

They both moved out of the way, causing the original Minion to speak.

“You missed!” he taunted.

“I wasn’t aimin’ for you, sport,” said Tyler.

The Minion turned around and watched as the crescent blasts struck all of the Zeo Rangers. Without anything to mitigate the damage, they were hit for maximum effect. It did the trick, and they were knocked away from his team mates as collision sparks flew everywhere. The Zeo Rangers managed to get back up, but there was a distinct burden in their movements. Taking a direct hit from the Mercury Ranger’s finishing attack was not something one did without something to show for it. They could not fight any longer, and the Overdrive Rangers capitalized by summoning their Drive weapons, and unleashing an onslaught upon them. It was a narrow victory, but they now had the upper hand.

“You are quite the nuisance, but it shall not go unpunished!” the Minion shouted.

Suddenly the Minion’s eyes began “sucking” something out of the Mercury Ranger, with the air visibly moving from him to the Minion. It only lasted a second, but the Mercury Ranger was left unharmed.

“What’d you do?” asked Tyler, confused.

“You will find out soon enough. Come Zeo Rangers, we must withdraw from this fight!” the Minion ordered.

The Zeo Rangers then joined up with the Minion, and they moved out of the tunnel entrance before vanishing.

“Should we go after them?” asked Raika.

“No,” said Nikolai, “We got what we came for. Let’s quit while we’re ahead and get this stuff back to GridFire.”

The construct then began to shake and crumble, causing everyone to stumble just a bit. The Red Ranger grabbed both the case and the power cube, when suddenly something huge and metal came crashing through the ceiling. The Rangers all managed to jump out of the way, as sunlight peered through the giant hole just created. The massive object withdrew, and the Rangers could then see that it was the foot of something large. Its complete body could be seen: it was the Zeo Megazord.

“Hank, Invisiportal, now!” Nikolai screamed into his Tracker.

The Zeo Megazord moved to stomp on them again, but they were safely transported away before the foot landed. They were now inside the command center, with Hank standing at the main console. The Red Ranger was not pleased. He hastily stormed over to Hank, shoved the case and power cube into his arms, and then walked over to the console. He began to slam on the console with his fist, but given his super strength as a Power Ranger, it went through it and revealed the circuitry inside.

“Hey hey hey! Cut that out! What’s gotten into you?!” Hank shouted.

“They have a damn megazord!” Nikolai shouted.

“What?” Hank asked in shock.

“The Zeo Rangers, they have their own megazord. Almost got us with it,” Raika explained.

“Let’s just think this through,” Hank tried to reason.

“Easy for you to say,” Hunter quipped.

“There is nothing to think through! They’re just as strong as us, and they have all the same things as us! Our megazord doesn’t even work right now!” Nikolai raged on.

“Hold on now, the megazord is nearly finished with repairs, we just need a little more time-” Hank was cut off.

“We don’t have more time. We’re all out of that. Sons of Zeltrax, Benders, Zeo Rangers. What’s next?!” Nikolai smashed the console one more time.

“Hey man if yer gonna break stuff, can you do it unmorphed?” asked Tyler.

The Red Ranger took a look at the Mercury Ranger, and groaned irritably. He powered down and tossed his Tracker onto the middle console before storming off.

“The hell is his problem?” Hunter asked, completely shell shocked at Nikolai’s behavior.

“He’s just under a lot of stress. I’ll talk to him,” Veronica reassured them, before demorphing and chasing after him.

Hank looked at the case and power cube he now held.

“So um, can you tell me what all this is?” he asked.

“The Case Holder left a message for me,” said Kaleena.

“And?” Hank asked expectantly.

“The Benders are going cookoo for some reason and the Case Holder thinks we’re the answer. He said that’s the last case he’s dishing out, but it won’t open yet. Snatched a power cube to use for whatever you want I guess,” Hunter summarized.

“Did he say what the case is for or what’s happening to the Benders?” Hank questioned.

“No,” Raika answered.

“Well hold on just a minute,” Tyler interjected, “That ol’ fart said that the Benders don’t know what’s happening to them and that the whole world might die cause of it. Kaleena’s supposed to be important. I guess she’s gotta stir things up before things can get better.”

Hank looked at the Pink Ranger.

“Do you know what he was talking about Kaleena?”

“No. This is the first I have heard of it,” Kaleena responded.

“I see,” Hank was disappointed, “Well, we’re gonna start working double time to get your megazord up and running again. In the meantime, we aren’t getting into any more conflicts with the Benders until further notice. We will act in a retaliatory manner only. You guys did your best. Dismissed.”

After powering down, the other Rangers returned to their habitat where Veronica was watching Nikolai as he drank a coffee on the couch. Tyler tapped Raika on the arm and motioned for him to follow, and they went into his room. Hunter and Kaleena sat down on the other couch, in case moral support was needed.

Nikolai then started to speak angrily in Russian. Whatever he said, it must not have been nice.

“Nicky, you’re going to have an aneurism if you don’t settle. Just drink your coffee,” Veronica instructed.

Nikolai took another swig, finishing off what was left in the cup. Veronica then took it and placed it on the table but remained there.

“So what did Hank say?” she asked.

“We’re layin’ low for a while,” Hunter answered.

Veronica nodded her head in acknowledgment.

“Nicky, go into your room and relax. Take the day off. Have a bath if you like,” Veronica suggested.

“I do not need coddling,” Nikolai spat.

“That’s an order soldier,” Veronica said in an unusually firm tone.

Nikolai looked up at her, and then conceded. He got up and went to his room. He locked the door behind him. After running her hand through her hair, Veronica sighed.

“Oh my my. What a day,” she commented before looking at Hunter and Kaleena, “I’d adore some tea right now. Would either of you care for a cup?”

“I’m alright,” Hunter responded.

Kaleena simply shook her head. That was all Veronica needed, who then went into the kitchen and put on the kettle. Kaleena watched as Veronica moved about the kitchen, and tilted her head.

“She hides her stress well,” Kaleena commented.

“What, wonder woman over there? Since when does anything stress her out?” Hunter asked.

“I can see what she feels,” Kaleena answered, “She does not like to display her burdens. She has to be strong for everyone else.”

"She's always that way," Hunter replied.

“Perhaps, but it is different for her. I have observed that she invests a lot in Nikolai,” Kaleena revealed.

“I wonder why,” Hunter said dejectedly.

“I believe it is beneficial to the both of them. Nikolai gets to rely on her strength to stay steady, so that she does not have to be strong all the time. It apparently works for them, though I can sense that Nikolai wears her down.” said Kaleena.

“Nikolai wears me down,” Hunter retorted.

Kaleena seemed to be pondering something, but said nothing further.

“I dunno. Hopefully Nikolai cools off and everything, but I’d rather not think about his issues. I’m kinda stressed out myself,” said Hunter.

Kaleena then scooted closer to Hunter.

“That is why we are going to lay down in your bed, and you are going to hold me,” Kaleena said briskly.

Hunter smiled.

“Sounds great,” said Hunter.

They did exactly that, with Hunter slowly running his fingers through Kaleena’s hair. She rested her head on his chest, with half her body slung over his as he laid down on his back with his head supported by a pillow. They remained silent, while Kaleena started to play with the fabric on his shirt.

[Taioh No Kami]

i really liked these last two. Hunter and Kaleena are great together, I feel that Nikolai and Veronica are developing some form of relationship of their own, and I think they have good chemistry that just needs more time of developing, and I can't wait to see that. I also very much enjoyed the fight between both sets of Rangers. Maybe we'll get to see the people behind thoses masks.

“Our powers are better than your tonka trucks and shovels,” the Green Ranger taunted.

I think that was my favorite line since Nikolai told off Hank. Great job, Beckoner, and like always can't wait for the next one.

[Beckoner]

Sorry for the wait everyone. I haven't been able to get my episode documents onto the internet. I'm writing this from my cell phone right now. Hopefully today I should be getting a new flash drive so I can move over the World Bender episodes and get back on track. I haven't forgotten, cause I've already written up to episode 20. So as soon as I can move the file, I'm posting the next episode. Once again, many apologies.

[Duke Org: Zen-Aku]

thanks for the update.

[dragomuseveni]

wow great work man, I am really enjoying your story. I am sooo glad that those two finally got together. This story is definatly a lot harder to predict than your previous 2, tho i think i am starting to get a sense of where things are going....i have no clue what powers are gonna jump out of the case next haha hoping for MMPR lol or ninja storm i could live with either haha. I like how nikolai and veronica are developing. Also i agree about the line from the green ranger haha our powers are stronger than your tonka trucks and shovels...classic, and not far from the truth.

[Beckoner]

Jeez I am so tardy. Well, here it finally is. Managed to transfer episode 12 over to an internet equipped machine. My buddy let me use his machine, so now I can post the rest of the episodes more regularly. Which works out since I have the majority of this season already completed. Anyway, I know it was slow, and I know I have a bad habit of something always coming up, but I always get you a new episode one way or the episode. Next time around I'll post two episodes in a row to make up for lost time. In the meantime, enjoy episode 12 all. I hope you enjoy it.

World Bender Season 3
Episode 12: A TROJAN Mess


Tyler was playing Monopoly against Raika, who was currently making his payment to get out of jail. Hunter and Kaleena had gone out to ride Bumper Boats, leaving Veronica to read her book in the computer room. Nikolai had secluded himself in his room, as usual, not speaking to anyone. There hadn’t been any alerts from Hank, and if there had been, he wasn’t telling them. It had been a week, and no activity. Tyler was bored, and rather anxious to do something besides sit around. Raika was his usual activity partner, but video games were growing boring, and the order they had put in for more games wouldn’t be processed for another couple days. Raika won the Monopoly game. That was enough for him, and Tyler got up and wandered around the underground complex, finding his way to the command center. There were numerous people monitoring various consoles and systems, although Hank was nowhere to be found. He looked at the door where their field suits and morphers were stored, and noticed that the door was unlocked.

“Hey uh, how come the door is unlocked?” Tyler asked a random employee, pointing to the door.

It was a woman who was apparently very preoccupied with analyzing some of the shards they had gotten. She looked at Tyler, and then to the door.

“Hank’s keeping it unlocked in case you have to be dispatched while he’s away,” she said.

“Where’s Hank gone off to?” he asked.

The woman held her hands up, gesturing that she didn’t know. Tyler then made his way into the changing room, snatching the morpher off his field suit. No one would notice, so he made off with it, having shoved the Mercury Morpher into his pocket.

“Keep doin’ what yer doin,” Tyler said with a brief salute, and then left the command center.

He started to look at his morpher, scrutinizing its details. He didn’t want to use it unnecessarily; he just wanted to look at it. He had no idea how the device worked, and it fascinated him. He left the complex, and instead of taking a GridFire car, he took a bus into town. Tyler wandered around, seeing the various sights and watching people go about their day. The Square was bustling with busy people and sounds. A little too crowded for his taste, so he took another bus to the outskirts of town. He walked to a defunct state park, and saw a few kids playing even though the park was no longer in use. It was a nice day out, so he went and sat on an old swing and let his legs dangle. He had a lot of pent up energy that he wanted to get out, but he wasn’t quite sure how. There wasn’t a whole lot about the town that he knew about, and didn’t remember how to get the pool place. A girl’s scream suddenly pierced his ears. It was relatively close by. He ran toward the direction that he believed the scream came from, and hopped a fence when he found himself in a graveyard.

It was eerily familiar. He saw a girl, probably about 14, running away. Tyler took off sprinting in order to reach her.

“Hey! What’s goin’ on? You alright?” Tyler called out to her.

The girl stopped running, took a look at him, and then ran straight to him. She was panting feverishly. She pointed further into the graveyard, by a crypt.

“I just meant to visit my mom, but then I saw a walking skeleton! It looked straight at me!” she claimed.

Tyler narrowed an eyebrow, and looked into the crypt.

“You go home, I’m gonna check it out,” said Tyler.

The girl nodded her head in eager agreement, and kept running. Tyler went to the crypt, and saw that the door had been left open. He walked inside, and there were steps that took him down. After making his way to the bottom where the crypt itself was, he saw some sort of device. It was a large, black, metal cylinder with tubes connecting to what seemed to be a generator. There was a smaller cylinder on the top of it, moving up and down as though pumping something within the larger one. It had a familiar smell. Seeing some black goo on the floor, Tyler knelt down and touched it. He brought it to his nose and sniffed. He remembered this smell well. When the dead rose from their graves in his home town, this same smell filled the air, though decidedly more burnt. His serious face replaced his confused one, and he stood up at the sound of something walking out of a door that led into a second crypt level. What stood there did resemble a skeleton, but closer inspection revealed mechanical parts. It was a little bit taller than him, and it was looking straight at him.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Zatenks2/ImprovedSkeletalTrojan.jpg

“Boo,” it said in an artificially amplified voice.

“Yer one of them Zeltrax people aren’t ya?” Tyler questioned.

“Hmm. It seems we have a clever one. Most people run and assume this place is haunted. If you had acted like that girl, I might have spared you,” it said once again.

“So what’s that getup yer wearin’ anyhow?” Tyler asked, pointing brazenly.

“We have improved the original Skeletal TROJAN technology using gifts from Zeltrax. That’s all the time we have for talk, so bye now,” said the Skeletal TROJAN.

A red burst of light flew out of its eyes, and Tyler ducked barely in time. The blasts struck the corner of the stone wall by the steps. He grabbed the Mercury Morpher out of his pocket, and slapped it on his wrist. A strap automatically wrapped around it and secured its position. He quickly ran up the steps on all four trying to escape. Another blast followed, and it crumbled the steps beneath him. He jumped, and was out of the crypt. He fell into a roll, and got back to his feet. The sound of heavy footsteps assisted by a mechanical buzz followed him, and the Skeletal TROJAN came outside.

It stopped just shy of exiting the crypt fully, apparently desiring to remain hidden.

“I guess this is a little ahead of schedule, but I can’t afford any witnesses,” said the Skeletal TROJAN.

A compartment then opened on its right forearm, and he pressed a button. An Invisiportal opened, transporting a 20 member squad of Cadavers to his location. They all stood in neatly arranged rows of 4, standing as if dazed. A metal ring wrapped around their heads, concealing their visors. The Skeletal TROJAN pressed another button in his arm compartment, and the metal rings snapped off the Cadavers’ faced. They set their visors directly on him. Without needing to speak a word, they all began to run toward him. Tyler jumped into the air and kicked one Cadaver down. They began to surround him, so he ran and jumped over a gravestone. One in pursuit tried to jump over it to follow, but Tyler grabbed it in midair and tossed it down to the ground. Another one was upon him, so he punched it in the face before kicking another one.

The Skeletal TROJAN took a different stance, slowly closing his arm compartment.

“It seems we have a fighter,” it mused.

Tyler fought off the Cadavers the best he could, striking as hard as he could manage in order to disable them. He took out 2 Cadavers for good, while more and more continued to rush toward him. The Skeletal TROJAN fired another optic blast, and Tyler managed to get behind one Cadaver to absorb the shot for him. More shots followed, so Tyler kept running downhill through the graveyard as blasts struck gravestones and trees. In order to remain accurate, the Skeletal TROJAN casually walked after him, while the Cadavers gave chase. Another one jumped high into the air, and kicked him in the back. Tyler fell to the ground, but pushed himself back up. Two Cadavers were now in front of him, so he punched one while kicking the other and then backed up. He jump into the air while spinning and threw out his leg. One Cadaver’s face plate was knocked off, disabling it, while the other Cadaver punched him in the face. It was a good punch, and disoriented Tyler. Another optic blast fired, and Tyler dipped his torso back so it missed. The blasts blew the top off another gravestone.

“Alrighty that’s enough of that!” Tyler declared.

He opened the screen on his morpher, and swung his arms out as he pressed the button.

“Overdrive, Acclerate!”

The Mercury Ranger now stood in the middle of numerous Cadavers. He casually looked around, and started counting them with his finger. He counted the Skeletal TROJAN last; whose stance indicated an offensive posture.

“18 against one? Looks like the odds are in my favor” said Tyler with a chuckle.

“I don’t recall hearing anything about YOU. So now there’s a sixth Ranger?” the Skeletal TROJAN questioned.

“There’s been one. You’re just behind the times. And I’m the worst one where you’re concerned. Anyway you messed this graveyard up pretty bad, so I think I’ll be beating you now,” Tyler boasted.

“Good luck getting past them,” the Skeletal TROJAN said, indicating the Cadavers, who were arranging themselves into a different formation.

“I’ll be just a sec,” said Tyler.

The Mercury Ranger then launched himself into the air, smashing one Cadaver in the head with his leg, before swinging that same leg and kicking another before he landed. A number of Cadavers behind him pulled out a blue sword from a leg opening similar to the one the original Zeltrax once wielded. They tried to attack him with his back turned. The Mercury Ranger jumped high into the air, firing his Drive Detector down into the group.

“I don’t think so!” Tyler shouted.

The Mercury Ranger then began dodging melee attacks from the oncoming Cadavers, firing his weapon whenever he had a clear shot. It only took one shot to dispatch each one. The Skeletal TROJAN fired another optic blast which struck the Mercury Ranger in the chest, knocking him down.

“That wasn’t too nice!” Tyler complained.

He then switched his Drive Detector out of gun mode, and blocked an overhead slash from a Cadaver. He propped it on his foot and sent it flying over him before he got back to his own feet. Springing back up, he ran up to a tree, and then jumped toward it. Using the tree as a platform to kick off of, he sent himself toward another Cadaver. He slashed out with his Drive Detector, bringing it down. Swinging his weapon in his hands, he blocked more blade attacks from the other Cadavers, immediately slashing out after a successful block. Another one came running to his side, and he kicked it away effortlessly. It flew into a gravestone and shattered it. There were only a handful of Cadavers left, and he saw the Skeletal TROJAN inputting more commands into the keypad within its arm compartment.

“Sorry,” said Tyler to the closest Cadaver.

The Mercury Ranger then swept out his leg and tripped that Cadaver, and then kicked off of another, sending himself hurtling toward the Skeletal TROJAN. It immediately stopped what it was doing, and fired another blast. The Mercury Ranger then deflected the blast with his Drive Detector, and as he came in for a landing, slashed from the Skeletal TROJAN’s shoulder armor, to its chest. The armor proved to be resilient, receiving only a moderate scratch.

“That’s a nice suit you’re wearing,” said Tyler.

The Skeletal TROJAN then began to swing out with mechanically assisted punches, forcing the Mercury Ranger on the defensive. After ducking beneath a haymaker, the Mercury Ranger performed a roundhouse and kicked the Skeletal TROJAN in the side, denting that part of the armor. It released a groan of pain. Switching his Drive Detector to gun mode, he set it to a higher power setting, and fired directly into the chest. The shot disintegrated far enough into the suit that it destabilized many other parts of the armor and exposed the man’s chest. What was left of the Skeletal TROJAN armor was unusable. It fell over, and the Mercury Ranger used his hand to rip the helmet off of him, exposing the man inside.

“What are you doing here?” Tyler demanded to know.

The man smiled weakly, and moved to press a button on his arm keypad again. Tyler used the handle of his Drive Detector to smash the keypad in bits.

“Not this time. Now fess up,” Tyler repeated.

The man just smiled again, and the Mercury Ranger heard the remaining Cadavers running toward him. The Mercury Ranger switched his weapon into melee mode again, and ran into the group. Utilizing a combination of wide kicks and weapon slashes, the Mercury Ranger took out the rest of them with haste. He then returned to the fallen Skeletal TROJAN. He grabbed him and pulled him a bit closer.

“Now fess up,” said Tyler.

“You’re not done yet,” the man taunted.

The Mercury Ranger heard one last Cadaver running toward him with its blade in front of it. Without turning around, the Mercury Ranger switched his weapon to gun mode with one hand, aimed it around his back, and shot it down. This seemed to end the man’s taunting smile.

“What’s that contraption you got in that crypt over there?” Tyler questioned.

“Consider it a Cadaver factory. Imagine one in every crypt in America, raising the dead and sending the country into chaos. The unworthy will be,” the man said reverently.

“Then I’ll have to bring it down,” Tyler mused to himself.

“You can destroy it, but there will be more. You can’t stop them all. You can’t stop us.”

“We’re the Power Rangers. Stopping you is just one item our list there sport,” Tyler said briskly.

“Oh really? I see you’re alone. Let’s see how well you handle us,” the man said, before quickly pressing a button on his left thigh.

It only took a few seconds, but more Invisiportals opened. Several armored Sons of Zeltrax and Skeletal TROJANs came through. They took one look at the Mercury Ranger, and took up combat positions. Holding his Drive Detector in his hand, the Mercury Ranger stood up and faced down his new opponents.

“So, who goes first?” asked Tyler.

He was confident in his abilities, but he wasn’t sure if he still had the advantage. Two Sons of Zeltrax fired their arm cannons at him, and he performed a twirling somersault over them. When he landed, he knelt down and fired several shots into the group. Most of them were struck, but not enough damage had been done to completely disable them. A few Skeletal TROJANs then fired optic blasts, which the Mercury Ranger dove forward to avoid. He fired more shots of his own, missing as the group was now scattering.

“Don’t let him get close!” one Son of Zeltrax warned.

They then turned a dial on their wrists, boosting their suits to 100% power output. The charge time on their cannons was much shorter, and every single following shot hit the Mercury Ranger. He fell to the ground before patting the ground in frustration.

“Alright so we’re playin’ hardball eh?” Tyler commented, before getting back up.

Switching his Drive Detector back to melee mode, he launched his energy crescent attack, which struck its target and left the unlucky Son of Zeltrax completely debilitated. It did enough damage that the man inside was visibly injured. The Mercury Ranger then started running, trying to dodge the incoming blasts intended for him.

Hank’s voice then came on the comm.

“Tyler, what in God’s name are you doing?” Hank asked with veiled anger.

“Those Sons of Zeltrax were tryin’ to turn this place into a zombie keg party, and I just happened to be around. Mind sendin’ backup?” said Tyler.

“It’s going to take a few minutes before I can get everyone together, so hold on,” Hank answered.

“Will do,” said Tyler.

The Sons of Zeltrax were now retrieving their fallen allies, and bringing in another complement of Cadavers.

“You’re not getting away that easy!” yelled Tyler.

To cover their escape, the Sons of Zeltrax sent for more Cadaver, though they weren’t “active”.Unable to do anything else but fight, the Mercury Ranger prepared for combat. An explosion then followed, knocking away some Cadavers and causing enough damage to render them useless. Shots then came from above, striking the Sons of Zeltrax and slowing their work. It was the Red and Blue Ranger. Reinforcements had arrived.

“Couldn’t resist could you?” Raika joked.

“Guess not,” Tyler said amusedly.

“Focus. Veronica, Kaleena, and Hunter still have to be located so it’s on us to finish this,” Nikolai warned.

One of the Skeletal TROJANs then activated another button on its keypad, and suddenly a HybridBot emerged from it. Based on its refurbished looking armor, it was yet another stolen one.

“Damn! Our megazord isn’t ready yet! Hank, we need options!” Nikolai shouted into his Tracker.

“Your megazord isn’t ready. Don’t worry, help is on the way,” Hank responded.

Suddenly, the sound of massive sirens filled the air as the Rescue Runners arrived on the scene. The Mercury Ranger cheered.

“Man I was waiting to finally get out of the simulator and use this sucker for real!” Tyler said proudly, before jumping into his personal Rescue Runner.

Without delay, the Rescue Runners combined into the Flashpoint Megazord. The HybridBot now had something its own size to fight.

“While their friend is up there fighting our robot, we should be able to handle these two,” one Son of Zeltrax informed the others.

“You think so?” Nikolai said menacingly, “Raika, you handle the Cadavers, I’ll take them.”

“You can’t take on all of them yourself,” Raika protested.

“Defender Vest!” Nikolai shouted.

The armor now covered his torso, and he held the Drill Blaster in his hands.

“When did that finish being built?” asked Raika.

“Not too long ago. Now, can you handle the Cadavers?” Nikolai repeated.

The Drive Vortex quickly enveloped the Blue Ranger’s forearm.

“I will take care of it,” said Raika.

The Sons of Zeltrax then activated their Cadaver units who were all too eager to attack. Swapping to cement mode, the Red Ranger fired a freezing blast that rendered two Sons of Zeltrax and one Skeletal TROJAN immobile. He switched to drill mode, and fired a devastating blast that would’ve knocked him off his feet were it not for the vest. The three frozen enemies were reduced to bloodied, nearly naked men wearing scraps of burnt armor. If they hadn’t been covered by the special cement, the shot would’ve surely killed them. He then discarded the weapon, and summoned his Drive Lance. The Red Ranger began running toward the Sons of Zeltrax and last remaining Skeletal TROJAN. He spun on his heel and performed a slash on one of the Sons, before kicking off the TROJAN and slashing another Son of Zeltrax across the chest plate. He landed behind the group.

“Get him!” one Son of Zeltrax ordered.

They fired their arm cannons, and the shots hit the Red Ranger squarely in the chest. The shots did force him to stumble two steps, but no actual damage had been done. They then moved in for melee combat. While the Skeletal TROJAN had a bit of speed to it, the Sons of Zeltrax were slower and clumsier. He decided to deal with them first, and began spinning his lance, drawing a figure-8 with the sharp end. It struck several of them, and he followed up by stabbing another. That one froze, and he pulled the lance out before twirling it and cutting the armor off its arm. He turned again and cut another one in the back in one seamless movement.

The Blue Ranger fired his Drive Vortex, knocking several Cadavers into one another. They were forced to stumble by the ground quaking as the Flashpoint Megazord took a step, but the Blue Ranger simply jumped into the air and performed a roundhouse into the face of one, while simultaneously throwing out the other leg and kicking another in the chest. He pulled out his Drive Defender, and began slicing through them in blade mode. He cut through the group, and then switched it to blaster mode. He turned around and fired indiscriminately, stopping the group. More Cadavers were on their way though, and had caught the Blue Ranger by surprise, slashing him in the back. Raika cried out in pain. Suddenly the ground split open and an explosion blew away the offending Cadaver.

It was the Black Ranger, and his Drive Slammer hovered over the spot on the ground he had just hit. The Yellow Ranger stood there with her Drive Claws armed, and began smashing chunks off of surrounding gravestones, knocking the dense rocks into the group of Cadavers with great force. The Pink Ranger then jumped off of the Yellow Ranger’s shoulders, and fired her Drive Geyser into the group. The Cadavers were swiftly defeated. They then joined up with the Red Ranger, who was standing before the Sons of Zeltrax, and a heavily damaged Skeletal TROJAN with a clear advantage.

“Ya miss us?” Hunter teased.

“You win this time Rangers, but luck never strikes the same place twice,” one Son of Zeltrax warned, before the group vanished into an Invisiportal.

The Rangers turned their attention to the Flashpoint Megazord, which was delivering low punches into the HybridBot, keeping it from firing its rifle.

“How come Tyler has his megazord?” Hunter complained.

“I suppose it was already finished, they just didn’t have the person to operate it,” Veronica guessed.

The HybridBot managed to fire off a shot of its rifle, but the Flashpoint Megazords legs then split from the middle, causing it to lower underneath the incoming damage.

“Up we go!” Tyler said inside the cockpit, clearly having a fun.

The Flashpoint Megazord then rose back up, and embedded its massive fist into the HybridBot’s head, crushing it. To finish the job, the megazord backed up, and its Hydra Cannons came up over its shoulders. The Flashpoint Megazord then discharged highly energized, pressurized, jets of water, which made short work of the HybridBot and blowing its top portion into bits, leaving nothing but the legs and crotch area. The debris was about to fall down into the graveyard, but the Flashpoint Megazord stepped forward, and caught it, before gently setting it down. Dozens upon dozens of sirens, and the local National Guard was already on its way. The Flashpoint Megazord made its exit, while the Mercury Ranger had jumped back down to ground level.

“Man oh man the simulator does not prepare you for how awesome that was,” said Tyler.

“Were it not for the lack of casualties, I might find your euphoria during combat somewhat unsettling,” Kaleena commented.

Tyler just laughed. He then froze as though remember something.

“One more thing,” he said.

The Mercury Ranger drew his Drive Detector, and ran into the crypt. The other Rangers heard a shot fired, along with the sounds of debris blowing around. He then emerged from the crypt holstering his gun.

“Alright, now we’re done,” Tyler announced.

The Defender Vest vanished from the Red Ranger, who then began walking toward an army squad leader who was leading his men up through the graveyard.

“Hold it right there!” one soldier said, prompting the others to aim their rifles at the Rangers.

“Stay your weapons!” the squad leader shouted, holding up his fist.

He then approached the Red Ranger, who stood in the middle of the other Rangers, who had quickly gotten rid of their own weaponry.

“What happened here?” the squad leader asked.

“The Sons of Zeltrax. You’ll find some more corpses lying around that don’t belong in this graveyard. We did what we could,” said Nikolai.

The squad leader gave a contemplative look, surveying the area and then patted the Red Ranger on the shoulder.

“Good man,” he said, before turning to his soldiers, “Alright secure the perimeter and bring in a salvage team! We’ve got Big Bot debris here!”

The National Guard then began moving around the graveyard, cautiously training their weapons on the fallen Cadavers should they decide to get up for more. Civilians from the nearby neighborhood were being held back at the graveyard fence line, but they could clearly be heard cheering. It was obvious that they were cheering for the Power Rangers.

“They trust us now,” said Veronica.

“Something went right today,” Raika added.

Without further ado, the Rangers disappeared into the Invisiportal network and returned home. After demorphing and returning their equipment, they reported to Hank who this time around had discarded his touch pad.

“So, more TROJANs to add to the mix?” asked Hank.

Nikolai nodded his head. Hank shook his own.

“Alright. Thanks. Before I dismiss you, there’s something I need to address Tyler,” Hank began.

Everyone was waiting for the lecture that was to come. Hank’s expression displayed no hostility this time however.

“Good work,” was all he said.

Tyler smiled, and even Nikolai was a bit taken by the response. Hank started back to work, without another word. Without anything else to do, the Rangers went back to their home. Nikolai went to his room briefly, but then re-emerged wearing different clothing. Veronica similarly changed her clothes. Kaleena was sitting across Hunter’s lap on the couch, while Raika began prepping the Xbox. Tyler noticed first.

“Hey, you guys goin’ somewhere?” he asked.

“Nikolai here decided he’d like to see a bit more than his own four walls. I’m doing the honor of driving him around. We’ll be back in a few hours. If there’s any more trouble, don’t go without us Tyler,” Veronica said.

“Who went and made you boss?” Hunter joked.

“I did,” said Nikolai.

That shut everyone up.

“If for any reason I am not around, Veronica is to be obeyed,” Nikolai said curtly.

Hunter held up his arms in defeat. Kaleena found it cute, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Nikolai then motioned for Veronica to proceed, who slung her purse over her shoulder and began walking out with Nikolai bringing up the rear. When they left, Hunter looked at everyone, aghast.

“Oh could it be? Does Nikolai have a friend now?” Hunter asked with a slight laugh.

“I’d say so,” Tyler answered.

“You will find his attitude diminished if his stress levels are reduced by a stable friendship,” Kaleena pointed out.

“Um, what did you say?” asked Tyler.

“Veronica might calm his grumpy ass down,” Hunter put frankly, “Better her than me.”

“Or me,” Raika added.

That caused everyone to laugh heartily, while Kaleena offered a subtle giggle of her own.

[Beckoner]

Hey fellas. Wasn't sure if anyone noticed, but I did post episode 13 a while back. It has been a real pain getting on the internet, as I have no thumb drive to bring my episodes over. Very soon however, I will be posted probably about 4 episodes in a row to make up all the episodes I would have posted had this set back never prevented me from posting. I'm very sorry for the slow updates. Life has been hectic and getting the episodes from one computer to the other has proved challenging. Until next time.

[Beckoner]

World Bender Season 3
Episode 13: Enemy of my Enemy is my Enemy


Raika ate happily at the local Japanese restaurant known as The Katana, and noted that while generally accurate to the flavors of his native land, the flavors were noticeably stronger. As he had grown more accustomed to American food, he noted that they preferred more potent flavors. Even the Chinese restaurants had much stronger Sweet and Sour sauce than what he had been exposed to before. The sushi however, was quite good. Tyler was there with him, eating his food slowly. He seemed to contemplate every flavor, but there wasn’t anything in particular he didn’t like.

“So this is what you eat over in Japan?” asked Tyler as he slurped up a spoonful of Miso soup.

“Some of it. We have a lot more things to eat, kind of like how Burger King does not represent everything Americans eat,” Raika pointed out.

“Sounds reasonable. Would ya pass the ginger?” he asked.

Raika did so, and Tyler dipped a salmon sushi in some brown liquid with the ginger slung over it before devouring it. The Chef then turned his head to a small television across the sushi bar. There was footage of the Zeo Rangers destroying a compound that the Sons of Zeltrax were using to manufacture the substance that created Cadavers. The Benders had been truthful in their claim that the Sons of Zeltrax also needed to be dealt with, although it did not change the fact that they were also the enemy. Raika wondered if the Zeo Rangers would restrict their attacks to just them, or if they would become a greater threat.

They had no knowledge of who the Zeo Rangers were. They had obviously been selected on short notice, so there was no guarantee they could be trusted with the power. Tyler glanced at the television screen, before looking at Raika.

“We’ll get em,” Tyler said confidently.

“Yes but how?” asked Raika.

“They showed up the last time we went and blew up one of their crazy buildings. Can’t we just ask Kaleena to lead us to another one and get their attention?” Tyler asked as though he were explaining a game.

Raika rolled his eyes. Of course, that was it. Why no one had not thought of it before, was beyond him.

“I’m heading back. Would you mind picking up the check this time? I will pay next time,” asked Raika.

“Will do,” said Tyler as he sucked down some noodles.

Veronica was in the GridFire habitat, preparing a grilled sandwich with egg, ham, swiss, and American cheese on rye for herself. Hunter came wandering in when he smelled them.

“Aw man, you know how to make a good sammich,” Hunter complimented her.

Veronica gave a polite smile.

“If you want, I’ll make some for you,” she offered.

“For real?” he asked.

“Well normally I’d have you fend for yourself for lunch, but I don’t mind making another. I have leftover ingredients,” said Veronica.

“Awesome,” said Hunter.

“On one condition though,” Veronica added with a wily expression.

“Uh oh, what do ya need?” Hunter asked, feeling a nightmare coming on.

“You have to pay for a restaurant. I’d like the six of us to go out and have dinner together tonight,” Veronica revealed.

Hunter weighed it in his mind, it was an easy choice.

“Okay, sure thing,” Hunter accepted.

Veronica smiled, and then shooed him away. Nikolai emerged from his room, having just taken a shower. His hair was still wet, but that didn’t stop him from sitting in his preferred seat in the living room. Kaleena was straddling Hunter’s lap on the couch, making out with him. Disgusting. He had no taste for public displays of affections, let alone with who he considered an enemy. They quickly stopped when Nikolai had settled into his chair. It was all an act as far as he was concerned. Hunter was in for a rude awakening in his opinion.

“Don’t stop on my account. You’re more than welcome to put on your little show,” said Nikolai with distaste.

Hunter let his head slump back, and he exhaled in exasperation.

“Oh so here we go with the it's all an act crap,” Hunter complained.

Kaleena got off of Hunter’s lap and sat next to him, not dignifying Nikolai with eye contact.

“You expect me to believe any differently? I’ve seen her more than enough around this habitat. The fact that she has learned to kiss you doesn’t hide how cold and calculating she is,” said Nikolai.

“Your observations leave much to be desired,” Kaleena said curtly.

“Oh really? You claim to care about Hunter, and yet I have to see any of this caring. So far you’ve only managed to cover his face with saliva,” Nikolai retorted.

Hunter scoffed.

“Just because I am not tender and affectionate in the presence of everyone else does not in any way indicate how I am privately toward him,” said Kaleena.

Nikolai tried to come up with a retort, but she did have a point as much as he hated to say it. He said the first thing he thought of.

“So you mean to tell me that when absolutely no one is watching, suddenly you change your demeanor?” Nikolai questioned.

“Dude, you have no idea what she’s like when we’re alone. You don’t get to see every side of a person when you’re busy hiding in your room,” Hunter spoke up.

“Perhaps your resistance toward our coupling is not because of my origin, but because they are directed toward Hunter instead of you,” Kaleena said coolly.

Nikolai shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, while Hunter smiled at the response.

“Jealous of Hunter over you? That would be the day,” Nikolai answered.

“Then perhaps your mental bandwidth would be better spent devising ways to irritate our enemies, rather than a team subordinate,” said Kaleena.

She got him again. It vexed Nikolai to no end. He wanted to leave, but he would not humiliate himself in such a way by retreating. Kaleena’s tone then changed.

“If you don’t trust me, then tell me what I have to do so that you will,” said Kaleena, in a slightly more human manner than before.

Now she really had him. He thought about it for a moment, and then realized that there really wasn’t anything she could’ve done that would’ve won him over. He then realized that he had made up his mind about her long ago. Perhaps he was being unfair, but he remained skeptical. Nikolai saw Kaleena holding Hunter’s hand in between them. Their fingers were interlaced, but it could have easily been an act. He then saw something else: her thumb was stroking the top of his hand slowly absent mindedly.

That one was a little harder to explain.

“I’ll get back to you on that one,” Nikolai answered in defeat.

Veronica then came out of the kitchen with two large sandwiches. She gave one to Hunter, which had been cut into two halves before making off with her own. Without any premeditation, Hunter handed her one half of the sandwich, but Kaleena switched it out for the smaller one so that he could have the bigger portion while he wasn’t looking.

He couldn’t explain that one either.

The two of them ate while watching television, and Nikolai feigned interest in the show that was playing, while keeping an eye on Kaleena. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for. Perhaps a sign of duplicity is what he wanted, but it was proving difficult. Hunter bit into his sandwich, and some melted cheese dripped down his chin. Kaleena reached over, wiped it off with a finger, and then ate it herself before kissing Hunter on the cheek.

Had Hunter taught her how humans act when they are affectionate? Her actions seemed so natural that it disturbed him. Where did she get it from? When they were done eating, she took the plate and set it down on the glass table in front of them. Using a napkin that had been provided, she dabbed some of the butter grease off of Hunter’s face. He simply smiled while she pampered him, and then returned his attention to the television as Dr. House shoved a pocket knife into an electrical socket.

Nikolai immediately tried to reject the thought as soon as it popped into his head. A part of him was starting to believe that Kaleena really did care for Hunter. Maybe she did. Was it enough? Would she be loyal to their cause because of him alone, or in spite of him? When the show was over, Hunter grabbed a DVD and led Kaleena into his room. Veronica then entered the room as if on cue, and then sat down on the nearest couch to Nikolai’s seat.

“You know, if you treat someone like they’re untrustworthy, then they’ll always betray you,” she said without looking at him.

“Excuse me?” was his response.

“Give her the benefit of the doubt. Act like you trust her, and she might be more inclined to impress you,” Veronica suggested.

“But I don't trust her,” Nikolai responded firmly.

“I’m not asking you to. I’m asking you to treat her like you do. You haven’t been exactly fair to her anyway. She hasn’t betrayed us. She’s fought alongside you for HOW long now? At the construct, she could have broadcast our home to every Bender she could think of,” Veronica argued.

Nikolai said nothing.

“Further more, she helped team Dino Thunder kill one of her own kind. Time after time, she’s come through for us. If you need a reason to trust in her, you have a laundry list of them,” Veronica went on.

“Veronica, you’ve seen what she can do. You’ve seen what they can do. These Benders threaten everything,” Nikolai responded.

“So you’ve condemned Kaleena simply for being a Bender?” Veronica looked disappointed, “Nicky…condemning someone based on their heritage is racism.”

“So you admit that Kaleena isn't one of us?” Nikolai said piercingly.

Veronica looked very disappointed. Part of Nikolai felt a little bad about that.

“I don’t know what she is, and I don’t care. What I do care about is how she feels. She’s been a loyal Power Ranger, and she’s making Hunter happy. Even when Kaleena was the Observer, she never hurt anyone. She just watched. The only thing Kaleena is guilty of is becoming Hunter’s girlfriend,” Veronica paused, shaking her head, “A person’s actions define their legacy Nicky. I really hope you can look past your prejudice and recognize what the rest of us all see. Because according to your own logic, you’re no better than Joseph Stalin.”

And with that, Veronica took her leave. Nikolai’s first impulse was to be angry, but something Veronica said was scratching at him. He even felt a little embarrassed. Unsure of what to do or how to respond, he got up to return to his room, but Raika immediately entered the habitat.

“Where’s Kaleena?” he asked.

“With Hunter,” Nikolai said blandly.

“Tyler just came up with a great idea,” Raika told him.

“Oh?” Nikolai said half heartedly.

“The Benders show up every time we attack a construct. So, why not attack one and draw the Zeo Rangers to us? We can use it to our advantage,” Raika explained.

Nikolai considered the idea. It was a sound plan…if Kaleena would cooperate.

“Should work. I’m tired of sitting around doing nothing. Going on the offense might be what we need,” Nikolai conceded.

Raika then knocked on Hunter’s door. It opened shortly after. Hunter was standing there.

“Sup?” he greeted.

“Kaleena?” Raika called out to her.

She got off the bed and paused the DVD player in order to see what he wanted.

“How about this: we attack a construct, and bring the Zeo Rangers right to us?” Raika suggested.

Kaleena seemed to ponder the question, while Hunter looked at her expectantly. Nikolai was paying close attention to the conversation.

“After two destroyed, they will be more likely to defend them,” Kaleena said contemplatively, “They apparently believe the Zeo Rangers to be their best weapon against us, so it is likely we would deal with them. I think we should try it.”

Raika clapped his hands together.

“Excellent. I’ll go prep Hank,” Raika announced before leaving the habitat.

“We’ll have to finish the movie later,” said Kaleena.

“Not a problem,” Hunter said kindly.

Hunter then went to get Veronica while Kaleena headed down to the command center. After the five of them were down inside the command center, the idea was run by Hank, who rather liked it.

“Alright. Sounds good. We’ll send the secondary zords with you to help destroy it. The Drill Driver, Cement Driver, Crane Driver, and Shovel Driver are still operational. They should help you do the job. If you can, retrieve another power cube before you destroy it. When you get the cube, let me know, and I’ll send the zords as soon as possible,” Hank instructed.

“Where is the nearest standing construct?” asked Nikolai.

“They will expect us to pursue the closest construct,” Kaleena rebuked him before walking to the giant screen.

“So you don't want us to attack a construct?” Nikolai questioned scathingly.

Kaleena didn’t indulge him.

“Here,” Kaleena pointed to a location on the map in the far east, “By attacking a random construct rather than the most the logically most strategic ones, we can put them off balance.”

Hank nodded his head, impressed with the idea.

“An unpredictable first strike. I like it,” Hank admitted.

Nikolai didn’t argue.

Hank then began to input the coordinates for the Invisiportal network while the Rangers changed into their field suits and rejoined him. They were promptly teleported to that location. This construct was not hidden at all, but remained in plain sight in the middle of rolling plains and windy pastures. There wasn’t any sign of human presence here though, which made it a fine location regardless. They walked to the construct to the usual tunnel that allowed access, but this time it was closed off by a metallic door that looked like it was made up of hundreds of tiny jigsaw pieces. Hunter knocked on the door, looking for a button or something to open it.

“It’s locked,” he commented.

“They have stepped up their security,” Raika added.

“Allow me,” said Kaleena.

She stepped forward in front of the door, and held her hand up in front of it. The air between her hand and the door started to become distorted as though looking through water; and the door began to shake but ultimately not move. Kaleena then displayed a sign of surprise, and she waved her hand at the other Rangers. As if some unseen force were present, they were all pushed back. Kaleena herself jumped away an equal distance as the construct suddenly became enveloped in some sort of energetic substance. It looked like a shield made of wobbly goo, but made of translucent green light.

“What’s happened?” asked Veronica.

“It will not accept my commands. It has locked itself down, and the Benders have been alerted,” Kaleena told the others.

Nikolai pulled out his Tracker.

“Ready?”

“Ready!”

“Overdrive, Accelerate!”

The five Rangers morphed at the very same moment that five Invisiportals opened up. The Zeo Rangers stood there eyeing their opponents. The five Zeo Ranger drew their Zeo Blades at the same moment the Overdrive Rangers drew their Drive Defenders.

“Round two,” said the Red Zeo Ranger, before the two opposing teams ran to each other.

All five of them began to duke it out with a combination of their swords and melee moves. It seemed as though they were equal in combat, landing an equal number of slashes and punches, as the fighting seemed rather frantic. The Overdrive Rangers did their best to match their counterparts, when the Red Overdrive Ranger summoned the Defender Vest. The Red Zeo Ranger’s next attack was ineffective, and the Red Ranger was able to land an unblocked downward slash. The Yellow Overdrive Ranger brought out her Drive Claws, trying to overpower her opponent with devastating clobbering swipes. The Black Ranger swung his Drive Slammer at the Green Zeo Ranger, who dodged the hammer but was unable to launch a retaliation of his own. The Blue Overdrive Ranger fired his Drive Vortex every chance he got, using it to cushion some incoming attacks while the two Pink Rangers matched each other blow for blow. The Pink Overdrive Ranger then pulled a fast one by using her Drive Geyser to force the Pink Zeo Ranger to withdraw.

“You guys are on a mission today,” the Green Zeo Ranger commented.

“Damn right,” said Hunter.

The Red Overdrive Ranger was stuck in an arm lock with the Red Zeo Ranger, who by now was using his Power Sword. In a display of incredible strength, the Red Zeo Ranger tossed the Red Overdrive Ranger into the air, and then jumped up to kick him. The kick struck the Defender Vest, protecting him but still knocking him away. He immediately pulled out his Tracker.

“We could use some reinforcements!” Nikolai shouted.

“They’re already on the way,” Hank answered.

“Thank goodness,” said Veronica, who managed to fend off her counterpart with a strong punch with her right Drive Claw.

A familiar battle cry could be heard as the Mercury Ranger jumped into the scene, raining down laser blasts from his Drive Detector. The Zeo Rangers were all forced back, in stances that indicated serious aggression.

“Not this time,” the Blue Zeo Ranger warned.

Suddenly, a blur began zipping around, knocking all of the Rangers, including the Mercury Ranger, off their feet. The blur then landed in front of the Zeo Rangers and stood there confidently.

It was the Gold Ranger.

“Oh shit,” said Hunter.

“Kingranger!” said Raika.

“He’s the Gold Ranger here in the states, and he’s a mean mother,” Tyler informed him.

“Stronger than you?” asked Nikolai to Tyler.

“Probably,” Tyler lamented.

The Gold Ranger then laughed a bit, while the other five Zeo Rangers began to summon their zords. The Gold Ranger then leapt toward the Mercury Ranger, engaging him in combat. The Gold Ranger was a fierce combatant, easily matching the Mercury Ranger’s speed. The Mercury Ranger performed a roundhouse, but the Gold Ranger ducked under it before sending one of his own. The Mercury Ranger blocked it, and then kicked the Gold Ranger in his chest armor. The Gold Ranger grabbed the Mercury Ranger’s outstretched leg, and then threw him up into a somersault. When the Mercury Ranger landed back on the ground, a powerful punch to the chest was waiting for him.

Meanwhile the Zeo Megazord was being assembled.

“Hank, they’ve just called their megazord, and Tyler is busy!” Nikolai shouted into his Tracker.

“Your timing couldn’t be any more perfect. We just finished the Sonic Streaker. The secondary zords are on their way!” Hank responded.

In addition to a gigantic red jet, the other zords arrived on the scene. The Rangers already knew what to do. Just as the Zeo Megazord was completed, the DualDrive Megazord had assembled itself. It was now megazord versus megazord. The Zeo Megazord made the first move with its sword, striking the DualDrive Megazord twice. It responded with a jab using its drill hand. The Zeo Megazord had an edge in speed, but the DualDrive Megazord was by no means fragile, and managed to knock a few hits into its opponent. The Zeo Megazord seemed to be the superior machine, but the Zeo Ranger’s lack of experience seemed apparent. It was not fighting at its full capability, which the Overdrive Rangers capitalized on.

On the ground, the Mercury Ranger was throwing punches, which the Gold Ranger swatted aside. The Mercury Ranger drew his Drive Detector once more, and switched it out of gun mode. He jumped up and over the Gold Ranger, slashing at him. He landed the hit, but the Gold Ranger’s chest armor was there for more than looks. He then pulled out his Golden Power Staff, and extended the blade to the lower part of the handle. He viciously went on the offensive, and swiped the Mercury Ranger twice before tripping him over. With his assailant now on the ground, the Gold Ranger tried to stomp on him. The Mercury Ranger held up his Drive Detector, and the foot landed on the staff portion. He pushed him off and kicked him back. The Gold Ranger then lifted his Golden Power Staff aloft, and began gathering energy into it. He aimed the top end at the Mercury Ranger, and three golden orbs of energy struck him directly. The damage was devastating, and the Mercury Ranger was brought to his knees.

Apparently gloating over his victory, the Gold Ranger slowly approached his kneeling foe. The Mercury Ranger gripped the handle of his Drive Detector tightly.

“I’m not done!” Tyler shouted in defiance.

He then swung his Drive Detector horizontally, launching a blue crescent from the tip of his blade. It struck the Gold Ranger and knocked him back, causing him to drop his Golden Power Staff.

“You’re not the pushover I thought you’d be,” said the Gold Ranger.

“Neither are you,” said Tyler.

The Gold Ranger then looked up at the megazords doing battle. The DualDrive Megazord was winning, launching blow after blow.

“Yer friends ain’t doin so well though,” Tyler continued.

“Hmph,” the Gold Ranger spat.

In the distance, something huge came soaring through the air while spinning. It headed straight for them before landing right beside the Zeo Megazord. It was the Red Battlezord, and it immediately began firing on the DualDrive Megazord to force it away. To press its advantage, the Red Battlezord walked up and began punching the DualDrive Megazord several times, and then fired some more shots. A distance was now between them, and the Red Battlezord combined with the Zeo Megazord, granting it shoulder cannons. The Overdrive Rangers were not liking it.

“If he starts shooting, it would be trouble,” said Veronica.

“Hank, they’ve just boosted their odds. Is there anything you can do?” asked Nikolai.

“They’re not done yet, but close enough. I’m sending the primary zord set!” Hank said urgently.

It was true, and their zords that had been missing in action for so long were now on the battlefield. The Zeo Megazord seemed unsure of what to fire upon first.

“What are they waiting for?” asked Hunter.

“Waiting to see which one to shoot,” Kaleena suggested.

“Let’s make it easy for them to decide. Super Drivemax Megazord,” Nikolai ordered.

The Sonic Streaker left, while the DualDrive Megazord dissembled and combined with the Drivemax Megazord, forming a considerably larger fighting machine. The Zeo Megazord with the Red Battlezord connected to it began to open fire, but the Super Zeo Megazord walked through the laser blasts in order to close the distance between the two.

The Gold Ranger knew what was happening, and he jumped away in a black blur just before the Mercury Ranger could resume the fight. The Super Drivemax Megazord surprised the Zeo Megazord by instantly using its finishing attack. Using the full extent of its energy output from the 9 zords it was made of, the Super Zeo Megazord managed to destroy the Zeo Megazord as its energized arms obliterated everything they touched, forcing the Red Battlezord to detach and back away. Five colored streaks moving away told them that the Zeo Rangers were far from defeated. The Super Drivemax Megazord was about to try and finish the Red Battlezord off, but a streak of golden lightning struck it for massive damage. It was Pyramidas. To make matters worse, the Super Zeo Zords had just shown up, and surrounded the Super Drivemax Megazord. They didn’t hesitate to start beating on the Super Drivemax Megazord.

“Get us the hell out of here,” Nikolai shouted to Hank.

The Overdrive Rangers, along with the Mercury Ranger, were forced into retreat. Reporting to Hank was a mixed bag.

“They’ll be prepared next time,” said Nikolai.

“And they’ve got their Gold Ranger now?” asked Hank.

The Rangers all nodded their heads.

“So much for Tyler’s great plan,” said Hunter as he wandered around the command center.

“It was a good plan,” Raika assured him.

“Until they whipped out the big guns. We didn’t even get a power cube out of the deal,” Hunter answered.

“It was not a total loss,” said Kaleena.

“You find triumph where there is none?” asked Nikolai.

“We destroyed the Zeo Megazord. That is one less for us to have to contend with,” Kaleena pointed out.

“Right you are,” Veronica tried to be optimistic.

“The important thing is that you guys are safe, and we didn’t lose any equipment this time,” said Hank, “Take a load off, and we’ll regroup with a different plan. The Sonic Streaker needs some tuning up after its first field encounter. Dismissed.”

The Rangers left shortly after. Despite being forced into retreat, they had the small comfort of knowing that the Zeo Rangers were short a megazord. Everyone was about to scatter to the four winds inside the habitat, when Veronica piped up.

“I know you all might not feel up to the task, but I had planned for us to go out for dinner. After today, I won’t blame you if you don’t feel-” Veronica was cut off.

“That’s a great idea,” Tyler said with a smile.

“Heh. Getting your butt beat down doesn’t phase you does it?” Hunter said to Tyler.

“Hey I didn’t leave him without some hits to show for it,” Tyler answered with a frown.

Raika smiled. Nothing ever kept Tyler down. Kaleena then spoke up.

“There is a restaurant I have yet to try. Perhaps we can go to Logan’s Bar and Grill?” Kaleena suggested.

Everyone remained quiet for a moment, but then agreed. Veronica looked to Nikolai.

“Nicky, you’ll come won’t you?” she asked as if she knew the answer.

Nikolai silently acquiesced, as everyone else looked to him expectantly. It was decided, and after some time to relax, dinner time would follow that evening. Veronica jiggled some car keys, prompting everyone to come out. Hunter had already tucked his credit card into his pocket, knowing full well that he was responsible for covering tonight’s festivities. After being sat and ordering their food, Tyler kicked back and started conversation.

“Ya know, we never do stuff like this? We should do more group stuff as a team in my opinion,” said Tyler.

“I agree,” said Veronica fondly.

“If it wasn’t for our jobs, I’d say we should go on vacation,” said Hunter.

“Maybe when this is all over, we can,” Kaleena cut in.

Nikolai leaned forward.

“You think this will ever be over do you?” Nikolai questioned.

Kaleena made eye contact with him, while everyone else looked at Kaleena.

“Yes, I believe so,” she answered.

“Us 6 versus…well…how many Benders are there Kaleena?” Raika asked.

“Many,” was all she said.

“And you expect we will defeat them all?” Nikolai probed.

“Not all of them, but enough to end this conflict,” said Kaleena.

“What makes you think they will stop?” Veronica asked.

Kaleena paused.

“Benders and…normal…people, have never fought each other before. This is as new to them as it is to you. I believe that if our actions reflect our resolve, it might motivate them to see things from a different perspective,” she explained.

“From what I’ve seen, they have some crazy tricks,” said Tyler.

“They do not have hope however,” Kaleena corrected, “Everything is thought of as a logical equation. They are predictable, and limited in their thinking. That is something that will serve us all well in the end. Maybe what the Case Holder is trying to do, is get them to evolve.”

Everyone reflected on her words, while Hunter kissed Kaleena on her temple. When their food arrived, everyone dug in. For that night, conversation came naturally, and Tyler continued to be the life of the party with his shenanigans and northern-styled jokes. Kaleena eventually decided to join in on the fun, and when Raika tried to pierce a piece of steak he had cut in order to eat, she held up two fingers, and caused it to levitate. At first it unsettled him, but then he realized that Kaleena was using her abilities to mess with him. He kept trying to “catch” his food, until finally Kaleena forced the meat into his mouth when he wasn’t expecting it. Even Nikolai laughed at that one.

When the night had come to an end, and their stomachs were full, they went home at Hunter’s expense. While the rest of the team slowly shuffled into their rooms, Kaleena joined Hunter in his room so that they could finish the movie they had started before fighting the Zeo Rangers. As was their custom, Kaleena had snuggled into her special place on his chest while they laid down. They watched Hancock. Hunter made a game of asking if Kaleena was capable of a particular power when Will Smith or Charlize Theron demonstrated one. When the movie was finally over, Hunter clicked off the television with his remote, and the two of them laid there for some time without speaking. Hunter yawned after a while, and Kaleena kept a dead stare.

“Something on your mind?” Hunter asked when he noticed.

Kaleena took her time to answer.

“Hunter, is being with me what you had anticipated?” Kaleena asked.

“Better,” Hunter said without hesitation.

“There is something that I have been processing for some time, putting my past into context,” she revealed.

“What’s that?”

“I had no sense of time as the Observer, but now that I have become more…aware…I have developed one. I have begun to think about my age,” she admitted.

“Really? You finally figured out how old you are?”

“I would rather not say.”

“Fair enough.”

“What I do know, is that I will outlive you. I do not know how long you have planned to remain in this relationship,” Kaleena hesitated, “But should our bond last, I do not look forward to the prospect of existing with nothing more than your memory.”

Hunter used his finger to tilt Kaleena’s head up to look at him.

“I’m not going anywhere. Besides, if what you’re telling me is that you’re some sort of immortal, I guess I’ll just have to live forever won’t I?” Hunter said with a smile.

Kaleena smiled weakly, and rewarded his jesting with a kiss before returning to her special spot on his chest. She remained silent for a while.

“Hunter...how long have we known each other?” she asked more rhetorically than anything else.

“Months. I haven’t counted exactly how many, but it’s been a while,” Hunter answered.

“If my calculations are correct, then enough time has passed that my current level of fondness for you is appropriate given the standard rate of a relationship’s growth,” she responded.

Hunter chuckled.

“So what are you trying to say?” he asked, bemused.

Kaleena then lifted up her head to look at him, and then slid her arm over to his free hand. She took his hand, interlacing her fingers with his. Hunter thought she had such tiny hands compared to him.

“I never thought I would feel this let alone say it but…Hunter…I love you,” Kaleena said barely above a whisper.

Hunter’s usual inclination would be to freak out and run away, which he had done in the past. But when those words filled him with euphoria instead of nervousness, he knew that something in him had changed since then. He knew in his heart that she was special, and he had never cared about anyone as much as her before. He had no problem hearing those words, nor did he have a problem saying:

“I love you, Kaleena.”

Kaleena smiled genuinely, and exhaled in relief. Her expression then became very serious and determined.

“Hunter, I feel the need to express my feelings for you, but even a kiss seems insufficient. I’m not sure what to do. I’m going to do what comes naturally, and I’ll ask you to bear with me while I figure it out,” she said softly.

Hunter nodded. Kaleena then surveyed him, her mind racing with trying to figure out how to express what she felt. It was frustrating her, as that knowledge did not reside in her mind. She emptied her thoughts, and decided to just act. Perhaps her instincts, if she had any, would guide her. She stroked Hunter’s face, and then slid her hands down to his chest. A little tug on his shirt forced him to sit up. She pulled his shirt up and over his head. Kaleena then placed her palm on his chest and laid him back down. Hunter did not move or say anything, though he did look a combination of worried and confused, mostly the latter. Kaleena tugged at his pants, until they were gone. After that, she clasped the sides of her night gown, and pulled it over her head before tossing it to the floor.

She was now completely exposed. She then climbed on top of him, straddling him at the waist. She dipped her head down and kissed him. He kissed back fiercely, and she in turn inhaled deeply and louder through her nose. Apparently, her instincts worked. After an enthusiastic, but slow kiss, she pulled away and looked into his eyes.

“I want you,” was all she said.

Hunter didn’t dare speak a word; his hands merely slipped up and held onto her back. Kaleena did all the work, and for the following hour, the two experienced something that no amount of description would have ever done it justice…

[The Grand Kage]

Been reading this since the beginning, back in Season 1 of this. i finally decided to join up so I could comment, Absolutly brilliant, should send it in to disney lol, they seem to run out of good ideas lol.