Power Rangers AURA: Return of the Bounty Hunter

[Clu-less]

Power Rangers AURA:
Return of the Bounty Hunter


"Yes, how may I help you?" The cashier asked the cloaked figure before him.

"I need a harterium crystal. Do you have one?" She asked.

"That is a rather expensive request." The cashier said, smiling broadly. "What do you plan to pay in?"

"That's the thing. I am running a little low on cash at the moment." She said. "But I'm coming across a big pay off very, very soon."

"Sure." The cashier said, reaching behind his counter to grab his gun. "If I were you, lady, I'd pay me or get lost."

"I don't think you want to do that." She said. Suddenly the cloak exploded away, a green and purple suit underneath, silver helmet with an icy blue visor. "Don't make things hard, okay?" She said, raising her beam cannon.

"Okay, okay!" The cashier said, quickly opening a cabinet. He pulled out a small pink crystal and handed it to her. "No charge."

"Thank you." She said as she reverted back to her human mode. She pulled her brown hair back into a pony tail, then rose her twin pistols. "If only you were cuter." She said, destroying the owner with only two shots.

********

"Alright guys, let's do it!" AuraGold said.

"Right!" The Rangers said. All except one, anyway...

"We have to get these people out of here first." AuraYellow said. "There's no way we can beat Ted E. Scare without hurting one of the people too..."

"Don't worry about it." AuraGold said.

"Come on, Rangers!" Ted E. Scare, a horrendous looking giant teddy bear growled. "Give me your best shot!"

"Bro,listen to me..." AuraYellow started.

"AURA CANNON!" AuraGold called. The massive cannon appeared on their shoulders.

"Listen to me, Tommy..." AuraYellow started again.

"AURA CANNON, AURA CYCLONE!" The five other AuraRangers yelled. The shot fired, even though the recoiled somewhat less than usual. Nonetheless, Ted E. Scare exploded. The Rangers celebrated, but AuraYellow watched as a piece of debris nearly hit a small child. Luckily, the child quickly ran before it could hit him.

"Way to go, Gold Ranger!" Someone in the crowd that was around said. "Nice call with the big giant cannon thingy!"

"Uh, thanks." AuraGold said with a shrug as the people began to crowd him.

"I don't fuckin' believe this shit." AuraYellow growled. "He almost fried a kid and he still gets all the glory."

"You get used to it...I guess." AuraBlack said, recalling the same thing happening earlier in their Ranger career.

"I've been AuraYellow longer than he's been a Ranger period." AuraYelow growled and stormed away.

********
Later That Day...

Letty worked on her yellow Yamaha FJR1300 in the Ortega Autosports garage. "Knock knock." Tommy said. Letty glaced up at him, but quickly went back to working on her bike. "Hey Let...the others told me about what you were feeling today and...maybe you're right, I should've..."

"Maybe?" Letty said, standing up to face her brother. "Let's get something straight, Tommy, I've been a Ranger since way before you were, okay? I know what every sitituation calls for. Our first duty, first and foremost, is to protect the civilians, not to try and impress them."

"Whoa, I wasn't trying to impress anybody." Tommy said, obviously offended. "I was just doing what I thought was best."

"What you thought was best could've gotten a kid killed, but you didn't think of that before, did you bro?" Letty asked. "You just saw the monster in front of you, you didn't even think about everyone around you. I guess that's a side effect of being the Green Ranger, seeing as though even though you killed thousands, if not millions of people in Angel Grove, you've been forgiven." Letty spat.

The color drained from Tommy's face. "Wow, Let...that was a really low blow."

"What's going on?" Maureen asked.

"Nothing important. Just telling your son to get his facts straight." Letty said as she stormed out of the garage.

********

She streaked through the galaxy in her new Demon Hunter suit. "Computer, estimated time of arrival on Earth."

<Our destination would be reached for several more hours. There is an unknown planet thought to be uninhibited only 50 kilometers away.> The computer reported.

"Alright, take us there. I'm in the mood for some destruction." Missy said with a smile.

*********

"We've got another distress call." Jen said. "But I can't pinpoint it's exact location." She said, spinning around in her chair aboard the Silver Space Titanus.

"That's impossible, DECA capable of detecting anything. She can tell us whether a dime on Earth is head or tails at the bottom of the ocean." Clu said.

"Yeah, well apparently this planet has never been recorded on any map system in the galaxy." Jen said as she stood up. "I can't find any data on it, and the frequency on the distress call was so small that it's hard for me to get an exact lock on it."

"Hey, Jen." Clu said, putting his arm around his sister. "Don't you think you need a break from this hunk of space metal? I mean, everday after school, you come straight up here."

"Clu, I happen to like this job." Jen said. "I'll take a break after we get this problem solved. Right now, it would be best to contact the others."

"Or not..." Clu sighed. "Dude, you know Letty and Tommy aren't you know, acting 'nice' to each other. And I doubt that forcing them into a situation where they have to morph will solve anything."

"Yeah...but we can't just ignore the call." Jen said.

"Dude, if we don't know where it is, it wouldn't hurt to ignore it." Clu said with a smile.

"Bro, I think it would be best if we didn't." Jen said, pushing her glasses up on her nose.

"Okay, oh great and powerful Jen, what do you think we should do?" Clu asked.

"I think we should investigate. We can let Tommy and Letty mope about their problems by themselves."

"Hmm...okay." Clu shrugged. "DECA, try and get a lock on that signal."

********Letty sat on the front steps with her head down. Maureen quietly came out and sat down next to her. "Please, I don't need any bullshit right now, ma." Letty sighed.

"Let...look, I know it's hard adjusting to having Tommy around..." Maureen started, but then she knew that wasn't going to get anyone being her a motherly speech. "Okay, it's damn near impossible to get any glory with Tommy around." She started again. "Fuck, the same thing happened with your father? But Tommy...Tommy is like gravity, you know? Everything just get sucked towards him."

"Does that make me, like, a dwarf star or something?" Letty asked.

"That wasn't the point I was getting at." Maureen said. "Listen, Letty, there are going to be times where you aren't the center of attention..."

"I just hate the fact that he gets glory period. He's no different that us. Plus I've been a Ranger around here for way longer than him and I don't get any respect."

"Well, that's the way things have to be." Maureen said with a shrug.

<Letty, come in.> Clu's voice came over her communicator.

"What's up?" Letty asked.

<Me and Jen got a distress call. We aren't sure where the hell it is, we're gonna investigate.>

"Alright, just be careful. Letty out." Letty said with a sigh.

"What?" Maureen asked.

"Nothing, just more shit that's on my mind." She growled.

*******

"Well, my dear older sister is feeling unwanted." Maria said with a smile.

"Yeah, she reminds me of you!" Elgar said. Maria spun around and growled at him. "Uh, I meant that it the best way possible."

"Yeah, well, perhaps my sister wants something exciting to happen so she can take the glory." Maria said. "Elgar, can you fetch my spell book?"

"What am I, a dog?" Elgar asked.

"Elgar...are you trying to make me angry?" Maria asked, her eyes starting to glow.

"Right, spellbook!" He said with a salute and a bark.

******

Adam fell like Letty was going to bust his insides, and he was only holding the heavy bag for her. He looked up at the ceiling, just to make sure there would be no plaster falling off the ceiling of his house. "Uh, you mind hitting softer?" He asked.

"It's not fair." Letty gorlwed as she kicked the bag, nearly kicking Adam in the process. "Why should he get all the glory?"

"It's always been that way." Adam said as he tried to brace himself. "I mean, even when I came in Tommy was the most popular..."

"And it never bugged you?" Letty said as she dropped out of stance and picked up a bottle of water. "It never bothered you that you may be better and stronger and smarter, but he always gets the glory?"

"I don't know...I guess I never thought about it." Adam said. "I guess you get used to it."

"Well I haven't." Letty said as she took a long sip of water. "Hey, sorry if I damn near broke your ribs."

"No problem." Adam said as picked up and towel and dabbed his forehead. "You know, Let, Tommy told me what you said. About the collateral damage or whatever...that was really harsh. Tommy's never really gotten over the things he did as the Green Ranger. You rubbing this thing in his face only makes it worse."

"I know." Letty sighed as she sat down. "But I had to take a shot at him somehow..." Letty stopped mid-sentence and a look overcame her face.

"What?" Adam asked.

"Maria..." She whispered. A bright light shot into the wall and bounced around the room. Letty and Adam ducked before it landed in the form of a scroll in front of her. Letty quickly got up and opened it. "Maria...she's challenging me to a one on one fight."

"You're not going to take her up on her offer, are you?" Adam asked.

"She called me out. I'm going to answer. Alone." Letty said as she started to leave.

"No your not." Adam said. "I'm coming with you, like it or not."

Letty stared at Adam with cold eyes. "Okay, fine. But stay out of my way."

[Clu-less]

Letty slammed on the brakes of her Acura NSX as they reached the city limits. "So, we're here. So where is she?" Letty asked as she and Adam exited the car.

"I don't know." Adam asked. "But I find it funny how the villains always pick a rock quarry or desert for a final showdown."

"Shut up, Adam." Letty growled. "Let's go the edge of that rock formation and wait."

"Right." Adam said.

*******

"Hey...do you hear that?" Jen asked.

"Hear what?" Clu asked. He listened closely and he heard it-a slight rush that sounded like leaves rustling. "What, does someone need to rake or something?"

"No, water." Jen said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh..." Clu said. They followed the sound to the edge of a lake. "Jen, you were right!"

"Incredible. Where there's water, there has to be multicellular organisms that exist outside of the animal plane." Jen said as she bent down. She pulled another device off her belt, this one with a small slide attached. She dipped it in the water and looked closely at the device. "Good old H2O, no pollants or anything." Jen said.

"It's like we're on Earth." Clu said as he looked around the lake. "only no one is..." Clu stopped as he saw one of the most beautiful sights he's ever seen.

"Clu...Clu, are you going to finish your sentence?" Jen asked, nto looking up. She was used to Clu zoning out for no reason in the middle of his sentences.

"I'm fine..." Clu said, though his tone dictated otherwise. "I'm just...watching this beautiful girl bathe in the water..."

"That's nice." Jen said. "Wait...what?"

"Just this girl bathing in the water. She's not naked...she's wearing something that resembles silk. Pretty face...nice round..."

"Clu!" Jen yelled as she stood up. The girl turned and looked back at them, then submerged herself under the water. "Uh...sorry."

"Yeah...don't be alarmed, just go back to doing what you were doing." Clu said, perhaps for his own selfish reasons. The girl slowly stood out of the water and walked over to them. "Uh...hey." Clu said. The girl didn't respond. Clu just stood for a few minutes, looking at her. She had brownish blondish hair with blue eyes, which kind of clashed with her brown skin. She had blue and silver face paint in various designs. "We didn't mean to interrupt you...we were just kind of chillin' out...you know...and...do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?"

"Clu..." Jen growled, embarrased.

"Who are you?" She said finally.

"We're humans...like you?" Jen asked.

"I'm no human." The girl said. "I'm..." She stopped speaking for a few seconds.

"What?" Jen asked.

"I think it would be best if you left before someone came after you." She said. "The Varox don't like it when people appear on this planet..."

"The Varox? As in the bounty hunting syndicate?" Clu asked. "They're stationed here?"

"I really should be going." The girl said as she turned away.

"We got a distress signal though. We thought someone needed help here." Jen said. "Are you sure there's not something happening?"

"I shouldn't speak on it..." The girl said. She slowly started to walk away. "But..." The girl paused again and turned around. "I fear that my people will be endangered if I do not."

******

"Hey baby." Carolin said. Tommy was setting out of the shore looking out at the water. "You know...I don't think Letty meant to hurt your feelings."

"Helluva job she did." Tommy said with a sigh. "Maybe she's right. Maybe I don't think before I act. Maybe I do get tunnel vision when I'm fighting. It always seems to get the job done...but I keep seeing that kid running away from that piece of debris...what if it had hit him?"

"Baby...you always do what you feel is right." Carolin said as she sat next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. "We all make mistakes, baby. What comes from that is what we do when we make mistakes. Do we mope about them, or learn from them?"

"You know...this wisdom stuff annoys me." Tommy said with a smile.

"Perhaps it's too much for your mind to handle." Carolin joked.

"Watch it...well, maybe you're right." Tommy said.

*******

"What's you name?" Clu asked as they walked across a narrow path in the dense jungle.

"My name is Janee." The girl said. "And yours?"

"I'm Clu and this is my little sister, Jen." Clu said.

"I wish we could've met under different circumstances." Janee said.

"I sure as hell don't..." Clu mumbled under his breath.

"Anyways, you say your people are in danger." Jen said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah. The Tallon have been here ever since the planet was created according to legend. We've always been peaceful, but we never expeirenced the technology boom we're sure the rest of the universe has. Our was a peaceful existance...until the Varox appeared. They're a race of bounty hunters, paid for jobs across the universe. They came here because we had no defense to stop them from taking over. They began to build a small city, and pretty soon they had pushed us to the outskirts of the jungle. That's where we live now. The Varox won't allow anyone to leave or land on the planet."

"They've probably got it cloaked...that's why we couldn't detect this place." Jen said.

"That doesn't explain the distress signal." Clu said. "Have the Varox attacked recently?"

"No. The Varox haven't attacked us since they conquered the planet. They don't think we're worth the trouble." Janee said. "It's very confusing that you would receive any signal from here."

*******

"Dammit, where is she?" Letty asked.

"I don't know...something just doesn't add up here." Adam said. "Maria's not the type of girl who would just send you a message that she wanted to kill you and not come down and try."

"Maybe Maria didn't..." Letty said.

Lightning struck nearby. Adam and Letty ducked as a tinted dome enclosed around them. "What the hell is this?" Adam asked.

"A trap..." Letty growled as she pressed against the dome. "Shit."

"Let's morph and get the hell out of here." Adam said. Letty nodded. They both flicked their wrist and thrust their arms into the air. "IT'S MORPHIN TIME!" They called, but nothing happened. Adam looked at his morpher, then tried again. "IT'S MORPHIN TIME!" He yelled again.

"This thing must be blocking our morphing powers." Letty growled. "Shit!"

"I think you're right when you say Maria didn't send you that message that your right." Adam said. "This is just too weird."

******

"Here we are." Janee said as the entered the small village.

"Whoa." Clu said. The village looked run down. The houses made of wood and leaves looked like they were barely staying together. The villagers didn't look anywhere near as well dressed as Janee did. "Man, you weren't kidding when you said this place was run down..."

"Why are you in the best clothing?" Jen asked.

"I'd rather not discuss it..." Janee said sadly. "Come, we must see the village elder." She said, leading them to a hut in the middle of the village. "Grandfather...these humans are..."

"I know...I sensed them." The village elder sad. His hair was snow white and his eyes were an icy blue. He wore dirtied white garbs and sat in a rickity old chair. "I felt that there would come a time when the Power Rangers would come and rescue us."

"How'd you..." Clu started.

"I know many things, young Andrew." The village elder said. "Things you wouldn't understand."

"Your psychic." Jen said.

"Perhaps be Earthen standards, yes, Jennifer." The elder spoke as he wobbily stood. "You do know the risk you took by bringing them here, do you not, Janee?" He asked.

"Yes, grandfather...but if the Varox found the first..."

"The Varox are coming for you, young one." The village elder said.

"What do you mean?" Clu asked.

"The Varox take our young." The elder sighed. "Janee, unfortunately, is the next in line."

"We'll stop them." Clu said, looking at his morpher.

"It's not that simple, young one." The elder said as he coughed and hacked. "Your morphing abilites will not work here. I since a field distorting the power you possess. It has happened to your friends on Earth as well."

"Elder!" A villager ran in. "They are here, elder!"

"They must've sensed that the Power Rangers were here." Janee said with a gulp.

"No, young one." The elder sighed. "They are simply here to pick you up."

*******

"ELDER!" The helmeted warrior yelled. "I know you're here, elder! You know what we've come for!"

"Please, I am sorry." The village elder said, slowly exiting his hut. "I am not as fast as I used to be."

"Whatever." The Varox general said. "Where is she?"

"Janee, come meet your new mate." The elder said.

Janee slowly stepped out of the hut.

The Varox pulled off his helmet and smiled. "Yes...this one will do just fine." He said with a cocky smile.


"Clu..." Jen opened her backpack and tossed him an Aura Magnum. "I figured we'd need these." She said as she removed one for herself.

"So we're playing the hero card today?" Clu asked.

"Yup." Jen said.


"Great your mate." The elder said.

"It's nice to finally meet you." Janee said with a bow. "I've been waiting for this day to come..."

"JANEE, LOOK OUT!" Clu yelled. She moved out of the way, sensing what was going to happen. A blast hit the Varox dead on in the chest. Clu and Jen exited the hut firing their weapons. The Varox, unarmed and unprepared for a fire fight retreated.

"You'll pay for this, elder!" The Varox yelled as they flew away.

"What are you doing?" Janee asked. "That didn't help anything!"

"If anything, you have made our current situation worse." The elder sighed. "They'll be back, armed with weapons, and with more of them. And next time, they won't leave until they get what they came for."

[Clu-less]

"There they are." Carolin said as the Dodge Challenger pulled up next to the Acura NSX. "In that dark dome."

"Not Maria's style." Tommy said. "More like..."

*******

"Missy." Clu said. "If she rebuilt that suit of hers, she could create a stasis field large enough to stop us from morphing."

"We find Missy, we find the stasis field." Jen said.

"This Missy of yours...dark haired, ill-willed?" The elder asked. "Yes...I have sensed her here for a while...she is looking for you to."

"And thanks to you two morons opening fire out here, I found you." A voice said. Clu and Jen spun around, seeing Missy had them at gunpoint. "Nice to see you two again."

"Sorry we can't say the same about you." Jen growled.

"Please, little girl, your attempts to hurt my feelings don't bug me." Missy said.

"Why have you come here?" The elder asked. "We have done nothing to you."

"Save it. One of the Seven Spirits of Hana is on this planet, and I intend to find it." Missy smiled. "And I know you know where it is, old man."

"I'll never let you have the spirit of Tiger Lily." The elder said firmly.

"What are the Seven Spirits of Hana?" Clu asked, ready to morph at a moments notice.

"If I told you that, you'd only try to stop me." Missy growled. "Now, tell me where the spirit is, or I'll destroy everything in this village."

"Not as long as I'm around." Clu said as he readied himself to morph. "IT'S..."

"I'll show you, as long as you promise not to harm my people." Janee said.

"What?" Clu asked.

"No, Janee, you cannot. You can't leave this valley, the Varox will find you." The elder said, hacking hard into his hand.

"Listen, old man, as long as she leads me to the Tiger Lily Spirit, and these two don't follow me, I'll make sure that she'll come back in one piece." Missy said. "I just want that spirit before Maria gets to it."

"I'll go with you, but tomorrow. The area where it is will be heavily guarded by the spirits of the elders if we go now." Janee said.

"Okay...I'll play your game." Missy said, biting to the inside of her lip. "But if you're trying to screw me over...I won't hesitate to destroy this whole fucking planet." She smiled and leaft the hut.

"Janee..." The elder started again, but he began having another coughing fit.

"Grandfather, you need to rest." Janee said as she knelt next to his chair. "I'll take the Rangers and we'll come up with a plan. I won't let her get the Tiger Lily spirit, I promise."

"Young one...please be careful." The elder said.

"I will." Janee said. "I promise."

**********

"So, how do we get them out?" Tommy asked as he looked at the dome. "Not that I would mind keeping Letty locked in there for an eternity."

"Can we please deal with your problems later?" Carolin sighed. "Right now, we have to get them out of here."

"I don't think so, Rangers!" Elgar cackled as he landed with a platoon of Kelzaks. "You Power Pukes are going anywhere!"

"What, is my sister trying to capalize on someone else's idea?" Tommy asked.

"You got it! Now, introducing one helluva demon, Asaroth the Despair Demon!"

"Proud to make your acquitance!" Asaroth appeared in a cloud of lightning. His head was covered by a half-black, half red mask, as was the rest of his body. Only two yellow eyes could be seen from under the mask.

"It's time to get serious." Tommy growled. "Ready, baby?"

"Always." Carolin said.

"IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!"

“AURA CHANGE!” Carolin yelled. Above her a bright pink light shone. The wind blew her hair around as she started to spin around. A tornado formed around her body. Then, in a blast of pink light the tornado is gone, pink ribbons enclosing ever inch of her body except for her head. The ribbons explode away and her spandex costume burst from underneath. The pink helmet closed around her head, a then oval running from her forehead to her head. “AURAPINK, HYA!” She yelled.

“AURA CHANGE!” Tommy yelled. Gold light shot from the sky. The golden light consumes his entire light. Even his face lights up. The light dispersed. His black under costume formed. His belt bucked formed, along with his gold and white boots. Two golden rings appeared on his upper and on the upper part of his gloves. Finally a golden shield formed across his chest. His helmet formed last, a six pronged symbol forming his visor. “AURAGOLD, HYA!”

"Oh, I'm scared!" Asaroth laughed. "But not as scared as you will be!" He said as he fired to powerful blast at them. AuraPink dodged, but AuraGold wasn't so lucky.

*******

Tommy screamed, but he wasn't sure what for. He looked around and saw that he was in a darkened but familiar city. "Why am I back in Angel Grove?" He said as he walked around helmetless.

Then he heard an omnious roar, followed by a more ominous laugh. "Whose out there?" Tommy asked.

"What's a matter, Tommy? Are you scared?" The voice speaking was his own.

"Why don't you come out and show me who you are!" Tommy yelled.

"You know who I am Tommy." The voice cackled. "I'm a part of you. Always have been, always will be."

"No...I shut you out a long time ago!"

"Silence!" A beam a green light shot out of the darkness and landed in front of Tommy. "What's a matter?" The Ranger asked with a smile, his golden shield seeming as though it was the only light in the darkened city. His green costume with white diamons was so familiar to Tommy it was scary. Even scarier was the green helmet that he had stared out of for so long, that opened mouth of a dragon that he had felt so at home in. "You can never dodge your past for long, Tommy." The Green Ranger cackled.

"No, I got rid of you a long time ago!"

"You know you never got rid of me! I'm something that's always been and will always be in the back of your head, Tommy! Face it, you could never get rid of me, no matter how hard you tried!" The Green Ranger yelled. "Think of the countless people you've killed, the destruction you caused when you and I were one. That's exactly why the words Letty said to you hurt so much, because you know they're true. When you look deep within yourself, you know that I'm still there!" The Green Ranger cackled.

"No...no!" Tommy screamed, dropping to his knees.

******

"Tommy, Tommy, wake up!" AuraPink said, trying to wake her boyfriend. "What did you do to him?" She yelled at Asaroth.

"Nothing but gave him a dose of reality!" Asaroth cackled.

"And then there was one, and her name was Pinky!" Elgar yelled. "KELZAKS, ATTACK!"

AuraPink charged forward, Aura Magnum in hand. "AURA MAGNUM, SABER MODE!" The blaster formed into a blade. She was able to duck a few kicks, but soon the Kelzaks began to overpower her.

"We've got to get out of here and help her!" Letty growled. "Stand back."

"What are you gonna do?" Adam asked as her eyes began to become an icy grey.

"Blast out out of here." She said as she put her hands on the dome. Electricity flowed through her veins as she sent a blast of energy into the dome. The black dome exploded away.

"What!" Asaroth yelled. "No way!"

"That's not your only problem!" AuraRed yelled as she sped towards the scene on the Jetstream Cannon.

"I was starting to wonder if you'd show up at all." Adam said.

"Hey, there was a sell at Lord and Taylor's." AuraRed said. "Now morph so we can take this guy out."

"IT'S MORPHIN TIME!" Adam and Letty yelled. "AURA CHANGE!"

******

"Face it, Tommy." The Green Ranger began to circle him. "There's no way you can beat me."

"We'll see about that!" Tommy yelled as he charged. The Green Ranger simply laughed and disappeared. Tommy searched the area. "Come out and fight me!"

"Why would I fight with myself, Tommy?" The Green Ranger asked as he reappeared in front of him. "No matter what you do, I will always be a part of you. There's no use fighting it, Tommy, just give in!" He said as he omniously cackled into the dark sky.

[i] To Be Continued...