Storm Warrior2
06-20-2004, 02:42 PM
http://www.rangerbase.com/albums/userpics/Power%20Rangers%20Zodiac%20Chronicles.JPG
Chapter XXIV-Swarming the City
Shady looked into the face of the purple Ranger and was surprised by what she saw. It was her face. Her hair. It was obviously a male-that she could see. But he shared her facial features-her hair, her eyes, everything. “Who are you?” Shady asked. “I am you. your mirror self. What you would have been like if you were born as a male, you could say.” the boy replied. Shady was taken aback by this. “But…how?” she asked, confused. “It is complicated. But we have not the time to discuss it.” her male counterpart replied as Lily ran up, Kelsey’s duffel bag in her hand. She threw a purple half-shirt and a pair of blue shorts to Shady as she removed her robe and gave it to Shady’s male form. Taking off the robe revealed that she had taken some of Kelsey’s clothing as well: a blue t-shirt and a pair of white pants. “Well, we won. What’s left?” Shady asked her counterpart. “Much, much more, I’m afraid.”
Kanoka and Emperor Drag watched these events conspire from high above. “Damn them.” the Emperor whispered, clenching his one fist. “What should we do now?” Kanoka asked, worried. “We will release the remnants of the swarm upon this city.” Drag replied, flicking his wrist. A buzzing sound could soon be heard throughout the city. Billions of the insect creatures began to fill the skies. The civilians looked on as the strange bugs began to strike.
Swarm members began to attach themselves to buildings all over the city. As their mouths began to suck the energy from the buildings, the buildings began to lose their electricity. As the insects began to crackle, they departed from the buildings at rushed towards civilians and attached to any open skin they could find. As they landed on their victims, electricity began to run through their veins. When the bugs left to absorb more electricity, the civilians’ eyes began to glow a deep red. They all marched towards the center of the city.
As this occurred, Yuri and Trent hid down at the beach, away from the electricity-zapping bugs. “What are we going to do?” Trent asked, watching in horror as the insects bit more innocent people. “I don’t know…but the bugs don’t seem to be hurting them.” Yuri replied. “You’re right…but still, I have a bad feeling about them. We need to find a way to get them into their true forms.” Trent replied, a worried look on his face.
Meanwhile, the infected civilians approached the center of the city. They gathered around in a circle as more and more bitten humans approached and joined them. “Pitiful humans!” Emperor Drag yelled from atop the building. “You are under my control now! You will seek out each and every one of the Power Rangers, and you will kill them, one by one! Then, you will return to this spot, where my partner and I will dispose of you in whatever way we like!” the Kahn leader commanded the citizens. “Yes, master.” came the muffled response of the crowd. They separated and walked off in different directions, searching for their former heroes.
A knock came to Mei’s door, startling the duo. It was followed by a scream of pain as a person outside was electrocuted. The electricity in the house had gone out, but it did not stop the strange, ice-blue electricity that ran through the walls. Kelsey and Mei got to their feet and watched the door as they more knocks, followed by more screams of pain. Suddenly, the door came crashing down as a man walked inside.
Mei recognized the man immediately. It had been her school principal, Mr. Lambardi. The man stomped into the house and approached Kelsey. “Kill…” the principal rasped. He began to chant it, getting louder and louder as he got closer to Kelsey. “Die!” the man screamed, lunging forward. Kelsey rolled out of the way as Mei hid behind her couch. “What’s wrong with you?” Kelsey asked as the principal lunged forward a second time, knocking Kelsey to the ground. She quickly got out of his grasp and back flipped into the center of the room, snatching the Orion sphere from a tabletop. She brought it to her wrist. “Orion!” she screamed as the white light covered her. It soon faded, revealing the Orion Battlesuit. The principal charged forward as Kelsey jumped into the air, grabbing onto the hanging chandelier. She swung from it, ricocheted off the far wall, and slammed into the large man, knocking him to the ground. He quickly threw her off and, as she slumped against the wall, pulled out a pistol. He began to shoot, laughing manically as the bullets hit Kelsey. She fell to the ground.
Mei jumped to her feet and screamed. She ran over to her fallen friend, only to find that she had vanished. As Mei turned to face Mr. Lambardi, he began to trudge towards her. Suddenly, he fell to the ground, blood seeping from the back of his head. Kelsey stood above him, her Constellation Blade in hand. “Bullets don’t work too well, now do they?” Kelsey asked the dead body. Mei ran over to her. “Kelsey…what’s going on?” Mei asked, worried. “I don’t know. But I have a feeling we’ll find out once we get out of here.” Kelsey replied, gesturing to the empty doorway.
Meanwhile, Brad was already in the process of fending off his attackers. The men and women that attacked him were abnormally strong, and they had done a substantial amount of damage to Brad’s body. But the anger he felt for his father’s death kept him going. As long as the memory of his father stayed in his mind, he would continue to fight. He suffered blow after blow, strike after strike. It took everything he could muster to stay in the game. But he kept fighting.
In the cabin in the woods, the other Rangers kept watch over Sirius, who was sound asleep on the cot, while they explained everything they could about their Ranger lives to Lisa’s parents. When they had finished, they had reluctantly brought Sai inside as well. Afterwards, Mr. Diseaga went outside into the woods to gather the fragments of two shattered gems. When he had collected them all, he walked off into the woods alone, protesting against anyone who tried to follow. When he returned, the two gems were in their original forms. “How did you do that, dad?” Lisa asked, in awe, as were the other Rangers. “It wasn’t hard. They almost fit together like a puzzle…all they needed was for a little extra force to be applied.” her father replied, chuckling. Suddenly, the door of the cabin caved in as it was infiltrated.
The Rangers backed up as three men infiltrated the cabin. “What the hell?” Winter asked as she fell against the wall. “Well, guys, I guess it’s time to go!” James yelled, waking Sirius. Sirius quickly got to his feet, his left arm still limp, and surveyed the situation. “The window.” he whispered. The other Rangers nodded in understanding. “James, take Sai.” he added. James pondered it for a second before grabbing Sai’s limp body and throwing it over his shoulder. “On three.” Sirius whispered, flexing his fingers on his left hand. “One…” he began. “…two…” he added. “Three!” he yelled, leaping for the window to his left. He jumped through it, shattering it, and rolled onto the ground. James leapt through the right window, and Winter followed. Lisa and her parents filed through the opening that Sirius made. They all started running through the woods, but stopped when they saw that they were surrounded. Kahn-controlled men and women were positioned throughout the woods, farther then the eye could see. There was no escape.
“What are we going to do?” Lisa asked, surprised. “We can’t kill them…” James replied. “But we can evade them.” he added. “Matt, throw me the silver gem!” James yelled. Mr. Diseaga nodded and threw the Capricorn gem to James. He held it to Sai’s limp body and the silver aura began to glow. The Rangers huddled around James and they all disappeared. As the murder-crazed civilians looked on in confusion, the Rangers secretly made their way back to the city.
Chapter XXIV-Swarming the City
Shady looked into the face of the purple Ranger and was surprised by what she saw. It was her face. Her hair. It was obviously a male-that she could see. But he shared her facial features-her hair, her eyes, everything. “Who are you?” Shady asked. “I am you. your mirror self. What you would have been like if you were born as a male, you could say.” the boy replied. Shady was taken aback by this. “But…how?” she asked, confused. “It is complicated. But we have not the time to discuss it.” her male counterpart replied as Lily ran up, Kelsey’s duffel bag in her hand. She threw a purple half-shirt and a pair of blue shorts to Shady as she removed her robe and gave it to Shady’s male form. Taking off the robe revealed that she had taken some of Kelsey’s clothing as well: a blue t-shirt and a pair of white pants. “Well, we won. What’s left?” Shady asked her counterpart. “Much, much more, I’m afraid.”
Kanoka and Emperor Drag watched these events conspire from high above. “Damn them.” the Emperor whispered, clenching his one fist. “What should we do now?” Kanoka asked, worried. “We will release the remnants of the swarm upon this city.” Drag replied, flicking his wrist. A buzzing sound could soon be heard throughout the city. Billions of the insect creatures began to fill the skies. The civilians looked on as the strange bugs began to strike.
Swarm members began to attach themselves to buildings all over the city. As their mouths began to suck the energy from the buildings, the buildings began to lose their electricity. As the insects began to crackle, they departed from the buildings at rushed towards civilians and attached to any open skin they could find. As they landed on their victims, electricity began to run through their veins. When the bugs left to absorb more electricity, the civilians’ eyes began to glow a deep red. They all marched towards the center of the city.
As this occurred, Yuri and Trent hid down at the beach, away from the electricity-zapping bugs. “What are we going to do?” Trent asked, watching in horror as the insects bit more innocent people. “I don’t know…but the bugs don’t seem to be hurting them.” Yuri replied. “You’re right…but still, I have a bad feeling about them. We need to find a way to get them into their true forms.” Trent replied, a worried look on his face.
Meanwhile, the infected civilians approached the center of the city. They gathered around in a circle as more and more bitten humans approached and joined them. “Pitiful humans!” Emperor Drag yelled from atop the building. “You are under my control now! You will seek out each and every one of the Power Rangers, and you will kill them, one by one! Then, you will return to this spot, where my partner and I will dispose of you in whatever way we like!” the Kahn leader commanded the citizens. “Yes, master.” came the muffled response of the crowd. They separated and walked off in different directions, searching for their former heroes.
A knock came to Mei’s door, startling the duo. It was followed by a scream of pain as a person outside was electrocuted. The electricity in the house had gone out, but it did not stop the strange, ice-blue electricity that ran through the walls. Kelsey and Mei got to their feet and watched the door as they more knocks, followed by more screams of pain. Suddenly, the door came crashing down as a man walked inside.
Mei recognized the man immediately. It had been her school principal, Mr. Lambardi. The man stomped into the house and approached Kelsey. “Kill…” the principal rasped. He began to chant it, getting louder and louder as he got closer to Kelsey. “Die!” the man screamed, lunging forward. Kelsey rolled out of the way as Mei hid behind her couch. “What’s wrong with you?” Kelsey asked as the principal lunged forward a second time, knocking Kelsey to the ground. She quickly got out of his grasp and back flipped into the center of the room, snatching the Orion sphere from a tabletop. She brought it to her wrist. “Orion!” she screamed as the white light covered her. It soon faded, revealing the Orion Battlesuit. The principal charged forward as Kelsey jumped into the air, grabbing onto the hanging chandelier. She swung from it, ricocheted off the far wall, and slammed into the large man, knocking him to the ground. He quickly threw her off and, as she slumped against the wall, pulled out a pistol. He began to shoot, laughing manically as the bullets hit Kelsey. She fell to the ground.
Mei jumped to her feet and screamed. She ran over to her fallen friend, only to find that she had vanished. As Mei turned to face Mr. Lambardi, he began to trudge towards her. Suddenly, he fell to the ground, blood seeping from the back of his head. Kelsey stood above him, her Constellation Blade in hand. “Bullets don’t work too well, now do they?” Kelsey asked the dead body. Mei ran over to her. “Kelsey…what’s going on?” Mei asked, worried. “I don’t know. But I have a feeling we’ll find out once we get out of here.” Kelsey replied, gesturing to the empty doorway.
Meanwhile, Brad was already in the process of fending off his attackers. The men and women that attacked him were abnormally strong, and they had done a substantial amount of damage to Brad’s body. But the anger he felt for his father’s death kept him going. As long as the memory of his father stayed in his mind, he would continue to fight. He suffered blow after blow, strike after strike. It took everything he could muster to stay in the game. But he kept fighting.
In the cabin in the woods, the other Rangers kept watch over Sirius, who was sound asleep on the cot, while they explained everything they could about their Ranger lives to Lisa’s parents. When they had finished, they had reluctantly brought Sai inside as well. Afterwards, Mr. Diseaga went outside into the woods to gather the fragments of two shattered gems. When he had collected them all, he walked off into the woods alone, protesting against anyone who tried to follow. When he returned, the two gems were in their original forms. “How did you do that, dad?” Lisa asked, in awe, as were the other Rangers. “It wasn’t hard. They almost fit together like a puzzle…all they needed was for a little extra force to be applied.” her father replied, chuckling. Suddenly, the door of the cabin caved in as it was infiltrated.
The Rangers backed up as three men infiltrated the cabin. “What the hell?” Winter asked as she fell against the wall. “Well, guys, I guess it’s time to go!” James yelled, waking Sirius. Sirius quickly got to his feet, his left arm still limp, and surveyed the situation. “The window.” he whispered. The other Rangers nodded in understanding. “James, take Sai.” he added. James pondered it for a second before grabbing Sai’s limp body and throwing it over his shoulder. “On three.” Sirius whispered, flexing his fingers on his left hand. “One…” he began. “…two…” he added. “Three!” he yelled, leaping for the window to his left. He jumped through it, shattering it, and rolled onto the ground. James leapt through the right window, and Winter followed. Lisa and her parents filed through the opening that Sirius made. They all started running through the woods, but stopped when they saw that they were surrounded. Kahn-controlled men and women were positioned throughout the woods, farther then the eye could see. There was no escape.
“What are we going to do?” Lisa asked, surprised. “We can’t kill them…” James replied. “But we can evade them.” he added. “Matt, throw me the silver gem!” James yelled. Mr. Diseaga nodded and threw the Capricorn gem to James. He held it to Sai’s limp body and the silver aura began to glow. The Rangers huddled around James and they all disappeared. As the murder-crazed civilians looked on in confusion, the Rangers secretly made their way back to the city.