Suihei Sentai Strataman

[GreenNinja]

It's been awhile since I did an orginal series (the last one was DekaRail...kind of), so here's another one, coming soon.
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Horizon Sentai Strataman
Suihei Sentai Sutorataman
(水平戦隊ストラターマン)

The peaceful city of Stone Summit, New York, has always been home to many things. Then, one day, while Channel 4 intern Courtney Cloud and her cameraman friend, Louis Franklin, are out reporting the day's news, something breaks free from beneath the ground. They, along with model airplane enthusiast Tyler Apollo and ice-skater Crystal Prisma, are swept away by a cloud to a place high above Mt. Summit, the city's most prized landmark. There they meet Sora, a sky goddess who tells them the Arnsak have risen again. They are granted permission to use the Horizon station as their base to stay safe, but in return they must take on the power of the Horizon Sentai Strataman. Will they accept?

Tyler Apollo
StrataRed
The Summer's Sun, the Northern Wind
Arsenal: Sattelite Sword, Radar Gun, Solablade, Strata Brace
Sky Mech: SkyJet
A model airplane enthusiast with a passion for life, Tyler is chosen to lead the Strataman. He seeks to some day fly an actual plane and discover the world like his idol, Tyson Jones. As StrataRed he weilds the Solablade, a sun that can control rays of sunlight to his command.

Courtney Cloud
StrataGreen
The Spring's Rain, the Eastern Wind
Arsneal: Sattelite Sword, Radar Gun, Parainsol, Strata Brace
Sky Mech: SkyVan
Channel 4 intern Courtney Cloud aspires to be a weather woman in charge - but she's a far cry off from that. For now, though, she fights as StrataGreen and hopes Louis can use her adventures to boost them ahead. She commands the rain and rebirth of life.

Louis Franklin
StrataYellow
The Autumn's Gale, the Western Wind
Arsenal: Sattelite Sword, Radar Gun, Gustbranch, Strata Brace
Sky Mech: SkyCopter
Louis is calm, cool, and collected. He's an amateur filmmaker looking for the PERFECT thing to capitalize on. He controls the winds and the season of autumn.

Crystal Prisma
StrataBlue
The Winter's Snow, the Southern Wind
Arsenal: Sattelite Sword, Radar Gun, Stalatice, Strata Brace
Sky Mech: SkyCruiser
An ice skater and newcomer to town, Crystal is the heart and soul of the team. She has a calm exterior that hides a coldly serious fighting spirit. Has command over snow, ice and other forms of cold.

Sora
StrataGaia
Mother Earth, The Fertile Ground, the Wind of Life
Arsenal: GeoBrace, Gaia Striker
Mecha: GeoTank -> Great Atlas
Sora, StrataGaia, is a sky goddess who selected the four to become the Strataman. She aids them in both the usage of their devices and controlling their elemental powers, but couldn't stand to Nyx's Shadow Creatures. Her husband, Herakles, has been scouting the universe for ages, and has yet to return. Sora has just as much to discover about herself as she does about her proteges.

Eloi
StrataChronos
Father Time, The Eternal Cycle, the Wind of Change
Arsenal: Dial Watch, Sandblaster, Chrono Lance
Mecha: TimeOwl -> Clock Knight
Eloi, formerly the owner of the clock shop in Stone Summit, had been in contact with Sora and Crystal for some time. When Nyx's Shadow Creatures attacked, he had to take his prized poesseion and reveal himself as StrataChronos. Now aboard the Satellite Horizon, Eloi serves to discover more about Sora's past and helping her get her powers back.

Herakles
StrataUranus
Father Sky, The Sky's Fury, the Wind of Expansion
Arsenal: Thor's Hammer
Mecha: GodWinger -> StrataGod
Herakles, Sora's husband, returns when she sends a distress call after the Arnsak become especially intense. He weilds Thor's Hammer and transforms into StrataUranus, a powerful hero who can right all wrongs.


Arsenal

StrataBrace
The henshin brace of the core four. When the command "Satellite Uplink!" is called, the brace connects to Horizon and sends them their powers. Also function as a watch and communication device. They have radar that can scan the area and tell the current weather forecast.

Radar Gun
Small gun that fires pulses of sonic energy at monsters. Stored around the belt of the Rangers.

Satellite Sword
A radar dish-shaped grip and a long silver blade make up this second sidearm of the Strataman.

Forecaster
Combined weapon made from the Radar Gun and Satellite Sword. Launches massive blasts of elemental energy corresponding to each Ranger.

Mach Flyers
Jets that provide means of transport.

Solablade
Sun-themed sword. Attacks with "Four-Ray Cut"

Parainsol
Doubles as a protective shield and high-powered rifle. Attacks with "Raindrop Downpour".

Gustbranch
A magic wand of sorts made from the branch of a tree. Attacks with "Last Wind"

Stalactice
Ice pickaxe. Attacks with "Avalance Point Strike"

GeoBrace and Gaia Striker
Sora's personal weapons. The Gaia Striker has a wide range of attacks corresponding to Sora's powers.

Dial Watch
A stone sundial watch Eloi uses to transform. Can stop time and transport him. "Chronos Advance!" is the henshin phrase.

Sandblaster
An hourglass gun that can create a veil of sand around the area.

Chrono Lance
The staff of Father Time himself. Finisher is "Vortex Beatdown", where time is stopped so Eloi can deliver the final blow.

Thor's Hammer
The hammer of the Norse God himself. Attacks with "Star Smash".

Villians

Terra
The only female soldier of the Arnsak, she gathers the special clay used in creation of the monsters. She weilds a drill that can pierce through almost any object.

Mason
Sculptor who brings the monsters to form and gives them life. His hammer, pickaxe and trowel are deadly in combat.

Aval
Wizard who controls the magma that transforms the monsters to giant size. Has control over all forms of fire and rock.

Nyx
A mistress who stalks in the shadows. Close to Aval, and has command over a unique brand of "Shadow Creatures" that Mason feels his must constantly outdo. The only other female besides Terra, and thus close with her.

The Core
A glowing ball of liquid rock with the soul of an ancient warrior inside. The leader of the Arnsak.

Molemen
Grunts armed with dangerously sharp claws. Can burrow up from under the ground at any time.

General Digger
Head of the Moleman troops. Fiercely loyal to The Core, fierce with his claws, and dead serious in combat. Though no one tells him, the least competent of the Arnsak generals.

Allies

Janet Prisma
Crystal's older sister, an insectologist, who finds her sister's fascination with the environment much more interesting as of late. Keeps a collection of insects in the jungle she calls her room. Janet will later go on to become MushiPink.

Diane Apollo
Tyler's sister. Doubtful of the heroes in town, it's only when Tyler saves her she comes to realize the gravity of the situation.

Mecha

SkyJet, SkyVan, SkyCruiser, SkyCopter
Four vehicles launched from Horizon's air bay. They have radar that can scan the sky for miles around, and are armed with various ways of dispersing bad weather and trouble.

StrataBomber
"Bomber Uplink! StrataBomber!" First formation. A fast, heavy plane that uses the Warp Hurricane to blow away targets.

StrataRobo
"Giant Uplink! StrataRobo!" Armed with the Four Sword and Cycle Shield, it defends against giant beasts. Uses the finishing attacks "Strata Guster" and "Strata Wing Punch"

GeoTank -> Great Atlas
"Geo Uplink! GeoTank! Earth Uplink, Great Atlas!" Gaia's personal armed humvee that trasnforms into Great Atlas, which attacks with the Earth Rollout. Can combine with StrataRobo to form StrataLancer

TimeOwl -> Clock Knight
Piloted by Eloi, the TimeOwl is a futuristic ship that attacks with Wing Cutter and Distortion Beam. When "Royal Advance!" is called, it transforms into Clock Knight, which is armed with the Eien Saber and can finish with "Lightning Blitz". Can combine with StrataRobo to form StrataKnight.

GodWinger -> StrataGod
Piloed by Herakles, this spacecraft transforms into a fighting metal god that attacks with Deus Kick. Combines with StrataRobo to form the sky's demigod, StrataDeus.

StrataJupiter
Formed form GodWinger, GeoTank and TimeOwl, StrataJupiter is the strongest mecha of the Strataman. Can launch lightning bolts from its hands for the finishing attack "Zeus Bolt Storm".

Episodes
1. Forecast, Part 1: The Sky Breaks Open - Courtney and Louis meet with the Molemen one fine day.
2. Forecast, Part 2: Sattelite Uplink - Sora gathers the four and brings them to Horizon.
3. Forecast, Part 3: Stormy Skies - Courtney gets a spot on the 11:00 news after their first major battle.
4. StrataRobo Uplink! - StrataRobo debuts when Great Atlas can't get the job done against General Digger's Claw Mole.
5. The Four Winds - Mason sends out a monster to block signals from Horizon while Sora is training the four in the ways of their elemental powers.
6. Call of the Wild Blue Yonder - Tyler uncovers the Mach Flyers, jets meant to be used by the Strataman.
7. Shadow Creatures - Nyx sends out a Shadow Creature in the dead of night. Sora goes to investigate.
8. Sora's Loss - Nyx drains Sora of her powers.
9. Core, Part 1 - The Strataman leap down into the depths of the Earth to reclaim Sora's powers.
10. Core, Part 2 - Aval introduces the Rangers to The Core, a fearsome living entity that rules the Arnsak.
11. April Showers and May Flowers - Janet is intrigued by the appearance of these heroes.
12. As Different as Night and Day - Tyler's sister Diane catches on to his new abilities, and wonders about telling the town.
13. First Turn - Courtney passes her reign of "leader" over to Tyler as spring turns to summer.
14. Tunnel Vision and Pipe Dreams - Mason carves out a tunnel that will collapse the surface world. Louis dives underground to stop him, with Cooper's trust in them at stake.
15. River Nyx - Nyx poisons the river running through Stone Summit, forcing Crystal and Tyler to solve the problem.
16. Molemen Unleashed - General Digger, getting a once-in-a-lifetime chance, lets loose Molemen and more Molemen. Against the odds, can the invasion be stopped?
17. Earth's Gift - The unconcious Sora grants a lead towards Eloi, and files are uncovered in the jeweler's that lead to revalations beyond belief.
18. Dog Days of Summer, Part 1 - Star Sirius, the Galaxy Dog, attacks during a peaceful night on the beach.
19. Dog Days of Summer, Part 2 - It'll take the miracle return of StrataLancer to solve the dogging problem the Rangers are facing.
20. Solstice the First - On the longest day of the year, Tyler's power is overflowing. He runs in to challenge a time-space bending monster sent by Nyx, and severely affects the whole team.
21. Father Time's Power! Eternal Hero, StrataChronos! - Eliot reveals himself as Eloi, old comrade of Sora. As StrataChronos, he defeats the monster, but Nyx revives it by fusing herself into its being.
22. TimeOwl Soars From the Future - Eloi warps time to bring the Rangers back to normal, but ends up making them older than they were before. Now Nyx wants them even more.
23. Go! Clock Knight - The fight goes to the future AND the past as Eloi fights to return things to normal.
24. Wizard's Duel - Aval challenges Father Time to a wizard's duel. Tyler tries to hold him back, but the laws of battle state he must accept.
25. Friendly Competition - While Aval is away, Mason and Nyx find a rare moment of agreement and create a Shadow Statue named Darkstone, who rushes into battle against the Strataman.
26. An Unbeatable Creature? - Darkstone challenges the Rangers, and Louis finds a sudden burst of power in himself that solves the problem.
27. Second Turn - Tyler gives leadership to Louis as summer changes into fall.
28. The Woods of the Eternal Cycle, Part 1 - Eloi takes the Rangers to the Woods of the Eternal Cycle to train. Crystal finds the Glade of Seasons, Courtney and Louis train, and Tyler questions Eloi about the past.
29. The Woods of the Eternal Cycle, Part 2 - Everyone tries to reunite for the final part of their training, but the woods are vast and mysterious.
30. Chaos, Part 1: The Morlock Butterfly - Janet's butterfly has transformed into Lepidoptera chronologica, the Morlock Butterfly. Eloi is mysteriously affected during a battle.
31. Chaos, Part 2: Eloi's Grim Future - Janet, Crystal and Louis travel through Eloi's self-contained time field and find themselves at the ends of the Earth. Janet has gone missing.
32. Chaos, Part 3: Janet and the Crystalis - MushiPink, really Janet herself, appears and defeats the butterfly once and for all.
33. A Sudden Appearance! StrataUranus! - Herakles returns from space with Thor's Hammer in hand to defeat a particuarly tough enemy sent by Mason and infused by The Core.
34. The Darkness of Space - StrataGod reveals itself when the Arnsak begin hollowing out the moon.
35. Girls' Team - Sora wakes up to find her husband returned and immediately begins formulating a plan to reclaim her power from the core of The Core once and for all.
36. Sora's Gambit - Sora finds Terra willing to negotiate for her power, but how far will she go? At the same time, Digger and Aval release a group attack on the remaining Rangers. StrataDeus debuts.
37. Mother Earth - Sora's power returns at last to triumphant fanfare, and Digger meets his end in battle.
38. Ultimate Uplink! StrataJupiter! - GeoTank, GodWinger and TimeOwl unite as one to form the protector of Heaven, Earth and Time - STRATAJUPITER! The Arnsak, clearly down and out, start to focus on their ultimate agenda.
39. Third Turn - Crystal takes her position as leader and starts investigating Sora's past in greater detail.
40. Solstice the Second - The shortest day of the year leads to a nighttime battle for the past, present and future.
41. On Thin Ice - Aval thins the ice on the lake, but Mason will be the one who takes the fall in battle.
42. Winter Wonderland, Part 1 - The Rangers are trapped in a Christmas town full of wonder and merriment...cooked up by Aval. Will they ever wake up?
43. Winter Wonderland, Part 2 - Crystal shatters the illusion and returns the team home. Terra plays a part in this as well.
44. The Pomegrante of Persephone - Terra is revealed to be Persephone, the lost daughter of Aval and Sora. Aval and Nyx are all that remain.
45. Undermining, Part 1 - Nyx tries to sway Persephone back to the side of the Arnsak in a deep underground mine.
46. Undermining, Part 2 - Aval, fed up with Nyx being better than him at everything, kills her in a stunning display of fire magic.
47. Pluto Lives Again - The Core absorbs the last traces of Aval's power to take on his true form - Pluto.
48. Heaven and Earth, Part 1 - Pluto turns the Earth upside down, reversing sky and ground. He is now above when before he was below.
49. Heaven and Earth, Part 2 - StrataJupiter and StrataRobo go head-to-head with Pluto himself to end this trickery once and for all.
50. Heaven and Earth, Part 3 - All things draw to a close as the Arnsak are finished at last.

[ElementMaster149]

sounds really good i'll have my eye on this

[crimson_inferno]

finnaly, some new material. cant wait!

[rangermaster]

Sounds awesome. Can't wait to read.

[GreenNinja]

Episode 1: Forecast, Part 1: The Sky Breaks Open

The life of a raindrop is a fairly uneventful one. Water vapors that have evaporated off the Earth gather in the clouds hovering in the blue sky and form into a mass of water that’s small in size. The droplet, being pulled by the gravity of the ground below, begins to descend. It picks up at an ever-quickening pace until it assumes its familiar droplet shape. Then, with a final splash, the droplet lands on its target. In the case of one particular droplet, it had just made contact with the silky brown-blonde hair of a woman standing in the park.

The woman, who had azure eyes and pale skin, ran her hands through her hair to ensure it was still dry. She was dressed in a navy-blue suit and skirt with white shoes. Her hair extended down to her shoulders and accentuated her appearance. On her suit’s right pocket was a lapel pin with the Channel 4 logo. This girl, aged 18, went by the name of Courtney Cloud. Courtney checked the microphone, also with the Channel 4 logo on it, in her hands and turned to her cameraman.

“Are we ready to go, Louis?” Louis Franklin, the cameraman, gave a thumbs-up. Louis had been a student of film and theater since his earliest days in freshman year with Courtney, and looked the part. He had a yellow T-shirt, black jacket and black pants on along with a pair of extravagantly bright yellow shoes. He wore glasses, had scraggly black hair and had a look on his face that spoke of constant, pensive thought. Louis elevated the camera on the tripod and gave a thumbs-up to Courtney.

“Can’t believe they let an intern like you do the weather report,” he chuckled.
“Can’t believe they let an amateur cameraman like you film it,” Courtney replied, “Our time at Channel 4 has been short, yes, but we’re making progress. Now, let’s get this thing rolling.”
“Action!”

“Hello, Stone Summit! I’m Courtney Cloud, reporting to you from Channel 4 weather. As you can see above me, the clouds are slowly turning dark over Mount Summit, so we can expect winds up to 40 miles per hour and a 60 percent chance of rain. Keep those umbrellas and ponchos handy. And now back to our anchors at the newdesk. See you next time.”

“Cut! That was great, Courtney. You’ll get a pay raise from that. Or a promotion, at least.”
“Thanks, Louis,” Courtney blushed, “I try.”

The clouds above, true to Courtney’s broadcast, broke open but seconds after she had wrapped filming. Louis packed his camera away posthaste, and the two ran for the shelter of a natural rock cave not too far off from them. The cave was damp and humid, but its warmth was exactly what they had been looking for. Courtney couldn’t be less pleased by this turn of events.

“My suit!” she said in a high-pitched squeal, “I got this for today…and it’s WET!” Louis reassured her they’d make it out alive, but Courtney’s glare caused him retreat and think otherwise. He walked to the back of the cave and pulled a lighter from his pocket. “May as well see in here,” he thought, “the storm will pass in time.” As he tried to spark the lighter he heard a chattering sound coming from further inward. Time to investigate.

The dark skies outside left visibility at a low, but it was bright enough for Louis to make out what was going on. He saw something human-like crouched over in the back of the cave. The lighter, after several attempts, finally flicked on and allowed Louis to see what it was that had been confusing him all this time.

The creature had three-sharp claws protruding from each arm, dingy brown fur coated in dirt, and two beady, black eyes. It resembled a mutated gopher and, with its razor-sharp buck teeth, glared at Louis in a way that sent a chill down his spine. Louis screamed and raced back to Courtney. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

“COURTNEY!” he yelled, “We have to get out of here!”
“Not in this weather.”
“But…but…”
“Not until I’m dry.”
“What if I said there was a DERANGED GOPHER about to chew us to bits with his gopher-teeth? What would you say then, huh?”
“I’d say you’ve been editing your movies too late.”
“That’s true…but so is the gopher.”

The creature’s demented screech filled the cave as Courtney hugged Louis tight and fled from the cave. The two ran as fast as their legs could carry them back to the Channel 4 news station. When they were gone from the park a figure, feminine in look, jumped down from atop the cave and took out something spherical from the pocket of her green dress. Her emerald eyes narrowed and she whispered something in a deadly serious voice.

“So…it’s you. The time has come.”
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Hours later, the sun had come out and cleared the sky and earth to a state where the citizens of Stone Summit, New York, could go outside and enjoy themselves without mud or random puddles interrupting their day. One of those out and about was a young man with a double-joystick remote control in his hands. A miniature plane was by his side.

“The wind is right; the air is right…prepared for takeoff.” This aviation enthusiast, Tyler Apollo, was wearing a red t-shirt and khaki shorts along with a pair of goggles. Tyler had brown hair and red eyes that told of dreams to fly among the clouds. He stepped back and flipped the “on” switch on his controls. The miniature plane’s propeller began to spin. Its ascent was smooth, and within time the plane was flying some feet above Tyler’s head.

“A thing of beauty,” Tyler remarked under his breath. He admitted his miniature plane flying about in the sky. Then he was knocked aside with a shove. Someone, or something, had crossed his path unexpectedly. When Tyler had regained his senses he saw that the one who’d toppled him was none other than Courtney Cloud. Louis was trailing behind her with his camera bag in hand.

“Courtney, you really oughta watch where you’re going,” he said, “Sorry about her doin’ that, man. She can’t really run in those shoes of hers.”
“My plane’s still flying, so it’s no biggie,” said Tyler, “Who would you two be?”
“I’m Louis, and that’s Courtney,” said the cameraman, “you?”
“Tyler Apollo. Call me Ty if you want. Where were you two off to in a rush like that?”

“Molemen,” Louis remarked.
“…seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“…and Molemen have what to do with what?”
“We have to tell Mr. Cooper at Channel 4. This is breaking news. Who thought MOLEMEN could be here in Stone Summit? It’s unthinkable.”
“I can’t even think of it now.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, Courtney…Louis…go and spread your story.”
“Thanks. Later, Ty.”

When Courtney and Louis had left, Tyler was scratching his head. “Molemen?” he glanced back to the sky to check on his plane. It was still flying. From somewhere behind a tree, a pair of green eyes looked at him. His meeting with Courtney and Louis was only the beginning.
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Miles away from where the chance meeting had occurred, two sisters walked through the streets of Stone Summit. The younger had blonde hair; the older one’s was dark brown. The older of the two had a pair of glasses on and was carrying a box in her hand. A green caterpillar was crawling about in the box. The younger sister turned to her elder sibling and gave an odd glance.

“You care too much for that thing,” remarked the younger, who had a transparent azure crystal hanging around her neck.
“More like not enough,” her older sibling said, “This thing’s going to become a butterfly someday. I need to give it all the care I can.”
“Whatever you say,” the younger sighed.

These sisters, Crystal (the younger) and Janet (the older) Prisma had been in Stone Summit for only a short time. Moving here had been going smoothly so far, and they hoped it would continue to do so. A new town, a new life, new people to meet…all the things they hoped for. Crystal saw a jeweler’s down the corner and turned to Janet.

“I’m going to see if they have anything there,” she called, “See you later!” Crystal clutched the gem on her necklace in her fist and ran ahead. The jeweler’s wasn’t far, and she may even be able to pick up a new bracelet or the like by the time she got out. Crystal would never get that far. When she reached the crosswalk on the street, a rumbling sound was heard beneath her feet.

The ground rendered itself in two. A stone platform, constructed entirely of sandstone, rose from the depths of the earth. Atop it was a girl, but she was like no girl Crystal had ever seen before in her life. Her skin was dull gray, like the color of an everyday rock, yet it was covered in mud. Her hair, black and dirty, flew in every direction. Her copper eyes had a glare that pierced through Crystal. A crowd of Molemen surrounded her, and a burlap sack full of something was in her right hand.

She wore a brassiere that was silver and sharp-pointed, as if there were two drills attached to her chest. Bronze armor covered her legs, shoulders and arms. The rest of her was left exposed. She glanced around; Crystal was the first thing her eyes caught. Her voice was smooth, yet slightly deeper than most women’s.

“What do you know? A surface-dweller. About the last thing I was expecting to see when I came up here. Tell me your name…” she reached into her armor and took out a bronze-and-silver drill weapon; the armament quickly shifted to become aimed at Crystal’s neck. “…or face immediate punishment.”

“C-c-crystal. Crystal Prisma. Wh-who are you?”
“Me? Why, I am Terra Sedi of the Arnsak Warriors. It is fitting you know my name, for when you reach the pearly gates, you may as well tell them who it was that ended your life. Prepare for the drill…” The drill began to spin blindingly fast. Crystal saw it near her body. She bent down the ground in fear, only to find something knocking away the drill from Terra’s hand.

“Do not harm her!” a voice called.
“Who dares to challenge me?” Terra snapped, “WHO?!”

A figure walked over the horizon. When she came into view, Crystal got a clear look at her savior. It was a female. Her body was covered in a skin-tight spandex suit, so as to disguise her identity. The suit was primarily blue with green patches on the legs, chest and helmet. The black visor was shaped like something between an oval and a circle; her belt was circular with a design like that of the Earth’s surface on it. She had white gloves and boots that appeared like the clouds above this blue world in contrast with the rest of her outfit. She struck a pose and announced herself.

“The Mother Earth! Spreading the seeds of green across the fields! I am…STRATAGAIA!” StrataGaia stretched her right arm outward and clenched her hand as if making a fist. In her hand appeared a weapon. It was a short stick – about the size of a police baton – with a miniature globe atop it. Around the globe’s equator was a gold ring with four gems interspaced evenly around it in green, red, yellow and blue. At the tip of the globe was a small golden radar dish rotating under its own power. StrataGaia announced it as the “Gaia Striker!”

“Ugh, Sora,” groaned Terra, “I thought we were done with you.”
“Not quite,” StrataGaia replied, “Gaia Striker – Equinox Rotation!”

The radar dish atop the globe’s North Pole shot a greenish-blue beam towards Terra. Terra spun around quicker and quicker, becoming dizzier and dizzier, until she lifted into the air and came down with a crash. The drills on her chest stuck into the ground and left her unable to move. Terra struggled to break free, but it was to no avail. Sora pointed the Gaia Striker at Terra again and spoke another command.

“Equator Bind!” A golden ring of energy wrapped itself around Terra’s arms and lower chest. Sora swung the Gaia Striker downward and sent Terra, tunneling by the force of her worn weapons, into the earth. The street returned to normal with a final sweep of the weapon. StrataGaia powered down to reveal her true form. Crystal was in for another surprise.

“You…you saved me,” Crystal spoke in shock.
“Yes, I did,” replied Sora, “as Terra spoke, you can call me Sora. I already know of your name.”

Sora was a woman of statuesque beauty. She had skin that was light – not tan, but not ghostly-white either. Her hair was brown and flowed down to the middle of her back; her eyes were the refreshing green of a newly-sprouted leaf. She was dressed in blue and green clothes patterned like the Earth itself. White armbands were on her wrists and ankles; they reminded Crystal of clouds.

“Who ARE you?” Crystal asked.
“I am a sky goddess,” Sora explained, “I’ve monitored Earth ever since the first signs of life appeared to make sure it remains safe. That is no longer the case. Crystal, if willing, will you come with me?”
“But what about Janet?”
“We can invent an alibi at a later time.”

Crystal, hesitatingly, followed the sky goddess down the streets. She didn’t know what for or where they were going, but if it had anything to do with the mad woman that had attacked her moments before, it was probably for the best.
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“I’m telling you, Cooper, it was Molemen!” Louis pounded his fist on the desk of Mr. Wallace “Wolf” Cooper, head of Channel 4. “I swear by my DS!”
“Then if it’s so ‘true’, Franklin, why not show me the video footage?” replied Cooper, a middle-aged man with a cold look of determination on his face.
“I…can’t, sir,” Louis shrugged, “The cam wasn’t on then.”
“Then why should I take the word of two interns on it?”

Louis and Courtney, faced with an argument they couldn’t beat, walked out of Cooper’s office. Courtney, still holding a clear memory of the attack, placed her arm around the shoulder of her friend. “Don’t worry about it,” Courtney said cheerily, “If it ever happens again…” she shuddered at the thought of what she’d just said, “we can film it then. We both know it’s true.”

“It’s a lie to those who are actually important,” Louis replied.
“Are you saying we aren’t important?”
“Kinda…maybe…yeah.”

Louis’ round of pouting was interrupted when a voice came over the PA system. “Interns Franklin and Cloud, please report to the main lobby. You have someone here to see you.” Courtney shrugged. She had no idea who it could be, but decided they may as well see.

When Courtney and Louis reached the front lobby they saw a woman standing there – Sora. Courtney shook hands with the woman and introduced herself Louis did the same. Sora placed her hands on their shoulders and looked into their eyes. The two Channel 4 interns suddenly felt at ease.

“Are you willing to come with me? The attack you dealt with earlier is but the first in what will be a string of many, increasingly worse attacks to follow. You know the truth, and I trust that you can be of assistance. So, will you follow?”

“Finally, someone who believes!” Louis cheered.
“Told ya,” Courtney winked. “So, what’s your name?”
“Call me Sora. This is Crystal Prisma. She’ll be joining us.” Crystal shook Courtney’s and Louis’ hands. The three walked through Stone Summit, passing across the park, where Tyler was once again flying his plane. The group seemed…strange to him. He’d seen Courtney and Louis before, but not the other two.

Then the ground began to shake yet again. Sora held out her wrist to reveal something strapped to it. The item, primarily blue, was slightly larger than a watch and had one circular screen and three green buttons. A small silver radar dish was on the top. It protruded outward, as if to send and receive signals. “This is the Geo Brace,” Sora explained, “You’ll learn more at a later time…but we still need one more person to join us.”

“You again?” Tyler asked, “Who’s with you?”
“Sora,” the goddess said, “You are one of the ones who knows.”
“Knows?”
“Of the attacks by the Molemen.”
“You mean they’re real?”
“Yes, very much so. This is why I want you to come with myself, Crystal, Courtney and Louis to the satellite Horizon.”
“To the where? For what?”
“As I said, you’ll find out. Do you accept?”
“Uh…I guess so.”
“Good.”

Sora held her right wrist to the heavens and shouted “Horizon Uplink!” A white beam of light shot from a cloud high above and enveloped the five. Tyler looked at his feet and saw himself rising higher and higher. Something damp clouded his vision. The air around him became cold and then, finally, warm once more. The sound of rain lightly hitting against the side of something metal repeated in the background. Tyler had moved somewhere completely different.

“Where…are we?” he asked.
“Welcome…” Sora announced, “to the satellite Horizon, located several hundred feet above your highest point, Mount Summit. You’ll come to know this place very well. More awaits…if you follow me.”

Tyler, Courtney, Louis and Crystal looked at each other warily. All of them had been taken aback by this strange and sudden turn of events. Wherever it went from here…they would have to go through it together. The four slowly, carefully, watching each step, followed after Sora.

To Be Continued...

NEXT TIME on Suihei Sentai Strataman

The Strata Braces, four items mixing primeval magic and modern technology, are granted to Tyler, Courtney, Louis and Crystal. For the first time in her life, Courtney is chosen to be the leader, and the Arnsak gather to reveal the first of their Statue Beasts. Satellite Uplink, Go! The wild blue yonder calls you – Suihei Sentai…STRATAMAN!

Forecast, Part 2: Satellite Uplink!

[rangermaster]

Awesome. I'm loving this. Can't wait for the next one.

[GreenNinja]

Episode 2: Forecast, Part 2: Satellite Uplink!

Stone Summit, New York looked like a quiet place to any passerby. Then the Molemen and Terra Sedi began attacking. Sora, known as StrataGaia, found four unlikely people from this quiet town to come aboard the Satellite Horizon with her. They are Channel 4 interns Courtney Cloud and Louis Franklin, model airplane enthusiast Tyler Apollo, and the new girl, Crystal Prisma. The four have been brought aboard Horizon….but for what reason?

The interiors of the satellite were silver and white. The walls were dark blue and covered in star charts and weather forecasts for every part of the planet. Buttons, switches dials and everything else covered the controls. On every screen was an insignia – a thin, wispy “S” with each end coming to a point. The black “S” was imposed over a golden compass-like design split into fourths. Each quarter was colored in a particular color. It went green, red, blue and yellow going clockwise.

The four walked forward. Courtney and Louis stayed close. Tyler kept near Crystal and held his hand to hers. They walked under an archway and found themselves in a completely different room. A large globe was placed in the center. Sora was standing over the globe; she turned to her chosen ones when they entered. “Wise choice you made. Do you know why I have called you here?”

“The Molemen?” Louis asked.
“You believe us?” Courtney added.
“Terra?” questioned Crystal.
“I have no idea,” Tyler remarked.

“Close,” Sora tapped the globe. The projection’s layers began to peel away until the Earth had become nothing more than a flaming ball of magma. She’d removed layers of rock and water until she reached the magma layer. “This Earth you see here is the one Terra and the Molemen want. A blazing inferno rich in minerals and jewels; they’ll do whatever it takes to get it.”

“Some chick and a few mutant gophers can do all THAT?” Louis said skeptically.
“No, they cannot,” Sora reassured, “but the Arnsak, of which Terra and the Molemen are a part of, CAN.”
“Yeah, the Arnsak…” Crystal mused, “What are they?”
“A group of underground warriors with that mission in mind,” Sora said, “They’ve been buried beneath the Earth for centuries, but they must have finally found a way to dig out. This is why I have called you here.”
“To stop the Earth from turning to Hell?” Tyler scoffed, “Please.”
“That’s just it,” Sora spoke, “You are the ones to stop the Arnsak, because you are the only ones that know of them.”
“How can we do that?” Courtney said, “I can barely get dressed on time, let alone stop the invasion of Dante’s groupies!”
“There is a way.”

Sora tapped the globe again. The Earth vanished in a pop and left an actual, physical metal box resting on a podium where the globe had once been. It had been hidden behind the projection. Sora reached for the box and opened the lid. “I give you the Strata Braces.” Each Strata Brace was like Sora’s Geo Brace, except dark blue with white buttons. Hesitantly, each of the four strapped one of the braces to their wrist.

A symbol flashed in the screen when the brace was attached. Tyler’s was a red sun emitting four rays of arrow-shaped light. Crystal’s was a four-pointed snowflake. Louis got a spiral-shaped yellow tornado with four smaller tornados around it. Courtney was still nervous about putting hers on. Sora sensed this, and placed her hand on Courtney’s shoulder.

“Courtney; now is the time I should tell you this…” Courtney silently waited for the news, “We are in the middle of springtime. You, chosen to be StrataGreen…are the leader of the Suihei Sentai Strataman.”
“Me…the leader?”
“Yes.”
“I accept.”

Courtney strapped her Strata Brace to her wrist. A green circle with a raindrop pointing in each cardinal symbol briefly flashed. “Suihei Sentai Strataman?” she asked, “What’s that?”
“You,” Sora said, “In order to combat the Arnsak, I have given you the power of the four seasons, and the weather that comes with them. These Strata Braces allow you to access the power when needed. Courtney, you are StrataGreen of the Eastern Wind. The rain is yours to command. Let it fall and bring new life.

“Tyler, you are StrataRed of the Northern Wind. Let the sun shine down and make life flourish. Louis, you are StrataYellow of the Western Wind. Your breeze signals the beginning of a new life. Finally, Crystal, you are StrataBlue of the Southern Wind. Let evil fall into a silent sleep at the sound of the snow. To access your powers, tap the middle button and call ‘Satellite Uplink!’ The rest will take itself from there.”

“When do we begin?” Louis, readying himself to go, asked.
“When an attack comes,” Sora said, “One will be starting any moment now. We have awoken the Arnsak…now they will stop at nothing to make sure we are destroyed. It’s the beginning of a long, long journey.”
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Terra, being pulled down by the force of gravity and her drill, descended deeper and deeper into the Earth until she landed on solid ground. She lay down in a push-up-like stance and removed her troublesome drills from the stone floor. Around her was a chamber of tan-colored rock; her home. Light from above was nothing more than a pinpoint on the ceiling now.

“Did you get it?” asked a voice behind her, “That’s why we send YOU to the surface.” The voice belonged to a man with short hair and something like a Roman toga on. He was like Terra – pale, but not covered in mud. A pick and hammer were in his hand and a trowel was stored around his belt. This man spoke with a dignified and classy tone; his name was Mason.

“Yeah, I got your stupid clay,” Terra passed the bag to Mason, “biggest haul yet. I almost lost it thanks to stupid Sora. You owe me for this.”
“I appreciate your work, m’lady,” Mason bowed, “Thank you much.”

Mason opened the bag and began to pile handful upon handful of sierra clay one on top of another until the mound was about his height. He then drew the trowel from his belt and began to smooth the clay into a block shape. “Leave me be,” spoke Mason dramatically, “an artist must never be interrupted when he is at work!” Terra rolled her eyes, sighed, and walked into another corner of the Arnsak’s lair.

“Mason’s always been a snob, hasn’t he?” asked a silky-smooth, feminine voice behind Terra, “Thinks his work is better than mine.”
“That’s because it IS, Nyx,” Terra retaliated, “He’s a dedicated man.”
“And here I was, thinking you’d back me up.”

Nyx stepped out from the shadows for a brief second. Her skin was clean, unlike the others, and a pale gray. Her eyes were deep, black and emotionless. She wore very little. It was as if the darkness itself crafted her clothes. She had jet-black hair that went to her shoulders and indigo lips that were about the only thing shining in the darkness. Nyx retreated back into the shadows yet again when the sound of footsteps rumbled behind Terra.

“I don’ know what I’ve been told!” roared the animalistic voice. Chattering sounds echoed in response, sounding vaguely like what had been yelled, but nothing close to it.
“Molemen troops are good as gold!” more chattering sounds answered. The holder of this gruff tone walked out of the tunnel, saw Terra, and saluted. He was noticeably shorter than anyone else in the Arnsak, but his attitude more than made up for it.

He was like a Moleman, but stouter in build and dressed like a military general. Two small pairs of titanium claws were attached to his hands. His eyes were squinty and he had two buck teeth sticking out of his mouth. “General Digga, reportin’, Miss Terra!” he said, “Any word on thin’s from the surface?”
“Sora almost killed me.”
“That’s good, that’s good.”
“Shut up and keep walking, ya rodent.”

General Digger exited from the room and walked onward. Mason was putting the finishing touches on his work when the last of the Arnsak entered. Nyx, Digger, Terra and Mason all turned their heads, for the man in their presence outranked all of them. “Aval,” they spoke as one and bowed down.

Aval was dressed in red and black robes. He had spiked red hair that went down to his neck and fiery red eyes. In his hand was a black staff topped with an orange-red orb that looked as though it had come from the center of the Earth. Aval was a magician of fire whose power outstripped all beneath him. Only one could command him – the one who had sent Aval to get the others.

“He beckons,” spoke Aval in a fiery voice. His words stung like embers when they reached the ears of the generals, “he says the time is drawing nearer. Is your sculpture done with, Mason?”
“It is,” Mason answered, “Do what you will.”

Aval walked to Mason’s statue and tapped twice with his wand. The clay statue surged with red energy and, in a flash, transformed into something living, breathing and moving. It had become one of Mason’s creations – the Statue Beasts. This one, in particular, resembled a large gopher dressed in a plaid vest, white undershirt, and plaid pants. Something like a cross between a golf bag and an ammo supply box was around his back. His primary weapon was a bright red golf club with a fuse on the grip and a black clubbing end.

“Is there a name for this creature?” Aval asked.
“I call him Golpher,” said Mason, “Golpher TNT.”
“Then he’ll go to the surface at once,” Aval chanted, “Rise!”

Dirt, clay and sand swarmed around Golpher and sent him to the surface. When the crazed creature was well out of sight, Mason snubbed his nose at Nyx and whispered under his breath. “It’s been centuries, missy, and the first creature is mine. Let’s see you outdo THAT.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aboard Horizon, Sora heard the sirens blare. She tapped a button on a nearby control panel and brought up Golpher TNT on the ground below. “It appears to be one of the Arnsak’s Statue Beasts,” Sora explained, “Look at the dirt left where he steps. Clearly it must be dealt with as soon as possible. I trust that you can handle it.”

“But how?” asked Louis, “I know we got these…‘Strata Braces’, but whadda we s’posed to do with ‘em?”
“Transform and fight.”

The four walked back to the room where they had entered, stood on the compass in the center of the floor, and once again felt the rush of transportation as they headed down to Earth. When they had left, Sora held her Geo Brace to her chest and wished. “Please, let them succeed,” she said, “They must.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
“FORE!” Golpher took a golf ball made of explosive plastic from his bag and hit it with his TNT Iron. The ball landed in a nearby field of trees and created an explosion. Molemen around him cheered and chattered in devious delight. Golpher laughed a high-pitched, annoying laugh, but was quickly interrupted when four arrived before him.

“STOP!” Courtney said, “Don’t do anything!”
“Who dares to challenge the great Golpher?”
“We do,” Tyler said.
“You tell ‘em, Courtney!” Louis added.
“So, do we begin?” Crystal quietly asked.
“Yes,” Courtney nodded, “NOW!”

The four held their hands to the sky, pressed the center button, and swung both their hands down, holding the Strata Brace close to their hearts. With a united call that echoed across Stone Summit, they called on the power from Horizon and donned the suits of warriors. It began now, with the words…

“SATELLITE UPLINK!”

Courtney stands in the middle of a field with a large tree behind her. Rain begins to fall and a green beam of energy shoots from her Strata Brace into the clouds. The water drips down her body and runs together to create her suit. A raindrop like her symbol lands on her head and spreads out into her helmet. Courtney strikes her final pose as her symbol glows behind her.

“New life blossoms forth! StrataGreen!”

Tyler stands in the middle of a field with a large tree behind him. The sunlight becomes intense, and red energy shoots from his Strata Brace into the clouds. The sunlight glares and takes the shape of his suit. A single ray, shining like his symbol, hits the top of his head and flashes into his helmet. Tyler strikes his final stance as his symbol glows behind him.

“Life in its prime! StrataRed!”

Louis stands in the middle of a field with a large tree behind him. The field and tree are both in shades of red, brown and yellow. A wind starts to blow and a yellow beam of energy shoots from his Strata Brace into the clouds. The wind holds close to his body and melds to form his suit. A smaller wisp winds its way around his head and forms his helmet. Louis strikes his final pose against his glowing yellow symbol.

“A time of change! StrataYellow!”

Crystal stands in a snowfield with a large, dead tree behind her. Snow begins falling and a blue beam of energy launches from her Strata Brace into the heavens. Snowflakes land on her body and form her suit. A single snowflake, shaped like her symbol, ripples outward into her helmet. Crystal strikes her final stance against her insignia.

“Reflecting on what has been! StrataBlue!”

Courtney held her hand outward and proclaimed her team’s saying alongside Tyler, Louis and Crystal. “Answering the call of the wild blue yonder!” Their suits shone in their respective colors as energy exploded forth to reveal the team symbol behind them.

“Suihei Sentai…STRATAMAN!”

“Who?” asked Golpher in extreme confusion and nervousness.
“RADAR GUN!”

From around their belts, the four drew a weapon. It was a dark blue handgun with gold trim. An eyepiece was attached for proper aim and radar scanning. Tyler gripped the trigger of his Radar Gun and let loose a stream of highly concentrated, spiraling navy energy that struck Golpher on his teeth. The rodent reached into his bag, took out four plastic explosive golf balls, and hit them towards the Rangers in rapid succession.

“Break and attack!” Courtney yelled, “Whatever happens, stay alive!” Courtney launched four shots from her Radar Gun in rapid succession, just barely rolling out of the way of Golpher’s explosive projectiles. Louis jumped into the branch of a nearby tree and launched more blasts. Crystal, lacking the confidence to use her gun, reached for her belt. She felt something on the left side of her waist. She reached for the grip, grabbed it, thrust it upwards, and saw something new in her hands.

“SATELLITE SWORD!” The bottom of the sword was like a radar dish, and a long silver blade extended outward. Crystal swooped down on Golpher and sliced his club in two with a cut of blue energy. Golpher swiped at Crystal with his claws, but StrataBlue remained unharmed. The next slash from Crystal left Golpher’s entire right arm encased in a block of ice. Crystal leapt back and regrouped with her team.

“Nice work,” Courtney said. She spoke into her Strata Brace, “Sora, anything else we can do with these things?”
“Combine them into one weapon called the Forecaster,” Sora replied, “That should be enough to defeat the Statue Beast. If any of you need me, just say so.”
“We’re doin’ well for now,” replied StrataGreen, “Courtney Cloud, over and out. Let’s go, guys! Combine to Forecasters!”

The Satellite Swords’ blades were retracted and the eyepieces of the Radar Guns were turned underneath the barrel. The Satellite Sword’s grip was connected to the front of the Radar Gun, and with a final flash of energy, the Forecasters had been created. All four Rangers, Courtney in the center, stood in formation and launched a combined attack.

“Elemental Spiral!” The tips of the Forecasters launched a beam each in the color and element of the four Rangers. Red sunlight, green rain, blue ice and yellow wind collided on Golpher as he exploded once and for all. The Strataman turned around, celebrated, and exchanged high-fives and cheers. They had won their first fight. Sadly, it would be a victory short-lived.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Aval, revive him,” Mason said impatiently, “Stop wasting time – do it!”
“As you please, Master Mason,” Aval bowed. He spun his wand in a circle three times on the ground. Outside, a pillar of dirt and mud rose up. Golpher was back at twice his size with all his weapons intact. He laughed at the Strataman below him and prepared to bat them away with his club.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Sora?” Courtney said, “We’ve got a major problem.”
Sora’s reassuring voice came through. “The Sky Machines are ready to go.”

NEXT TIME on Suihei Sentai Strataman

Sora sends SkyJet, SkyVan, SkyCruiser and SkyCopter to the field of battle against the giant Golpher. Terra goes up for another strike against the Rangers, and Sora reveals her own personal mode of transport – the GeoTank. “Earth Uplink, Great Atlas!”

Forecast, Part 3: Stormy Skies

[rangermaster]

This is so kool. Can't wait for episode 3

[GreenNinja]

Episode 3: Forecast, Part 3: Stormy Skies

When the least unusual thing about your day is the giant gopher dressed in plaid pants towering over your park, then you know your life has changed forever. Courtney, Tyler, Louis and Crystal stood on the ground in their Strataman suits waiting for what Sora, the sky goddess, called the “Sky Machines”. A delay was expected, but with the chance of death looming over them, they had a right to be anxious.

“Sora…” Courtney gritted her teeth, “Where ARE they?”
“They should be arriving now. Look above you,” replied the sky goddess.

Roaring engines echoed across the park. Courtney’s vehicle was the first to arrive. It was a large, navy blue news van complete with tracking dish on top. A green streak and the insignia of StrataGreen ran down both sides. Courtney leapt in and grabbed the steering wheel. She put the pedal to the metal and called out “SkyVan, moving out!”

Crystal received a speedboat, also dark blue, with a streak of lighter blue and her symbol on the side. She entered and grabbed her steering wheel, this one shaped like a ship’s, and took hold. “SkyCruiser, ready!” The ship rolled out a pair of wheels from underneath, had its back propeller rotate, and sped ahead.

Louis’ was like a military transport copter in design. He leapt high into the air, almost inhumanly high, and grabbed the controls of his dark blue aircraft trimmed with yellow. “Courtney, this is Louis, over. The SkyCopter is ready to go. Preparations for battle complete.”

Tyler, lastly, found a navy blue jet with red lines on the wings and his symbol on the tailfin flying towards him. “I can’t believe it,” he exclaimed as he grabbed the steering controls, “a real jet! SkyJet’s ready to rock! Whenever you guys are ready, we’re going into battle!” The SkyJet did a loop-de-loop before flying ahead.

“Sky Machines, full power!” announced the four together. SkyVan turned its dish towards Golpher and released a beam of green energy. Golpher clutched his stomach only to find SkyCruiser rolling up behind him to deliver a blast of freezing cold wind. SkyCopter unleashed fire from its automatic guns. SkyJet swooped by and cut Golpher with its razor-sharp wings.

“These are awesome!” Tyler exclaimed.
“Thanks, Sora,” Courtney replied.
“We haven’t won…” Crystal brought up.
“Can they do anything else?” Louis asked.
“Yes, they can,” Sora’s voice answered, “I’ll speak the command for you this one, but I trust you can do it whenever you need to after.”
“What command?” Tyler asked.

“BOMBER UPLINK!”

All control the Strataman once had over the Sky Machines was taken from them. The vehicles had been moved to autopilot. SkyCopter’s twin propellers folded forward 90 degrees as the copter landed on the ground. The front and back of the copter extended outward and let SkyVan drive in. SkyCruiser attached to the underside of SkyVan, and SkyJet landed on top of the copter’s new wings. Control returned to the four as the united formation lifted into the sky.

“StrataBomber complete,” Sora replied, “Your controls are the same as before, but now you have greater power. Go for it.”
“You heard the woman,” Louis said excitedly, “StrataBomber advance!”

The new jet, mostly dark blue in color, charged forward through the air. It moved within range of Golpher, locked its guns, and released round after round of fire. The gopher’s bag was decimated and his teeth were left with gaping holes. But he remained alive. Golpher swept the air with his claws, narrowly missing the StrataBomber each time.

“Use the Warp Hurricane,” Sora said, “You ARE new to this.”
“Got it,” Tyler replied, “StrataBomber…”
“WARP HURRICANE!” spoke the four together.

StrataBomber rose higher and higher until Golpher was barely visible below. A compartment in the underside of SkyCruiser opened up to reveal a golden bomb with the Strataman insignia on it. The bomb was released from its grip and sailed towards Earth. Faster and faster it went until it landed on Golpher’s hat and exploded. Wind swirled outward, then inward, and squeezed Golpher until he fell to his feet. It may have been because the Rangers were inexperienced, but Golpher just wouldn’t die.

“This is impossible,” Crystal sighed, “Warp Hurricane, from what it sounded like, SHOULD have worked.”
“Then here’s where I come in,” Sora spoke, “Geo Uplink!”

Silence fell over the park. Then Sora, now in her StrataGaia outfit, came riding up in control of something she called the GeoTank. It was like a humvee, mostly blue with patches of green and white, outfitted with a pair of rocket launchers on top. The rockets launched, flew in Golpher’s direction, and terminated him in a final, finishing explosion of rocks, debris and clay. Peace returned to the park once more.

The four Stratamen and StrataGaia departed from their vehicles and held their Braces to the sky. A beam grabbed them and whisked them back to the Satellite Horizon. Sora had much to explain.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nyx slinked out from the darkness. Her shadow, in and of itself, was almost like a second body, and that second form now wound itself around Mason. “There goes your ego,” Nyx proclaimed, “but I guess a golfing gopher just doesn’t work when up against the GeoTank and the StrataBomer. That Sora does present a problem, doesn’t she?”

“We’ll have to do something about her,” Mason said as he stomped his foot on the ground, “but WHAT?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Courtney and Louis were back at Channel 4 later that day. Louis, his camera hidden in his bag and his beg set aside in the park, had been secretly recording the fight of the Stratamen versus Golpher and the Molemen. Once again he and his friend walked up to Mr. Cooper’s office and tapped on the door.

“Who is it?” asked Cooper.
“Franklin and Cloud.”
“Come in.”

Courtney and Louis walked through the door. Cooper was looking out his window at the grassy fields of Stone Summit below. He turned around when he heard the sound of the two interns sitting on the chairs he placed in front of his desk. Cooper’s nameplate shone in the light of the sunset as he sat down, clasped his hands and looked at the two with unwavering skepticism and seriousness.

“What do you two want now? Is this about the Molemen again?”
“Actually…” Louis said confidently, “It is.”
“I told you before, Franklin, I’m not buying it.”
“Would you if I told you I had proof?”
“Only if you showed it to me.”

Louis opened the miniature screen on his camera, pointed it at Cooper, and replayed the footage he had already rewound. Molemen and Golpher wreaked their havoc on the park in the digital playback, and Cooper’s eyes widened. “Well, I’ll be…” he exclaimed, “there really ARE Molemen here.”
“Did you notice anything else about the video?” Courtney asked.
“What’s there to notice?” their boss replied, “If you two want to do something about this on the news tonight, be my guest. This is a breaking story!”
“Thanks Coop!” Louis firmly shook the executive’s hand, “I appreciate this opportunity.”

Louis and Courtney charged out of the Channel 4 building and embraced as they cheered in delight. They held their Strata Braces towards the clouds and called “Horizon Uplink!” Cooper never noticed two streaks of light in yellow and green move past his office window. Had he noticed, he wouldn’t have cared.

The only thing on his mind was tonight’s Moleman Report and the ratings it would bring in.
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Tyler and Crystal were lounging about on the satellite Horizon looking at the holographic globe. Tyler touched New York and saw the globe unravel into a flat, two-dimensional map shape, now zoomed in on the City that Never Sleeps. “So this can check anywhere in the world?” Tyler asked.

“Yes,” Sora explained, “We use it to check for places for there Arnsak have burrowed or any unusual weather patterns. If connected to one of the computers you see around you, we can predict the weather for the next week or so. Horizon may be the base of operations for the Strataman, but it was a government satellite before that. Horizon was abandoned some years ago, so I took control of it.”

“Cool,” Tyler remarked.
“Someone mention me?” Crystal walked in.

In her hand was a can of Coca-Cola. Crystal gripped her hand tighter and found the can becoming colder by the minute. “Whoa, didn’t know I could do that,” she remarked, “You probably have an explanation for that too, dontcha, Sora?” Sora nodded.

“The powers that you draw from Horizon are ancient in nature, just channeled through modern technology. You have some elemental abilities related to your powers now. They won’t be strong at first, but will increase as time goes on. Now, does anyone know where Courtney and Louis would be? I haven’t seen them since they left here some hours ago.”

Tyler and Crystal shrugged.

The sound of two bodies beaming aboard the satellite was heard from the back. Louis and Courtney, their arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders and their faces grinning with pride, walked into the main room and sat down. “What’s the smiles for?” Tyler asked.

“We’re going to be on the news tonight!” Courtney exclaimed.
“Details at 11:00,” Louis added.
“What are you reporting about?” Crystal questioned; she made her soda slightly colder when she tapped her finger against the metallic edge of the can.
“The Molemen invasion of Stone Summit,” Louis reclined back, “I’m working the camera and the footage, Courtney’s working the desk. Our own five-minute segment on Channel 4 tonight; do you have any idea how awesome this is?”

“It presents a problem,” Sora sat down at the table with them, “what are you going to do if the Strataman are on the video footage? There’s a risk of revealing your identity – and that must not happen.”
“Chill, Sora,” Louis laughed, “We’ve got it under control.”
“If the Strataman show up, I’ll just speak well of them,” Courtney spoke confidently, “Get us some good publicity.”
“Well….okay,” Sora answered, “I trust you. Best of luck.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Courtney was wearing a dark green suit and light green undershirt that night as she sat at the desk emblazoned with the Channel 4 logo. Louis stood by on camera and gave Courtney a thumbs-up. Both of them had taken great care the disguise their Strata Braces under long sleeves so as not to arouse suspicion. The light with the words “Filming in Progress” blinked red and the opening tune to Channel 4 played in the background. Showtime.

“Good evening, citizens of Stone Summit,” Courtney spoke in a professional voice, “A great threat is upon us. This afternoon, an outbreak of deadly creatures began, and no one knows when the end is in sight.” A graphic stating “Molemen Attack” appeared beside her to those watching at home. As of so far, Courtney had been reading from the teleprompter. In his office, Cooper watched in delight as his viewership increased to a level he hadn’t seen in years.

“These creatures are from the underground, and as such, are called ‘Molemen’. Their claws are sharp and their instinct is untamable, but there is a way to remain protected against them. We have a hope, and its name is…” Cooper’s eyebrow arched. “This isn’t on the prompter!” he thought, “What’s she talking about?”

“The Suihei Sentai Strataman!” Louis changed the image to a graphic of the four heroes stating “Strataman: Our Saviors”. Courtney told the city how these mysterious-suited soldiers were the key. “They fight by putting their life on the line, and with the power of the elements, they may be our key to success. Send them your wishes. Be there when they stand against the attack. They’re fighting for our future. We’re counting on you, Strataman.”

“That was brilliant, Courtney,” Louis said as the “Filming” light shut off. “I liked how we were, y’know,” Courtney looked at the screen in front of her. StrataGreen and StrataYellow were the frontmost two in the graphic. She blushed. Before the two exited the studio, a crashing sound was heard from outside. A crowd of Molemen rushed in.

“Ye gads!” shouted Cooper in his office, “The Molemen ARE real! All employees clear the building immediately!” Editors, cameramen, interns and managers of all sorts ran as fast as their legs could carry them to exits, emergency and otherwise, but the Molemen were waiting at every turn. Courtney and Louis didn’t flee. They had no reason to. Both rolled up their sleeves.

“Molemen troops march on ahead!” sounded a drill sergeant-like voice in militaristic cadence, “Make sure that those two are dead!” Voices echoed his words in unintelligible chatter. The door to the studio was busted down, and in walked General Digger. A machine gun was strapped to his wrist and his long claws were bared for the fight.

“Who are YOU?” Courtney asked.
“Since you asked I’ll say my name!” Digger spoke in the same repeated cadence, “Killing Strataman’s my game! Digger of the Arnsak! After several hundr’d years we’re back! General of Molemen all! Now’s the time…for you to fall!” A grin crossed his rodent-like face. He pointed a claw forward. The Molemen charged on Courtney and Louis.

“Sora!” Courtney yelled into her Strata Brace, “We’ve got an Arnsak general, name of Digger, at the studio. We need the Strataman!”
“Two of them are already here,” Louis said smartly, “Let’s do this.”

“SATELLITE UPLINK!”

To Be Continued…

NEXT TIME on Suihei Sentai Strataman

General Digger and the Molemen fight the Strataman, but Sora is once again needed to save the day. Digger calls on the Claw Mole, a deadly drill mecha that bores up from the bottom of the Earth. When Great Atlas fails, can a new uplink by the Strataman of the Four Seasons save the day? Strata Uplink! Flying formation, StrataRobo is here!

StrataRobo Uplink!

[rangermaster]

This is awesome. Love this.

[Boukenred]

Man, this Fanfiction is awesome, one of the best I've ever read,can't wait for episode 4

[GreenNinja]

Episode 4: StrataRobo Uplink!

Courtney and Louis were surrounded. They were the last two left in the Channel 4 station. General Digger, leader of the Moleman troops, was staring them down; a glare shone in his beady little eyes. Courtney and Louis rolled up their sleeves and called out “Satellite Uplink!” The radar dish on the top of their Strata Braces began to rotate wildly as energy spiraled over their bodies.

Courtney, now clad in green, had a light shower of water falling around her. She held her right hand upward before swinging her arms to her chest. “The Spring’s Rain!” she declared, “StrataGreen!”

Louis sent a gust of wind around him. He extended his arms outward and shifted them to a pose. “The Autumn’s Gale!” he called out. “StrataYellow!” He and Courtney drew their Radar Guns from around their belts, scanned the area for all Molemen present, and unleashed fire.

Shots ricocheted off the walls and into the camera. Molemen leapt at the two Rangers from all directions. Courtney dropped her gun and swung her leg in a roundhouse motion to send the Molemen flying into the wall and desk behind her. Louis held his finger down on the Radar Gun’s trigger and released a massive burst of energy. An entire line of foot soldiers was cleared in under a second.

“Satellite Sword!” Courtney pulled the weapon from her belt and leapt onto the news desk. She wasn’t much higher than the Molemen below, but was high enough so that she could land a solid hit. Courtney pointed the saber up into the air and created a storm cloud that now hovered near the ceiling. Courtney leapt upward and vanished into the cloud.

The Molemen turned their heads and saw a green streak of light dash to the ground. Courtney plunged her Satellite Sword into the floor of the studio and sent ripples of water outward. Molemen were washed away as StrataGreen lifted her blade from the ground and swung it in a circular motion. “Monsoon Spin!” Louis drew his Sword and combined his weapons into the Forecaster.

“Today’s forecast is cloudy with a chance of winds up to 40 miles an hour,” Louis quipped, “You’re the ones caught in the path of the storm. Forecaster, Wind Gust!” The front of the weapon let loose a spiral of yellow energy that cleared through an entire platoon of troops and shattered one of the windows. Ten Molemen and General Digger were all that was left in the wrecked Channel 4 studio.

“Well, you did just dandy, Strataman,” smirked Digger, “you may’ve taken the troops, but you have yet to take the general!” He drew his machine gun and unleashed fire. Screens shattered and bullet holes appeared in the desk. With his claws bared, Digger approached Courtney and held his nails to her neck. Courtney couldn’t fight back, because with the gun in his right hand and his claws extended on the left…she had no way to escape.

“Hurry up!” Louis yelled into his Strata Brace, “Urgent situation! Just…get here!”
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“Digger’s not doing half-bad for a man-gopher,” commented Mason, “but he’s only dealing with two Stratamen. Blue, Red and Sora,” he spoke the last word with utter contempt, “have yet to enter the fight.” Terra, having heard the word of her archnemesis, began to discuss in private with Nyx. The girls of the Arnsak were close in their alliance, and their hatred of Sora was mutual.

“StrataGaia, the Mother Earth,” Terra mocked, “We have to get rid of her. If she lets those four punks onto anymore then they know now, the Arnsak won’t survive to see another day. We have to get her power away from her.”

“Tougher than it sounds,” Nyx mused, “Have you noticed whenever the Strataman henshin their power comes from the sky? Satellite Uplink? There may be something up there we’re ignoring. But we lack the technology to deal with it at the time. Up there is our key to dealing with Sora. Once she’s powerless…or better, dead….we’ll be the ones with the advantage.”

Aval, the firemancer, walked over to the two female generals and interrupted their conversation. “What would we be talking about?” he asked, “It sounds like a difficult task.”
“Stupid Sora,” Terra crossed her arms, sighed, and pouted.
“You said that we lack the power to deal with something,” Aval spoke, “Tell me what it is and I’ll confer with him to see if he approves this plan.”
“We’re not getting him involved!” Nyx snapped.
“And why not?”
“These are secret matters!”
“Not to me…” Aval stroked his chin. “Not to me, dear Nyx…”
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Tyler and Crystal had been watching the news that night, and heard Courtney and Louis’ call for help just after the broadcast had ended. They had hastily slipped on a pair of shoes, grabbed a jacket, and ran out into the cold night air. Only the glow of the streetlamps led them towards the Channel 4 studio where the danger was escalating to ever-greater heights of tension.

“Arnsak?” Crystal asked.
Tyler replied, “What else?”

Their legs became tired from the stress, and Crystal had to stop to catch her breath shortly before they reached a blown-out wall to the studio. To General Digger, still holding Courtney hostage, the two tired humans appeared like shadowed warriors of legend beneath the moonlight. He heard a whirring sound from nearby, and turned around to see the other two Stratamen standing behind him.

“SATELLITE UPLINK!”

Moonlight turned to sunlight as the red-clad hero on the left announced his name. “The Summer’s Sun! StrataRed!”
A chilling wind struck Digger’s back and caused him to shiver. “The Winter’s Snow! StrataBlue!”

Tyler drew his Satellite Sword and Crystal her Radar Gun. Crystal fired at Digger’s wrist. The red-hot blast caused the mole to shriek out in pain and toss his machine gun up into the air. Tyler jumped into the air and sliced the metal weapon in two. When he landed on the ground, his sword and Digger’s claws clashed, one against the other as Courtney rolled out of the way.

“What are you doing here?” Tyler growled, “Why did you attack them?”
“Your friend here was spreading good word about you,” Digger replied, “I’m not a-gonna let that happen. The Strataman will never get a good name around these parts…not as long as I can do something about it.”
“Except for one thing…you won’t.”

Tyler pushed harder and harder with the Satellite Sword, but Digger, who had been holding back his strength, sent Tyler to the ground in one swipe of his claws. He left a gash in the side of each of the four Strataman. The claws on his other hand extended outward. “No one to save you now…” he said, “the general’s won this battle; the Arnsak will win the war.”

Courtney, already weakened, tried to convince the others to fight, but their energy had been drained. The lateness of the night wasn’t working to their advantage, either. Then there came a voice. A beam of turquoise light streaked through the clouds and landed near the edge of the broken wall. In it appeared the sky goddess Sora. Her Geo Brace was strapped around her wrist, and a look of determination was in her eyes.

“Another one of you,” she laughed, brushing off Digger as though he were a minor annoyance, “should be no problem. The skies never sleep. They just change from night to day…and at night, the universe shows its true self. Geo Brace! Gaia Uplink!” Digger could feel the Earth move beneath him as energy swept up around Sora.

Sora stands on the ground and leaps high into the air. As she ascends into the sky, a beam from the Horizon covers her body and forms her suit. Sora goes higher and higher until the Earth is behind her. An image of the blue planet superimposes itself over her face and forms her helmet. The Gaia Striker lands in her hand as Sora strikes her final pose.

“The Fertile Ground! StrataGaia! GAIA STRIKER!” She drew her weapon and spun the miniature radar dish atop it. “Lunar Orbit Dance!” A point of silver light spun faster and faster around the Gaia Striker’s globe until it took the shape of Earth’s moon. The moon launched itself at Digger, slammed into his stomach, and sent him flying through another wall and out of the studio.

“That solves that,” Sora said as she brushed the dust from her shoulders, “I see you four are still learning.”
“Thanks again, Sora,” Crystal congratulated.
“StrataGaia?” asked Courtney.
Louis was holding his Radar Gun at his side and examining the goddess’ suit. “Wait, so you have the GeoTank AND Ranger powers?”
“Yes,” Sora answered.
“Good to know,” Tyler replied, “So, what do you think happened to Digger?”

General Digger had fallen in battle, but he wasn’t dead yet. As he lay in the remains of the destroyed wall, he weakly drew a walkie-talkie from his belt and spoke four words into it. “Send the Claw Mole.” A rumbling sound was heard outside the studio.
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From the ground, something bore its way up to the surface. It was like a large, tan-colored mole with a silver drill attached to its nose. Digger gathered his strength and leapt into the cockpit. The drill assumed a humanoid form (with the drill bit itself on the chest) and stood against the city of Stone Summit. “I call it the Claw Mole!” he laughed, “Come and get me!”

“I can handle this!” Sora said calmly, “Geo Uplink!”

The GeoTank, bearing Sora’s colors and symbol, arrived on the scene. Sora fired missiles from the top of the humvee, but the Claw Mole’s drill bits stopped the attack in its tracks. Tyler, Courtney, Crystal and Louis watched from the destroyed Channel 4, and knew that they had to help. They put their fingers to their Strata Braces, and heard a cry come from the distance.

“ATLAS…UPLINK!” Sora’s voice echoed over the hills and valleys of Stone Summit. The GeoTank shone with a warming light and began to change. Digger backed the Claw Mole up and stared down to the vehicle beneath him.

The GeoTank’s back portion extended outward as the vehicle pulled a 180 on the ground. Feet extended forward from the legs. Compartments on the side opened up as arms slide out and push the new formation to its standing state. The front half folds down and reveals a head shaped like an ancient god. Golden gauntlets appear on the formation’s wrist as an image of the Earth shines behind it.

“GREAT ATLAS!” Sora yelled. Great Atlas lifted its hands above its head and had a blue and green ball of energy shine in its grasp. “Tectonic Rollout!” Sora pulled down on a lever and commanded Great Atlas to throw the Earth-sphere forward. Claw Mole’s drill spun faster and faster and dispelled the blow. The treads on its feet activated and propelled it towards Great Atlas.

Sora tried to block, but she wasn’t ready. A hole had been drilled into Great Atlas’ chest. The formation collapsed. Sora frustratingly punched the controls in an effort to get the formation up and running, but it was to no avail. She spoke into her Geo Brace. “I’m sending you the Sky Machines. It’s up to you to finish him off.”

“But, Sora!” Tyler replied, “If you couldn’t…”
“I attacked him head-on,” Sora sighed, “You have another method. A stealthier one. A better one. The password you need is ‘Giant Uplink!’ Sky Machines arriving…now!”

The four vehicles arrived in the area. One by one the Strataman leapt into the vehicles and confirmed that all systems were operational.
“SkyJet, ready!”
“SkyVan, let’s go!”
“SkyCopter, all systems go!”
“SkyCruiser! It’s time!”
“GIANT UPLINK!”

SkyVan separates itself in two and drives backwards. SkyCopter’s propellers two halves slide aside as the central body disconnects and attaches to the SkyVan legs to form the waist. SkyCruiser attaches to the waist and forms the body as the two sides of SkyCopter attaches to create the shoulders; hands and arms extend forth. SkyJet’s wings split off and become a shield as the pointed front of the vehicle makes a sword. The remainder folds in and creates the head. StrataRobo’s wings extend from the back of SkyCruiser as the formation takes to the sky and poses.

“StrataRobo, combination complete!” spoke the four from within their united cockpit. The cockpit was like a larger version of the individual cockpits with slightly different controls. “Four Sword and Cycle Shield!” the names of the weapons sounded off.

“So it’s another robot,” Digger mused, “I can handle this EASILY!”
“Let’s see about that,” Tyler snapped, “GO!”

StrataRobo took off and held the Cycle Shield outward. Lasers launched from the drill, but the Cycle Shield blocked every hit. The Four Sword hit Cycle Mole’s head and created a crack in the rock armor. StrataRobo placed the weapons behind its back and soared higher and higher into the sky. Digger, frustrated at his loss, punched a button on his control panel and launched the drill itself from the chest of Claw Mole.

“AH…WILL…NAWT…LOSE!” Faster and faster the sharp spiral ascended into the sky, but StrataRobo performed a loop-de-loop and throttled down towards the open chest cavity.
“Finish him!” Louis snapped.
“STRATA WING PUNCH!”

StrataRobo slammed its fists, aglow with the power of the skies, into the open spot left by the drill. It flew through the body of the Claw Mole and shattered it to bits. StrataRobo hovered in the sky and struck a victory pose as the drill exploded into bits. Sora, from her position on the ground, congratulated the Rangers on their victory.

“We will meet again,” Digger seethed. He leapt into the air and burrowed under the ground. “My mission is done.” Terra and Nyx wouldn’t be happy when he retuned. In addition to his mission failing, Sora was about to let her protégés onto another secret. Their powers granted by Horizon. Such strength was a potent force.

Nyx wouldn’t want them to use it. It could mean the loss of everything the Arnsak stood for.

NEXT TIME on Suihei Sentai Strataman

Sora teaches the four to channel their powers through their bodies, but that proves to be too much of a stress. Weapons are the only option. Mason sends up another Statue Beast, this one with the ability to block out all signals. Can the Strataman fight when their powers won’t allow them to morph? …can they gain control?

The Four Winds

[rangermaster]

Awesome. Just awesome. Can't wait for the next episode.

[GreenNinja]

Episode 5: The Four Winds

“Yes, you now have control over basic elemental powers. I should’ve told you this earlier.” Sora spoke to the four Rangers aboard Horizon, “Your powers from Horizon are the gathered essences of the four seasons. In order to integrate the powers onto your bodies, you had to become like the season. As such, you now have these basic abilities, which are why I have gathered you here for training.”

Tyler and Crystal already knew of this, but Courtney and Louis were amazed. Courtney clenched her hand into a fist and saw water began to flow downward. Louis swept his hand across the room and felt wind blow in the direction he had moved his hand. Tyler demonstrated his own ability by pointing a finger at the sky and sending a ray of sunlight out.

“I love it!” Courtney exclaimed.
“You’re the LEADER,” Tyler spoke aside to her, “You should know of these powers.”
“Well forgive me for looking for career advancement.”
“Now’s not the time for pointless bickering,” Sora spoke up, “You should start training. I know just the place where we can do it. Follow me.”

Sora snapped her fingers. All five Braces activated at once and whisked the Rangers away to a cloud some distance away from Horizon. Crystal stomped her foot on the white mass of condensed water, and found it strangely sturdy. “…how can we do this?” Sora nodded and, once again, had the answer to the question her protégés were looking for.

“Your power lies in the sky, and even the clouds answer to your call,” Sora replied, “Training begins…now!” All five activated their Braces and transformed into their respective Ranger forms. Sora pointed her Gaia Striker at the clouds. The white objects, hovering in the sky, moved in front of the sun and turned grayer in color. “Courtney, Crystal, step forward.” StrataGreen and StrataBlue leapt to Sora’s cloud.

“Courtney, you control the rain,” Sora began, “Give it a try.”
“Alright,” Courtney chuckled, still nervous about her belated discovery of her powers, “Let’s see what I can do.” She snapped her fingers and saw the cloud began to split. Drops of condensation were appearing on its underside. Courtney raised her hand into the air and slammed it on the surface of the cloud she stood on. She moved her hand and controlled the path of the droplets.

The rain came down first in a light drizzle, then in an ever-increasing downpour, towards Tyler. She had yet to master control over these powers. Sora saw Tyler wondering what to do, and contacted him over her Geo Brace. “Use your sun control to counter Courtney’s rainstorm.” Tyler nodded and clenched his hand into a fist.

High above, the sun’s rays increased in intensity and dissolved the clouds Courtney had been sending the rain from. Aided by the speed of light itself, the sun’s rays evaporated the curtain of rain before it struck StrataRed. Sora reformed the clouds and asked Crystal to give her abilities a shot. Crystal wanted to, but something had occurred to her.

“C..can I?” she blushed, “I mean…will my powers work in this time of year?”
“Not as strong as in your season, and that time will come,” Sora answered calmly, “but they are accessible. Give it a try.”
“Right,” Crystal gathered her courage, “Snowstorm!”

The grayish hue in the clouds now blocking the sunlight once more turned a lighter shade. Snowflakes, each one different from the one before it, began to fall into Crystal’s palm. Crystal made a fist and opened her hand to see a perfectly rounded snowball lying in her grasp. A thought crossed her mind. She glanced to Louis, now idling around, and threw the snowball in his direction. “CATCH!”

Louis flicked his wrist and created a gust of wind powerful enough to redirect the snowball back at Crystal. Snow splattered against her helmet, but StrataBlue wiped it off and laughed. Everyone gathered back at the large central cloud and powered down. “You’re off to a good start,” Sora remarked, “but there is still much to learn. Try to see if you can focus the powers to a central point. That will be our next lesson. In the meantime, practice, but don’t let anyone know. These are only to be used in times of extreme circumstance.”

“Understood,” Tyler answered.
“Got it,” Louis pointed a finger at Sora and winked.
“Good enough,” Courtney sighed.
“If we must,” Crystal answered.

Hundreds of miles down from where Sora and the Strataman were enjoying themselves, something sinister was brewing. This training session had not gone unwatched. The Arnsak had ways.
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Mason stared at the pile of clay, cylindrically shaped, that stood about as tall as him. One had rested on his chin, and the other one remained on his trowel. “Something lies within this lifeless clay,” he mused, “something is waiting to come out. I just don’t see it yet.” This would’ve continued on for a great deal longer had one of Terra’s drills not poked him in the back.

“TERRA!” Mason called, “What brings you here?”
“News from Aval,” Terra answered, “Y’know the four kids Sora chose? They have powers.”
“I know that,” Mason fumed, “Why did you need to interrupt me to tell me what I already know!”
“Not the Braces, you dense moron,” Terra snapped, “I mean actual POWERS. He can dry out the clay before you can sculpt it, she can wash us away in a mudslide, HE can erode us to nothing, and SHE can freeze us to death. Pick your poison.”
“…surely you jest.”
“No lie.”
“This has inspired me, Terra,” Mason answered, “Back off and let an artiste work.”

Mason slid his trowel’s broad side down the clay and let it take on a blocky human form. With the thin side he cut pieces off until every little detail was etched in. Before he was to call in Aval for the eventual transformation, there was one last step to perform. Mason stuck his fist into the ground and produced a ball of lead. Having lived underground all his life, he was unaffected. The lead ball was inserted where the heart of the monster would go.

“Aval!” Mason called, “Make your presence known!” The cave fell silent. A crack appeared in the ground. There appeared a wall of fire, and out from it walked Aval. The red markings on his robes looked as though they themselves were on fire. Aval pointed his staff at the statue and sensed something of unusual mass inside it. He turned to Mason with his eyes aflame.

“Have you added another material to the clay?” he asked.
“Yes,” Mason said truthfully, “It makes it…sturdier.”
“As long as it does not interfere with my magic,” Aval hissed, “Stand back. GOLEM, BE BORN!” The orb atop his wand lit up, sparked, and sent a whip of fire at the statue.

As if it was in a kiln, the statue became hardened. Color began to appear over its body. Its eyes flashed with life. This Statue Beast had jet-black armor lined with silver trim. The entire top of his head was silver, and his hands shone with energy. Aval, having given the Statue Beast life through fire turned to the sculptor Mason and asked his usual question.

“Do you have a name for this…creation of yours? He is showing some doubt in your abilities after Golpher failed.”
“Golpher was my first, Aval,” Mason replied, “Let’s let…Leadfoil…here, have a bit more of a chance to prove himself, shall we?”
“Very well. To the surface, Leadfoil!”

Aval sent debris, rocks and mud flying around the beast. Leadfoil growled and went to the surface. Mason already had a destination in mind. He was going to attack them at the base of Mt. Summit. The sheer height of the mountain was perfect for intercepting the signals. No signals from Horizon…no Rangers.

Time for the plan to be put into effect.
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“Mount Summit,” Tyler said as he, Courtney, Crystal and Louis approached the peaceful peak, “The highest point in town. There’s a nice sauna halfway up the path if you guys want to recharge. Sora contacted me earlier. Said she hid something up here that could come in handy. Always with the plans and preparations. She really cares about us.”

“She cares a little TOO much,” Courtney remarked, “We should be able to discover some of this stuff on our own. It’s not like she’s our mother.”
“Or is she?” Crystal asked.
“Pardon?” Tyler glanced downward.
“The Mother Earth,” Louis replied, “So, in a way, she’s everyone’s mother. It makes sense she’d care about our safety. Chill, Courtney, chill.”
Crystal put her hand on Courtney’s shoulder and sent a burst of cold air from her palm. Courtney shuddered. Crystal laughed and continued the trek up the mountainous peak.

There were narrow precipices and steep slopes the further up they went, but when the path finally leveled out, the sauna Ty had spoken of came into view. It was a simple, porcelain-white building with a sliding glass doorway leading to several rooms of relaxation. Courtney walked in and placed her hand on the desk to let her group in, but the lady at the desk recognized someone else first.

“Crystal? Crystal Prisma?” she asked in a friendly voice.
“Yes,” Crystal blushed.
“Are you with them?”
“You mean Courtney, Louis and Ty? Yeah.”
“Then go right in.”

“How did she know you?” Courtney asked.
“I don’t know,” Crystal replied, “but my family does have a history in the jewelry business. That’s how I got this necklace.”
“Beautiful…” Courtney eyed the gem.
“Keep moving, ladies,” Louis interrupted, “We don’t have all day.”

The clerk at the desk would’ve had nothing to do for the rest of the day, but when she heard the electric hum of the sliding doors, it was her job to provide service to whoever walked in. Except, this time, it was Leadfoil who had entered into the sauna. “I’m looking for the Suihei Sentai…Strataman,” spoke the Statue Beast in a low growl.

“They’re over…MY GOD,” the woman exclaimed, “Who ARE you?”
“Tell the Strataman that the Arnsak says hello,” laughed the monster. He began to march through the halls. Every step left an indent in the floor, and for someone made of lifeless clay, he could move very fast. Mason’s plan was going off without a hitch.
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“Perfect,” Courtney sighed as she and Crystal exited the steam room, “We’re halfway to Sora’s destination, and I’m rested and ready to go.” Tyler and Louis walked over from the nearby gym. They had been training and were prepared to continue the hike. Crystal held up her finger and was about to speak, but Leadfoil came into view. On instinct the four reached for their Strata Braces.

“Satellite Uplink!”

Courtney began to press her button furiously. “C’mon, uplink! Uplink! UPLINK!” Nothing. “Why can’t we transform?”
“Because of me,” Leadfoil laughed, “My body is blocking the signals from Horizon from reaching you. Nothing can pierce my armored form. Tough luck.”
“We still have our elemental powers, remember?” Tyler whispered.
“But we can barely USE them,” Louis answered, “We’re out of luck.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t try,” Crystal answered, “Strataman…”
“I’M the leader!” Courtney butted in, “Strataman, GO!”

Courtney ran her hand down her arm and gathered the moisture still left. She sent the water out in a storm of droplets that pounded against Leadfoil’s body like bullets. He wasn’t affected. Crystal, also drawing her power from water, did the same. Crystal blew into her hand and sent an icy wind dancing about Leadfoil’s body. The Statue Beast slammed the ground and knocked Courtney and Crystal off their feet.

Louis knew that such heavy armor would be unable to be affected by his powers. Tyler was doing nothing but standing there. A look of determination was on his face. He was focusing on something. He held out his hand and positioned his fingers as if they were clasped around something. “I can do it…” he thought, “Focus these abilities…raise them to a higher level…I can do it.” A red glow surrounded his body. He walked forward and held his hands to Leadfoil.

“SOLABLADE!” The red glow around his form condensed into his palm and took the shape of a sword. It had five golden rays radiating out from the orange-yellow guard. Two formed the cross guard, two bended down for decoration, and the last one, the longest, formed the wavy golden blade. The grip was bright red, and the pommel was shaped like a miniature sun. Tyler slashed once across Leadfoil’s chest and left a gash in his armor.

“How did you do that?” Louis asked.
“You have to concentrate your power,” Tyler replied, “The key is to focus.” Louis, Courtney, and Crystal held their hands outward as Tyler had done and waited. Faint glows in their respective colors began to form around their bodies.
“I’m fed up with you!” Leadfoil shouted, “Begone!” He launched a dangerous beam of radiation from his hand towards Courtney.
“NO!” Tyler called out.

The beam hit the ground near StrataGreen. Smoke and debris rose…but so did Courtney. “PARAINSOL!” she called. In her hands was something like an umbrella missing its cover. The metal rods stretching the canvas were held close to the central pole, and a trigger was near the cane-shaped handle. Courtney launched a barrage of water bullets into the gash on Leadfoil’s chest.

From a distance away, Louis had finally attained control over his powers and called on the “GUSTBRANCH!” It was a thick, polished stick with four yellowed leaves hanging from its branches. Louis swung the Gustbranch through the hallway and raised Leadfoil into the air. All that remained was Crystal.

Crystal’s body and the gemstone around her neck were shining with the same blue aura. In the hand of StrataBlue appeared something like a pickaxe. Each end was made of translucent, light blue metal and was frosted with white powder. The dark blue handle firmly kept the picks connected. Crystal spoke its name. “STALACTICE!” She leapt into the air.

The hardened point of the Stalactice struck Leadfoil in his chest. It made contact with his core. Blue energy rippled outward as Leadfoil was reduced to nothing more than clay upon the ground. All four stood back and transformed into the Strataman as their signals finally reached their Strata Braces. With their new weapons in hand they stood and triumphantly posed.

“Victory…belongs to us!” Crystal stated.
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“MASON!” bellowed Aval, “You infused your Statue Beast with a lead core! Such a thing interrupts all signals – INCLUDING my magic! Had the Strataman not struck it first he would’ve deteriorated the next time he tried to throw a punch! From now on, leave any modifications you want done to ME! I can do MAGIC! Which means I can do almost ANYTHING! Buffoon!”

Mason went to the corner and sulked. “Stop talking like you’re the Grand Wizard around here,” he muttered under his breath, “An artist can create, too. It’s almost like I’d have to kill myself to be appreciated around here.” General Digger marched the Moleman troops past Mason as Terra joined him at his side.

“Don’t worry,” she said, “Your next one will work.”
“It’s always the next one,” Mason pouted, “Why is it never THIS one?”
“Because,” Terra smirked, “The next one will be able to fly.”

Terra opened her hand and produced a wing badge. “A gift from Nyx to you.”
“Nyx?” asked Mason, “But she and I are…”
“Now, now, let’s not let petty rivalries get in the way,” Terra pleaded, “This is your chance, Mason! Take it!”
“Then I will.” Mason snatched the badge and grabbed his trowel, “We take to the skies!”

To Be Continued…

NEXT TIME on Suihei Sentai Strataman

Courtney, Tyler, Louis and Crystal reach the peak of Mount Summit, where, lying in wait, are four Mach Flyers. Tyler’s expertise with planes may come in handy, but the monster Titan Vulture is waiting to launch his attack on the Strataman. Sora muses about days long past, Nyx is planning something of a dastardly sort, and Louis needs to help Courtney come to grips with her leadership role.

Call of the Wild Blue Yonder

[ElementMaster149]

cool episode this is a great series

[rangermaster]

Awesome. I'm loving this more and more

[GreenNinja]

Episode 6: Call of the Wild Blue Yonder

It was quiet aboard Horizon again. Sora looked at the star charts she kept in her room and thought to herself. She needed time to think. The skies near Horizon remained peaceful. When Sora had built the satellite long ago, she had made sure to position it high enough in the sky to ensure all bad weather would be left down below. At this moment, the sky goddess had a multitude of thoughts rushing through her head.

“It’s about time I’d some companionship around here,” Sora thought and sighed, “Ever since he left, things just haven’t been the same. I know it was for the good of all…but, what I wouldn’t give to have him back. Even my StrataGaia powers, useful as they are, mean nothing without someone like me around.” Something sparked in her mind. “I wonder how they’re doing.”

Sora placed her Geo Brace into a port on the control panel and linked with the Strata Braces, hundreds of miles below, without a hitch. Tyler’s voice responded over the communications systems. “Sora? How are things going for you? We’re starting bright and early. If we go fast enough, might make it to the top of Mount Summit by noon.”

“That’s wonderful,” Sora replied, “I entrust to you what you find up there.”
“What IS up there?” Crystal asked.
Sora answered “A way for you to battle in your natural environment – the sky. It’s where you draw your power from, after all. Trust Tyler on this one.”
“I’M the leader! Why not trust me?” Courtney blurted.
“Because, you lack the experience for a mission such as this.”
“But…”
“Follow Tyler, and report back when you’ve found them. I’ll instruct you from there on out.”
“Thanks, Sora,” Louis answered, “Keep in touch.”
“Best of luck.”

Sora once again looked out the window. “I have to return to battle,” She thought, “That’s the only thing that’s keeping me going. I may be involved in a global-scale war…always on the frontlines as StartaGaia…but something’s missing. I’m going to find out what.”
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“NYX!” General Digger roared into the dark hole leading to the Dark Goddess’ secret chambers, “You are needed in the main chamber, pronto!” A beam of darkness shot from the hole and materialized into the form of Nyx herself. She wound the shadows around her body and walked into the chamber. Before meeting with Mason and Terra, whom Digger had called her out for, she ran across the path of Aval, who had teleported to catch her before anyone else did.

“A-a-aval…” Nyx said nervously, “What do you want?”
“What have you been up to down there, Nyx?” Aval asked, “Plotting something without his permission?”
“Keep talking to that arrogant jerk all you want,” Nyx answered, “I am a lady who operates under her OWN rules. Unless, of course, you want in on the deal. A wizard such as you would prove invaluable to my cause.”
“I support no cause but his! Am I right, Digger?”
“Yes, Aval!” Digger hastily saluted.
“Would you be willing to support mine, rodent?” Nyx slunk over to Digger and wrapped her shadowy form around his body.
“Uh…er…eh…” Digger stuttered. He didn’t know what to say.

“NYX, ARE YOU COMING OR NOT?” Terra yelled from a distance.
“Coming, Ter,” Nyx called sweetly. She, Aval, and Digger proceeded to the main chamber.

Mason had already sculpted a birdman out of Terra’s clay supply. Terra herself stood impatiently to the side, tapping her foot. Aval tapped twice on the statue and brought it to life, after which Mason named it “Titan Vulture”. Digger stood by to watch the creature be jettisoned to the surface, but he couldn’t help but to notice Terra and Nyx conversing in secret.

“So, I go up there and break in…” Nyx whispered.
“Yeah, yeah, got it,” Terra added, “Then I’ll give you the signal.”
“Ladies, what are you talking about?” Digger asked quietly.
“NOTHING!” they replied unison.

Aval, who had been going through the motions, teleported Titan Vulture up to the highest point on Mt. Summit his magic would allow him to be placed. With that done, the firemancer walked up the stairs at the end of the chamber and walked towards the glowing depths that he always retreated to. That was where he was. The leader of the Arnsak.

No one but Aval knew what he looked like, and, Aval figured, that was for the better.
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“Sally forth!” Tyler called, “Today’s the day!” Everyone was packed, refreshed, and ready to climb to the top of Mt. Summit, where Sora’s gift still lay in wait. The path from here on up would be steep, dangerous and challenging, but overall, worth it. Before the expedition could begin, a still-tired Courtney pushed Tyler out of the way and began jogging up the path.

“We’re following ME!” she snapped, “Sora said I’m the leader, and her word is…” Courtney caught her breath, “final, you hear?”
“Fine,” Tyler sighed, “Let’s see where you lead us, Ms. Cloud.”
“To our goal,” Courtney smirked.

Crystal, keeping quiet all throughout, had drawn her binoculars to get a better glance at the mountain scenery. A birdlike thing swooped past the clouds. Crystal sketched it in her notepad and turned to the others. “Anytime you’re ready.” This was it. If they couldn’t make it up today, then all had been for naught.

Courtney’s path, already worn in by past explorers, was fairly straightforward. What other way was there to go but upward? Tyler whispered in Courtney’s ear little adjustments like “move left” and “that’s a dead end”, but Courtney ignored his warnings. The higher they went, the colder it got. Crystal remained unfazed, but Courtney was visibly shivering.

“Do you even know where you’re going?” Louis asked as the path was shown to branch in two just ahead, “It feels like we’ve been going in circles. And that was BEFORE we reached the twisting path. According to the map, one of these paths takes us to the top. The other one leads to a narrow cliff. Are you confident enough to know which one’s the right one?”

“Of course!” Courtney boasted, “We go…that way!” she pointed at the left path. Louis, not wanting to let Courtney down, followed along. Crystal volunteered to go with them.
“I don’t think that’s the right way,” Tyler interrupted.
“Fine, fine,” Courtney sighed, “Go the other way if you think you can do it.”
“Okay,” Ty replied calmly, “Hope I meet you at the top.”

The four went their separate ways.
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Courtney’s expert mountaineering had taken them down the path without a single fall. She was lucky. Because she had chosen the wrong path; Louis and Crystal had to inch along with their backs to the wall in order to avoid slipping down hundreds of feet below. When Crystal felt her foot slide into something big, she turned to Courtney. “I think I found something! Maybe it’s a shortcut to the top!”

“Good going, Crystal,” Courtney congratulated, “Let’s go!” The trio walked through the opening in the mountain to find that it was a path through a cave…ending at a cave wall. Crystal, disappointed that she had failed her leader, slid her hand down the rock wall. A pile of snow, which had been gathering for some time at the mountain’s peak, slid in front of the entryway and blocked anything from getting in or out. Crystal didn’t know what to say.

“I…I’m so sorry,” she said, “I forgot about my powers. Didn’t know I would do that. Please, forgive me.”
“Maybe I can get us out of here!” Courtney said, “Time for a typhoo…”
“You can’t,” Louis interjected, “We’re not strong enough. Your water would freeze the second it made contact, and I can’t make a wind that powerful if I tried. We’re stuck here until someone comes to save us.”
“How long?” Crystal asked. She was already huddling against the others for warmth, “How long will we be in here?”
“That’s the thing…” Louis replied, “I…I don’t know.” He spoke into his Strata Brace, “Ty, if you can hear us…we need help.”
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Tyler’s trip had gone smoothly. He’d followed a winding path until he reached the top of Mt. Summit. He brushed aside a bush in his path and saw, hidden under a stone arch on the mountain’s top, four vehicles waiting for him and his friends. He had to get closer and examine. Carefully he advanced in the direction of the four objects and came to notice that they were everything he could have hoped for…and more.

“The Mach Flyers…” he exclaimed, “They’re…perfect.” What the Mach Flyers were four small, dark blue jets with the insignia of each of the four members of the Strataman marked on the tailfin. Tyler noticed each jet had been configured to best suit the different powers of their pilots. His was streamlined and built for speed. Courtney’s was armed to the brim with weaponry. Louis’ was built for stealth, and Crystal’s had been fortified for defense.

Tyler pulled out his Strata Brace and transformed into StrataRed. He prepared to enter into his Mach Flyer, but the sound of a footstep behind forced him to cancel his plans. The fearsome Titan Vulture had flown to the top of the mountain to stop him. He let out a fearful screech and ran for Tyler with his claws bared. There was nothing to do but fight.

“Solablade! Satellite Sword!” The former sword was summoned in a flash of red energy, and the latter was drawn from around his belt. Tyler combated against Titan Vulture, sword-to-claw. The Solablade’s steel was starting to heat up with every swing. Sunlight streaked through the clouds above and hit the pommel. Tyler could feel its power growing. Then there came a message.

“Ty, if you can hear us…we need help.”
“I knew it,” Tyler thought before responding aloud, “I needn’t be wasting my time here! SOLAR CROSS RAY!” Tyler crossed his two swords and released a massive beam of energy in Titan Vulture’s direction. The bird stumbled backwards and fell off the cliff side before launching into the air. Tyler, working quickly, climbed into his Mach Flyer and went off in search of his friends.
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“I…I can’t do it,” Courtney had been sitting on the floor of the cave repeating these words for hours now, “I’m not meant to be the leader. We’re going to die here and it’s my fault. Sora made the wrong choice. I’m sorry.” Her eyes were glazed over, as if she were in a nightmare, but Louis grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. He refused to see Courtney belittle herself like this.

“SNAP OUT OF IT!” Louis screamed, “Don’t be so down on yourself!”
“But…but…”
“Listen, Courtney, I sent the message to Ty. We’ll be out of here in no time.”
“Even if we do…I can’t lead again.”
“Courtney, get a GRIP!” Louis said sternly, “I’ve known you for years, and never once have you given up the spunk that you always have. You’ve done great things, and, sure, you made mistakes, but you didn’t let them bring you down! Why do it now? I’m sure that wall will break down and we’ll see the light at the end of the cave again! I KNOW it!”

Louis spoke those words, and, as if on cue, Tyler, riding in his Mach Flyer, melted the snow with a beam from his Solablade. The three rushed to the cave exit and looked at StrataRed and his new flying machine.
“What is that?” Louis asked.
“Mach Flyer,” Tyler pressed a button and summoned the other three on autopilot, “You guys have them too.”
“Tyler…I’m…” Courtney meekly began.
“So you let your ego get to you,” Tyler said cheerily, “It happens to us all. Now get in! There’s another Statue Beast after me, and this one isn’t going to be beat easily.”
“Right,” answered Courtney feeling slightly better, “Let’s go. On my command…”
“SATELLITE UPLINK!”

Within seconds the Strataman had entered their Mach Flyers and taken to the skies. Titan Vulture sensed a great power in the nearby vicinity, and swooped into view. He let out a terrible screech and released a beam of energy from his mouth. Louis rolled out of the way before scraping wing-to-wing with the stone birdman. Tyler shouted commands through his intercom to the rest of the team.

“Crystal, move to the front. Courtney, stay with me. We’ll take this guy no problem.”
“Got it, chief!” Crystal replied as she moved her plane in front of the formation.
“Understood,” Louis maintained his position in the back.
“You trust me?” Courtney asked, “Even after I…?”
“Let bygones be bygones,” Tyler answered, “Now, let’s get ‘im!”

Crystal took a barrage of fire from Titan Vulture, but launched back with several ice missiles hidden beneath her armor. Courtney revealed two smaller versions of her Parainsol hidden under her wings and let loose. Tyler performed a loop in the air just as Titan Vulture opened its mouth. The propeller of the plane cut through the bird’s body and reduced him to a pile of rubble on the ground in a magnificent explosion.

“We won!” Tyler exclaimed.
“Not quite,” Louis remarked, “We’re not finished.”

Aval, on the command of the Arnsak leader, had revived Titan Vulture at thrice his size. The giant birdman let out a squawk and darted around the four Mach Flyers. His wingspan alone was longer than all four planes. As if on instinct, the four Strataman spoke into their Strata Braces the command “StrataRobo Uplink!”

At their call the fully-formed StrataRobo, Four Sword and Cycle Shield in hand, rose into the atmosphere. The Strataman exited their Mach Flyers and entered into the combined cockpit. Titan Vulture was ready for battle. StrataRobo spread its wings and dodged a volley of laser blasts. Several more were reflected with its shield.

Titan Vulture held its wings close to its body, screeched, and folded the wings outward once more. Bolts of red electricity sparked across Titan Vulture’s body and shot in the direction of StrataRobo, but the formation held strong. “Initiate final attack,” Courtney grabbed the controls, “Prepare for the Strata Guster!”
“STRATA GUSTER!” spoke the four as one.

StrataRobo ascended into the air and passed through white clouds in its path. The clouds condensed onto the Four Sword until a coating of water had been formed around the steel. Courtney’s symbol shone behind it in a brilliant green. With one slash of the blade, a razor-sharp stream of water launched at Titan Vulture and split his body in two. His body fell to the ground as nothing more than harmless mud.

“Two leaders, working together,” Courtney cheered from the cockpit.
“Lead to victory,” Tyler replied.
“Save it, you two,” Louis joked.
“Again we save the day,” Crystal commented, “and we found the Mach Flyers, too. I’d say we’re making great strides; but with each great advance made, greater danger waits on the horizon.”
“Say what?” Louis asked.
“I can feel it…” Crystal said, almost as if in a trance, “Something bad’s about to happen.”

Crystal’s message went ignored. The Strataman left Mount Summit and returned to the ground and their daily lives. As far as they knew, nothing was brewing. Yet, quite literally below the surface, something was. Not much longer now until it happened. The time was nearing.
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Nyx was lying on the ground some nights later, looking at the stars. One star was the light being reflected from the windows of the satellite Horizon. It was the star she was focusing on the most. The shadow of night had wound itself around Nyx’s body like a shroud, and the dark goddess felt completely at ease with herself. All this time, all this planning; at last it had come to fruition.

“Mother Earth…” Nyx said venomously, “is about to be a victim of matricide. Like a thief in the night, the darkness shall rise, and the Strataman shall fall. I don’t need his permission. I need none but my own! Nothing shall be sacrificed. Nothing shall be lost. All shall go to me. The stars are aligned and the time is right. The sun is setting on the Horizon…”

Nyx’s malicious cackle filled the night sky. None could hear her but the crickets and the flies buzzing about in the dead meadow. It had been alive with luscious green grass before Nyx arrived. Truly, it was a sign of things to come.

NEXT TIME on Suihei Sentai Strataman

Nyx feeds a little bit of herself into three animals and transforms them into Shadow Creatures, her personal servants. Sora, wanting to right past wrongs, charges forth into battle. Nyx shoots to the Horizon and plans to deactivate Sora’s power, but it won’t be as easy as she thought. What about Courtney, Tyler, Crystal and Louis? Will they sleep through the trouble, or must they enter into the fray?

Shadow Creatures

[rangermaster]

Awesome as always.

[GreenNinja]

Everything before now was merely the prolouge. The true season begins here.
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Episode 7: Shadow Creatures

The Goddess of Darkness, Nyx, had been waiting for this night for weeks. Meticulous planning, interminable patience, and preparation for every last possibility had crossed her mind. Her goal was to disable the powers of Sora, StrataGaia, from the satellite Horizon. If she could achieve that, the Strataman would take a major hit. She would become even more valuable than Aval if this worked. Her plan began with a skill prized among the Arnsak – for only she possessed it.

“Awaken,” she whispered under her breath. A wolf, an earthworm, and an owl, each with an appearance that spoke of being trapped beneath the ground for years, came to her side. Nyx embraced her body in a tight self-lock, and, with a wailing moan, opened her arms. Dark energy wound itself away from her body like fabric from a reel. It coated the animals and transformed them into demonic creatures of the night.

The wolf moved to its hind legs and had its teeth grow in sharpness, as did its claws. The tail wound into a pointed spiral, and the snout grew outward as the wolf’s fur became dark gray to the point of being black. “Wolfsan,” Nyx whispered, “the Claw of the Shadows.”

The earthworm engorged in thickness until it was as large as the tail of the wolf. Spikes jutted from its back as its entire upper half became coated in black armor. “Wormwood,” Nyx named it, “the Darkness that eats away at the souls of humanity. I appreciate it.”

The owl’s eyes turned a pure pale gray as its feathers became jet-black. The claws on the ends of its feet sharpened and its wingspan spread outward. The owl itself became massive, and stood alongside its partners in battle. “Night Owl,” spoke Nyx, “the Watcher in the Mist. Perfect. My army of Shadow Creatures is assembled. Now, where is the girl? Without her here, I can do nothing of importance!”

Footsteps were heard in the silence of the night. Out onto the field walked Terra. Her drill weapon was in her hand and her drill-empowered bustier had been switched for a more basic armoring. To Nyx’s surprise, it looked as though Terra had taken the time to clean herself prior to this meeting. A smirk crossed Nyx’s face. Seeing Terra like this only affirmed the Dark Goddess’ importance among the members of the Arnsak.

“You know your mission for tonight?” Nyx asked.
“Couldn’t be clearer,” Terra laughed, “I distract stupid Sora, you run an attack on Horizon. It’s so late at night that I doubt we’ll have to worry about the rest of the stupid Strataman. Besides, you fight best in this kind of environment.”
“Damn straight,” Nyx said proudly, “Initiate the attack.”

Terra bore her drill into the Earth and began to hear a rumbling in the nearby urban part of Stone Summit. Lights flashed on and off, the screams of people sounded, and a car crash was audible in the distance. Terra waited where she was. Nyx vanished into the night. It was only a matter of time now.
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Sora was surrounded by Molemen on all sides. Her Gaia Striker was in the hands of a shadowed menacing figure on the horizon. Patches had been torn from her StrataGaia suit and her Geo Brace was faltering. The skies around her were black with soot; blood-red skies were barely visible beneath. From up above, a silver clock-like design encased her body and froze her still. A sandstorm kicked up and turned the Molemen to dust.

By now, Sora had lost all feeling in her body. Her weary eyes closed. When sensation returned to her body, she was looking at the face of a bespectacled man with a face that was neither old nor young. Grayish-brown hair was near his ears, but the top of his head was entirely bald, and his eyes were calming. Sora caught her breath, and saw that she was in an old-fashioned clock shop somewhere in England.

“Eloi…” she spoke, “What happened?”
“You took heavy damage in battle, Sora,” Eloi explained, “I had to put you into suspended animation if you were to live. The Arnsak will be of no more trouble to us, your Geo Brace has been fixed and your Gaia Striker reclaimed. All will return to normal in time.”
“But…what happened to…?” Sora winced. She nodded. Eloi knew who Sora was asking about.
“He was called away after the last battle,” Eloi said glumly, “Something of importance. He didn’t say what. You’ve been suspended for three months, Sora. It took that long for your body to heal itself to normal.”
“So…where is he now?”
“None of us know.”
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Sora woke up in her room on the Horizon in a cold sweat. She pulled the covers over her body and heard something blaring in the background. “Please tell me this isn’t a dream,” she thought, “PLEASE let it not be.” The klaxons in Horizon were indeed going off. Three monsters of an unknown type and Terra Sedi were all present some feet outside Stone Summit.

Sora raced to her beside table and grabbed her Geo Brace. She wondered “Should I contact Courtney? Crystal? Louis? Tyler?” Her mind darted back and forth on the options. “No, I can’t!” she said, “Not after that dream! I couldn’t stand on my own…but I must prove, to myself and to the world that I can! No one’s going to say otherwise! I am the Mother Earth, and it’s my duty to protect my children!”

Sora was enveloped in a spherical mass of blue-and-green energy and departed from Horizon. As she left, someone else was starting on her way up. The first phase of the plan had gone into action.
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Sora landed on the ground without a sound. She approached the area where Night Owl, Wolfsan and Wormwood waited to attack. When Sora reached that section of the field, she found Terra, drill in hand, waiting to attack her. The three creatures readied their claws, spikes and whatever else Nyx had supplemented their bodies with.

“TERRA!” Sora screamed, “Those…aren’t Statue Beasts.”
“That’s kind of ‘duh!’” Terra mocked, “They’re Shadow Creatures. I’m surprised you didn’t know.”
“Do they work for the Arnsak?”
“Again…DUH!” Terra teased, “Go on and fight me!”
“You asked for it,” Sora growled, “GAIA UPLINK!”

Flowers sprouted around Sora as her suit fitted itself to her body. “The Wind of Life! STRATAGAIA!” She held out her hand and summoned the Gaia Striker immediately. That was Nyx’s cue. Nyx crouched down and leapt into the air. She streaked like a bullet through the sky and pierced through the outer shell of Horizon. Her plan was beginning. Sora’s battle, though, was far from over.

“Shadows, attack!” Terra screamed.

Wolfsan leapt for Sora with his claws bared, but Sora rotated herself out of the way and summoned a small lunar-esque sphere around her body for protection. Wormwood chewed away the Earth beneath her feet until the ground she stood on was nothing more than a patch of grass hovering above a deep pit. Sora tried to throw the lunar orb below her body to plug the ho