25Power Rangers: Dino Strike
Fan Fiction by: Spirit Reader
Power Rangers original creator: Haim Saban
Chapter 20: The Team is Complete – Part 2
"This is Naomi Thurman of Channel 5 News, reporting live at the residence of Angel Grove's mayor: Adam Walton. Earlier this evening, a massive incident took place inside the mayor's home as the mysterious heroes known as the Power Rangers did battle against a group of horrifying monsters. Although the exact outcome of the confrontation is still unclear, the Rangers seemed to have driven away the creatures for the time being. However, during the battle, the mayor's daughter, Jasmine Walton, has gone missing. A city-wide search is currenting underway for the young woman. If you happen to see her, or anyone remotely suspicious, please call the number on the front of your viewscreens right now."
These were the words of practically ever news caster stationed all throughout the Walton residence as they reported the situation that's currently taking place. With them were several police officers, firefighters, and doctors, as they attempted to calm the masses and treat the injured. From the viewpoint of those watching from afar, this was like something out of a movie of television program. Unfortunately, that just wasn't the case. What they were witnessing was very real…and very serious.
As mayor Walton talked with the police, pleading with them to hurry and find his beloved daughter, the Yellow, Blue, and Black Power Rangers were busy hiding in the bushes near the mansion. Although the three of them could've easily teleported away from the area, they couldn't as they were missing someone. That someone was none other than Keith Kogane, the Red Ranger. During the battle against the deadly Snizzard, he disappeared along with Jasmine and until they found him, the Rangers couldn't leave.
"Keith!" Serena called as she attempted to use her communicator. "Keith, come in!"
Serena waited for some kind of response from her teammate, but the only thing she heard coming from communicator was static. Just hearing that left her feeling uneasy and her worry that something bad had happen to him. However, before she could start thinking about the worst, the Yellow Ranger quickly shook her head in disbelief. No matter how things looked, Keith just had to be alright. He just had too.
While Serena continued her efforts in trying to contact Keith, Cameron was busy using the scanner that Alpha had given to him earlier. Although the likelihood of anymore monsters in disguise was low, the Blue Ranger didn't want to take any chances. As for Tyson, he carefully kept watched over the area. With everything going on, he knew that the team couldn't afford to be bothered by the media or the police. Eventually, another minute had passed before all three of them heard something.
Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep
Recognizing the sound, the Rangers quickly examined each of their wrists and saw that their communicators were ringing. Right away, the trio assumed that the one calling them had to be Keith. Upon realizing that, Serena answered her communicator while both Cameron and Tyson listened in closely next to her.
"This is Serena," she answered. "Keith…is that you?"
"Serena, this is Alpha," the robot replied. "You and the other Rangers need to teleport to the Command Center right away."
Following Alpha's message, Serena despondently lowered her arm as she was hoping that the one calling them was the missing Red Ranger. Although he couldn't see her face underneath her helmet, Cameron could sense how disappointed his friend was. He was about to say something to her, but was cut off when Tyson walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder. He then gave the Yellow Ranger and reassuring nod, silently informing her that everything would be alright. When Serena saw him do that, she stared at him for a moment before nodding her head in agreement.
Once everything was settled, the Rangers all pressed down on their communicators and immediately teleported away from the area. As they did so, a police officer noticed some glowing lights coming from a nearby bush and decided to investigate. However, by the time he reached it, the lights had faded away and the Rangers were gone. Although confused by what he assumed he saw, he simply assumed that his mind was playing tricks on him and promptly got back to work.
Back with the Rangers, the trio quickly arrived back at the Command Center, where both Alpha and Zordon were waiting for them. In addition to those two, Cameron and Tyson were surprised to see Jasmine present as well. Right away, they realized that Zordon must've teleported her to the Command Center before Snizzard could get its hand on her. While they were happy to see that she was alright, the two of them had hoped that Keith would be with her as well. Sadly, that didn't seem to be the case.
As for Jasmine, the young woman was amazed to see the Blue, Black, and Yellow Power Rangers appear before her. With all that happened during the last couple of minutes, Jasmine was still trying to cope with everything. She was about say something, but stopped when the Yellow Ranger walked past her, dematerializing her helmet as she did so. Upon seeing her face, Jasmine was shocked to see that the Yellow Ranger was none other than her classmate, Serena Masterson.
"Zordon, what happened to Keith?!" Serena questioned, her voice mixing with anger and worry. "Where the hell is he?!"
"Please calm down, Serena." Zordon requested. "I understand how worried you are about Keith. Alpha and I are currently scanning all of Angel Grove for him as we speak. I promise…we will find him."
Despite Zordon reassurance, Serena was still very worried about Keith and wondered where he could be. Although the two of them haven't really known each other long, Serena considered Keith to be one of her closest friends and she knew that she couldn't live with herself if something had happened to him. Frustrated by her uselessness, the Yellow Ranger fell to one knee before punching the ground beneath her, cracking it in the process.
As Tyson and Cameron walked over to comfort her, Jasmine watched as the two Rangers dematerialized their own helmets as well. Like with Serena and Keith, she was stunned to see that the Blue and Black Rangers were also students who go to her school. Just seeing them all like this was almost too much for her to believe. She was about to walk over and say something to them, but stopped when she heard Zordon calling out to her.
"Jasmine Walton," he said. "As I just explained to you, the Red Ranger, Keith Kogane, is in dire peril. Most likely he's been taken hostage by Rita's monster, Snizzard, and is about to be brought to her on her moon a palace. Time is short if we wish to rescue him."
"But…But what can I do…?" Jasmine questioned. "I mean…I've been practicing gymnastics since I was little and my dad had me undergo self-defense training, but other than that I'm just an ordinary high school girl. How am I going to help you all rescue the Red Ranger…I mean, Keith?"
Upon hearing her say that, Zordon immediately understood Jasmine's concerns and why she would be a bit hesitant. Like with the others, he wished he could've brought her on under more favorable conditions. Unfortunately, fate seemed to have other plans for them instead. Regardless of the circumstances, Zordon knew that it would be a waste of time complaining about it and decided to push onward.
With that thought in mind, the great sage used his incredible power to summon forth the final Power Coin. As the coin appeared before everyone, they watched as it started to emit a powerful pink aura. Jasmine immediately found herself being drawn to this aura, as if the Power Coin were calling out to her. She then watched as Powe Morpher appeared around the coin before floating over and landing in her hands.
"With that Morpher and Power Coin you'll transform into the powerful Pink Ranger." Zordon revealed. "Then, together with the other Rangers, you must rescue Keith before they reach Rita's palace. Only the power of all 5 of you will be enough to defeat Snizzard and save all of Angel Grove."
Following that brief explanation, Jasmine looked down at her Power Morpher as she thought about what Zordon was asking her to do. While she's always admired the Power Rangers, the Red Ranger especially, the thought of becoming one herself never occurred to her. If she was being perfectly honest, a part of Jasmine felt that she wasn't qualified for the job and that they should get someone else instead. However, before she could make her decision, Jasmine watched as Serena made her way up to her.
From the expression that was on her face, everyone could tell that the Yellow Ranger was in a foul mood. Cameron remembered how Serena was the most vocal about Jasmine being selected to be the Pink Ranger and how she personally disliked the idea. When he watched Serena raise her arm into the air, Cameron was certain that she was about to strike her. Instead, what Serena really did was grab ahold of Jasmine's Morpher and pressed it against her heart as she stared at her.
"Listen to me very carefully," she told her. "The only reason you're here is because we need someone to become the Pink Ranger and, by some miracle, you qualified. Honestly, I would've preferred anyone other than you, but beggars can't be choosers. Like it or not, Zordon believes that you have what it takes to be a Ranger and we're going to need you if we want to save Keith. So, come on…we have work to do!"
Following her speech, Serena let go of Jasmine and watched as the latter carefully thought about everything that was just said to her. As she did so, the young woman looked down at her Power Morpher, staring at the image of the pterodactyl that was engraved on the Power Coin. Even though Zordon was vouching for her, Jasmine still had doubts whether she would make a good Power Ranger. However, the more she thought about it, the more Jasmine realized that it wasn't Zordon's approval that was motivating her decision. It was Keith.
Keith Kogane is the first person in a long time to truly see Jasmine for who she really is. He doesn't treat her differently nor does he suck up to her. While she was shocked to discover that he is the Red Ranger, she soon realized that it made sense that the one she admired would also be her new friend. Because of that, and because she wanted to return the favor from all the times he helped her, Jasmine lifted her head towards Zordon and gave him affirming nod.
"Okay…I'm in," she answered. "So, what do I do?"
"Simply hold out your Power Morpher and shout the name of the dinosaur engraved on the Power Coin." Zordon explained. "Once you do, you will immediately transform into the Pink Ranger!"
After nodding her head again, Jasmine looked at her Morpher one last time and carefully examined the Power Coin. She then held out the device while everyone else looked on in anticipation.
"PTERODACTYL!"
With just one word, Jasmine's Power Morpher activated and bright pink light flashed all throughout the Command Center. Through this light, Jasmine watched as her entire body was quickly being covered in a pink and white armor. When the light finally faded, the metamorphosis was complete and Jasmine Walton had become the Pink Power Ranger.
As Zordon looked on in approval, Jasmine could immediately feel the effects of her sudden transformation. Not only did she feel stronger, but all her senses were kicked into overdrive. She then went on to perform a quadruple somersault and she was amazed that she was able to pull off such a difficult move on her first try. Following her demonstration, Tyson and Cameron walked over and congratulated Jasmine while Serena simply stood back with her arms folded.
Beep-Beep-Beep
Caught off guard by the sound of the alarms, the Rangers jumped back slightly as they all wondered what was going on. Eventually, the watched as Alpha was busy typing on his computer console at an incredible speed. When he finally stopped, the android started waving both of his arms in celebration.
"Ai-Yi-Yi-Yi!" He exclaimed. "Zordon! Rangers! I've finally managed to get a lock on Keith's location! I managed to track energy from his Power Coin with the energies of the 4 coins we have here!"
"Excellent work, Alpha." Zordon congratulated. "Please display Keith's whereabouts on the Viewing Globe immediately."
"Right away, Zordon!"
Not wasting any time, Alpha 5 quickly got to work and started typing on his computer console once again. As he did so, Jasmine and the other Rangers walked over towards the Viewing Globe as it began to activate. Once it was on, the young heroes looked on as they saw Snizzard walking alone in a canyon. On the monster's shoulder was Keith, who was still unconscious following their battle back at Jasmine's house. As they continued to watch them, Cameron noticed something familiar about canyon and walked closer to the Viewing Globe to get a closer look.
"Wait a sec…" He said to himself. "Yeah…I know that canyon! It's the one located just beyond Angel Grove. They're not too far from here!"
"Then let's go!" Tyson suggested. "We need to kick that thing's ass and save Keith!"
"Yeah!" Serena agreed. "Let's get to work!"
With all of them on the same page, Serena, Tyson, and Cameron all rematerialized their helmets and prepared themselves to teleport to Keith's location. Before they did so however, they all looked over towards Jasmine and saw that she was still looking at Keith through the Viewing Globe. Seeing him in that monster's grasp angered her, causing a pink to surround her body as she clinched her fist in anger. She then looked over towards others before nodding her head and walking over towards them.
Once the Rangers were together, Alpha quickly pressed down on a few more keys before both and Zordon watched as they teleported away in colorful flashes of light. As soon as they were gone, Zordon closed his eyes for a moment as he thought about the battle that was about to take place. After remembering everything the Rangers have been through, Zordon decided to put his trust in them as he believed that they will prevail.
"Go Rangers….and let the power protect you."
In the canyons just beyond Angel Grove, the deadly Snizzard was busy carrying the still unconscious Keith Kogane as the moon shined brightly upon the two of them. As it walked, the monster thought about what transpired just moments ago back at the Walton residence. Although things didn't go precisely as planned, Snizzard was confident that Rita would be pleased with the Red Ranger's capture. It also hoped that with this accomplishment, Rita would promote it to a general and become a true member of her army. With that singular hope driving him forward, Snizzard hurried along towards its destination.
After several more minutes of walking, Snizzard spotted three individuals waiting for him at the edge of the canyon. Those individuals were none other than Squatt, Baboo, and Finster. The three of them observed the battle back from the moon palace and upon seeing Snizzard knock out the Red Ranger and take him away, they immediately made their way to Earth to meet up with it. Once Snizzard finally reached them, the monster dropped Keith by their feet.
"There you go, my masters," it spoke. "Here lies the Red Ranger."
"Excellent job, Snizzard." Finster congratulated. "You've performed admirably."
Agreeing with Finster, both Squatt and Baboo clapped their hands and applauded Snizzard for its efforts. Although pleased to have their approval, Snizzard silently didn't care what they thought of it. All that mattered was having Rita see its prize herself and being rewarded. Once Snizzard was same rank as them, it wouldn't have to suck up and try to please them. Until then however, Snizzard kept its opinion to itself and simply nodded its head.
Soon, Squatt and Baboo slowly made their way over to Keith and looked on as the Red Ranger continued to sleep on the hard ground. Upon seeing him, the two were quite shocked that the warrior who has been getting in the way of Rita's conquest of this planet was so young and weak looking. In fact, Keith looked so unassuming that Squatt even contemplated eating him then and there. Thankfully, Baboo managed to hold his comrade back before that could happen.
As for Finster, the gnome slowly walked over to Keith, glaring at him as he clinched his fist in anger. The humiliation he's been forced to endure was all because of him and the rest of the Power Rangers. Although he wished that Snizzard had managed to capture to other Rangers, the fact that it managed to bring him the Ranger he despised the most still greatly pleased Finster. He the crept closer to him, letting a sinister sneer as he did so.
"Oh, I can't wait to see what Rita does to you, little boy," he said. "I can just see it now…as she slowly tortures you to death!"
While chuckling at the thought of that, Finster failed to notice that Keith was starting to regain consciousness. As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Finster laughing at him. Almost instinctively, the Red Ranger shut the gnome up with a powerful headbutt right in his face before kicking him back. Upon seeing that, both Squatt and Baboo rushed over towards him, but Keith managed to move out of the way. He then looked on at the ground as he attempted to stay on his feet.
"There's no point in running, Red Ranger!" Baboo told him. "You're coming with us!"
As he watched the monsters walk up towards him, Keith reached from behind and pulled out his Power Morpher. However, he didn't activate it right away. He first wanted to assess his situation before doing anything. Along with Snizzard, he spotted both Squatt and Baboo, recognizing them from their image on the Viewing Globe. Finster was the only one he didn't know, but it was obvious from the anger that was on his face that the gnome despised. The feeling was mutual as Keith despised all of Rita's minions due to senseless death and destruction they cause.
Soon, as he continued watching them, Keith saw Finster place his hands into his pockets and pull out some kind of clay. He then watched as the gnome threw the clay into the air and the substance started to change shape. Soon, it transformed into an army of Putty Patrollers and the Red Ranger found himself surrounded not only by 4 powerful soldiers, but a set of foot soldiers as well. Upon seeing that, a realization suddenly popped into Keith's head.
"So…you're the one who creates Rita's monsters," he spoke.
"Precisely…." Finster confirmed. "My name is Finster, and you've given me no end of grief, Red Ranger. Not only have you destroyed my prized creations, but you've also caused me to lose favor with my beloved empress, the great Rita Repulsa. Such humiliation does not fade easily…and I will take my time exacting my revenge against you."
"…We'll see about that." Keith said as he gripped his Morpher and held it out in front of him. "TYRANNOSAURUS!"
In a flash of crimson light, the power of the Morphin Grid surged through Keith's body as he morphed into his Red Ranger armor. Once his transformation was complete, he immediately summoned forth his Power Sword and pulled out his Blade Blaster. At the same time, the Putties ready themselves for battle and Snizzard prepared to lead the charge. Following a brief stare down, the two sides charged and engaged in an intense battle.
Despite the overwhelming number disadvantaged, Keith refused to back down and cut down any enemies he could get his hands on with his two swords. The thought of living or dying never occurred to him during this moment. The only thing that was on his mind was winning. As long as he did that, Keith would gladly accept any fate dealt to him at the end.
As the battle progressed, Squatt and Baboo were amazed at how well the Red Ranger was performing. His fighting style was extremely aggressive, but precise at the same time. In addition, despite how fierce his attacks were, Keith seemed to be completely calm. They could see why Zordon chose him to be the Red Ranger. However, Finster wasn't as pleased with this display as they were and proceeded to pull out more clay from his pocket and summoned forth more Putties. He then commanded them join in the battle.
With the appearance of the new wave of Putty Patrollers, Keith gradually found himself overwhelmed by sheer number of enemies. Not only that, but Snizzard eventually decided to join in the fun and knocked down the Red Ranger from behind. Keith tried retaliating with his Power Sword, but the monster easily knocked the blade out of his hands. It then picked him up and threw him across the battlefield.
After skidding across the rocky ground, Keith quickly picked himself up and fired off several shots from his Blade Blaster. Unfortunately, several of the Putties shielded Snizzard with their own bodies while the rest continued their assault on crimson warrior. While that was happened, Snizzard forth its bow and used its Zapper Apple to create a lightning arrow. The monster then fired off several shots, all which managed to strike Keith right in the chest, knocking him back again.
"It's over, Red Ranger!" Snizzard declared. "Just give up now!"
As he struggled to get back to his feet, Keith heard what Snizzard hand to say and simply scoffed at it. He then focused his will, summoning his Power Sword back to him. Then, after gripping the sword with both hands, Keith unleashed a massive swing that destroyed all the Putties that were assaulting him. He then pointed his weapon at Snizzard in defiance.
"Screw you!" He shouted. "I rather die than give up!"
"…So be it." Snizzard replied as it summoned another arrow. "Farewell…Red Ranger!"
As Snizzard prepared himself to fire off its arrow, Keith got ready to block it with his Power Sword. However, several more Putties suddenly appeared and grabbed him from behind. As he attempted to fight him off, Snizzard fired off its arrow and it looked like Keith was done for. But, just as the arrow was about to him, a blast of energy suddenly appeared from out of nowhere and connected with it instead. The collision of both attacks resulted in an explosion of smoke that completely covered the battlefield.
For a moment, Finster and the others assumed that was the end for the Red Ranger as nothing could survive such an attack. However, as the smoke started to clear, they realized that not only was Keith still alive, but he was no longer alone. With him were the Blue, Yellow, and Black Rangers, the latter of whom had intercepted Snizzard's shot with his Cosmic Cannon. Not only that, but they were joined by a new member, the Pink Ranger.
After getting over the initial shock, Keith let out a sight sigh of relief as he was glad that the rest of the team were okay and had joined him. He was also glad to see the Pink Ranger, as her appearance could only mean one thing.
"Jasmine…" He spoke. "Is that you?"
"Yeah…" She replied, kneeling towards him. "It's me, Keith."
Placing her hand on his, Jasmine gave Keith a warm smile and although he couldn't see it from underneath her helmet, the Red Ranger could sense it and responded back with a nod. He then rose back to his feet and looked at the rest of Rangers. Finally, after so many battles, all 5 Power Rangers were now together, and the team was complete. Although a part of him wanted to take in this moment, Keith knew that they had more pressing matters to deal with and soon stood side-by-side with his fellow Rangers.
Right away, the sight of all 5 Power Rangers worried Squatt and Baboo as seeing them together was the worst possible scenario. Finster was also worried, but he tried his best to hide it by using his remaining clay to summon forth a final wave of Putty Patrollers. He then gritted his teeth as he watched the Putties join Snizzard.
"DESTROY THEM!"
Complying with his order, Snizzard and the Putties charged towards the Power Rangers with the intent to kill them. In response, the Rangers braced themselves before for a moment before charging them as well. A massive battle then took place throughout the canyon as both sides attempted to defeat the other.
During the massive altercation, Jasmine was completely amazed with the abilities her Pink Ranger powers were granting her. Not only did they enhance her physical capabilities, but they also gifted her with an innate fighting sense as well. With that sense, she managed to gracefully dance around the Putties before striking back with powerful counterattacks. Eventually, she and the other Rangers managed to take down all the Putties, leaving Snizzard as the only one left standing.
Once Snizzard was all alone, the Rangers quickly surrounded the monster from all sides. While Cameron and Serena summoned their Power Weapons, Keith and Tyson gripped theirs while Jasmine simply assumed a fighting stance. Following a brief stand-off, Tyson made the first move by dashing forward, changing his Cosmic Cannon into his Power Axe.
"Eat this, bitch!" He shouted.
Using all his strength, Tyson swung down and attempted to cut Snizzard's head clean off its shoulders. Unfortunately, the reptile managed to evade the strike rather easily and send the Black Ranger flying with a powerful whip of its tail. At that exact moment however, Cameron and Serena jumped forward and tried taking Snizzard down while it was distracted. However, the monster sensed their intention and jumped out of the way, causing the two of them to crash into each other.
While Cameron and Serena tried to shake off the cobwebs, Snizzard fired a blast of concentrated energy from its Zapper Apple and shocked the Rangers. When Jasmine saw that, she angrily charged forward and assaulted the monster with a barrage of attacks. This forced Snizzard to turn its attention away from Cameron and Serena and focus entirely on her. While that was going on, Keith noticed something about Snizzard that he couldn't pick up on until now.
Every time Snizzard had to use its energy attacks, it always had to charge up its Zapper Apple first. When he saw that, Keith realized that the apple on the monster's head was the source of its strength. If they could just take it out, then perhaps Snizzard would finally go down. With that thought in his head, Keith pulled out his Blade Blaster, took aim, and fired a shot at the Zapper Apple. Right away, Snizzard saw the blast and avoided it, which confirmed the Red Ranger's theory.
"Guys!" He called out. "Aim for the apple on its head! That's its weakness!"
Upon hearing Keith say that, Jasmine looked up and noticed the Zapper Apple on Snizzard's head and immediately went for it. However, the monster wasn't about to let the Pink Ranger go after the source of its power without fight and quickly pushed her back with a blast from the apple. Snizzard then summoned a lightning arrow and fired it at her, but Keith managed to block the attack with his Powe Sword. He then rushed towards Snizzard as the monster fired off more arrows at him.
Eventually, Tyson, Cameron, and Serena all got up and joined Keith as they fought together to get at the Zapper Apple. Still, even with the combined power of 4 Rangers, Snizzard's was able to hold its own against them and eventually push them back with a powerful electrical blast. When Jasmine saw this, the young woman wondered how they could get at the apple when Snizzard's defenses were too strong. At the moment she thought that though, the Pink Ranger felt an incredible power building in the palm of her hands.
As she looked down at them, Jasmine watched as pink light began to emerge within her hands. From that light, a pink and white bow appeared before her. Like the other Rangers Power Weapons, this bow had strange markings on its base and had an image of a pterodactyl in the middle of it. Once the bow fully materialized, Jasmine took hold of it as she soon heard Zordon's voice within her mind.
"Behold Jasmine," he spoke. "This is your personal weapon…the Power Bow. By summoning arrows, created by your own will, the Power Bow will enable you to fire shots that are both accurate and strong. Use it to destroy the Zapper Apple and defeat Snizzard."
Following Zordon's explanation, Jasmine took one last moment to examine her Power Weapon before nodding her head. She then gripped it firmly in her left hand, using her right hand to pull back on the bow string. At the moment she did that, a pink energy arrow appeared in between her fingers. Jasmine then took aim at Snizzard's Zapper Apple before firing her arrow.
At the moment Jasmine fired her arrow, Snizzard pushed back the other Rangers once again before noticing the Pink Ranger's attack. Acting quickly, the monster used his Zapper Apple to summon another arrow before firing it at Jasmine's. When the two arrows collided, a small explosion occurred as their powers were evenly matched. Following a brief pause between them, Jasmine and Snizzard proceeded to fire wave after wave of arrows in attempt to hit their targets.
While the other Rangers looked on, it seemed like Snizzard hand the initial advantage as it was able to gradually push Jasmine back. However, while the monster was overwhelming her with its barrage, Jasmine was careful with her shots. Because of that, she was able to position her arrows more effectively, hiding her true shots under the cover of random fire. As a result, two arrows struck Snizzard right in the knees, damaging the monster and causing it to lose its focus. With it distracted, Jasmine summoned forth her strongest arrow and fired it directly at the Zapper Apple, taking it down in one shot.
At the very instant it lost its apple, Snizzard's body started to erupt as it quickly lost control of its power. When Keith and the others saw that, they reacted accordingly and rushed towards it. Serena unleashed a swift barrage of slashes with her Power Daggers while Cameron ran through it with his Power Lance. Keith and Tyson then unleashed a devastating combined attack with their Power Sword and Power Axe respectively while Jasmine summoned forth one final arrow. After taking aim, she fired her shot and watched as the arrow pierced Snizzard's head, finally bringing the monster down.
Stunned by his monster's defeat, Finster found himself stepping back as he, Squatt, and Baboo found themselves being confronted by the Power Rangers. As 4 of them braced themselves, Jasmine fired an arrow at each of their feet before summoning one more and placing it on her bow. As she pulled back her bow string, the young woman aimed her arrow right for Finster's chest.
"So…Who's next?" She asked them.
Before Finster and the others could say anything, a loud crackling noise could be heard directly above them. As everyone looked up, they watched as storm clouds started to form. Then, from those clouds, Rita's magic wand suddenly shot down and landed right next to Snizzard. It then unleashed a blast of lightning, striking the monster and energizing it.
"MAGIC WAND…MAKE MY MONSTER GROW!"
From the balcony of her moon palace, Rita used her incredible power to make Snizzard grow until it was the size of a giant. In addition to that, the witch also restored the monster's Zapper Apple, effectively restoring its power. With its new size and increased strength, Snizzard looked down and attempted to stomp the Rangers to death. In the ensuing chaos, Finster and the other teleported themselves back to their lair.
The Rangers managed to evade Snizzard's first stomp and Jasmine tried retaliating by firing off several arrows at the Zapper Arrow. However, thanks to its greater size, Snizzard easily shrugged off her assault and attempted to crush her. Thankfully, the Pink Ranger was saved at the last moment after Keith pushed her out of the wave. Once she was alright, he looked up at the monster before raising his right hand into the air.
"TYRANNOSAURS DINOZORD POWER!"
On the other side of the planet, Keith's Tyrannosaurus Dinozord heard his call and immediately activated. After emerging from its hiding place from within the depths of the Earth, it teleported directly to his side. Once it appeared, Keith got inside the cockpit and activated its systems, energizing the mechanical beast and readying it for battle.
"Awesome!" Tyson said as he looked on at this scene. "I've been waiting to try this out…MASTODON DINOZORD POWER!"
In the frozen artic, an incredible force heard the Black Ranger's call and started to react. This force was none other than the Mastodon Dinozord, a black and yellow robot that resembled the prehistoric beast it got its name from. After breaking free from a giant iceberg, the Zord teleported to canyon and Tyson wasted no time jumping into its cockpit. He then activated the Zord, causing it to unleash a loud trumpet from its metal trunk. While that was happening, Serena and Cameron wasted no time in summoning forth their Dinozords as well.
"SABER-TOOTH TIGER DINOZORD POWER!" Serena shouted.
"TRICERATOPS DINOZORD POWER!" Cameron followed.
On opposite ends of the planet, the Blue and Yellow Rangers Dinozords emerged from their hiding places and immediately raced to their side. Once they teleported to them, Cameron and Serena made their way inside and activated their Zords systems, readying them for battle. Jasmine, the last remaining Power Ranger, then looked on in amazement as the 4 Dinozords did battle against Snizzard.
Cameron made the first move by firing the Triceratops horn chains in an attempt to hold the enemy down. In response, Snizzard summoned forth his bow and had it get wrapped up in the Zord's chains. It then used its great strength to swing the Triceratops around before finally sending it flying. Once it was out of the way, Snizzard turned around and watched as the Saber-Tooth Tiger summoned its laser cannon.
"Eat lasers!" Serena screamed.
After taking aim, Serena fired a powerful blast of energy at Snizzard, who used its bow to deflect the attack. It then summoned an electric arrow from its Zapper Apple and fired it at the mechanical cat. Although Serena managed to avoid a direct hit, the force of Snizzard's attack was so great that she was blown away by the shockwave.
With two Zords down, Snizzard turned and watched as Keith and the Tyrannosaurs started charging towards it. Meeting it head on, the two grabbled one another, struggling to take the other down. For a while, they seemed evenly matched, but this constant struggle was beginning to put a massive strain on the Tyrannosaurus's systems. Despite that though, Keith refused to back down and tried transferring power to his Dinozord to get it upright.
"Hang on, Keith!" Tyson said as he rode up in the Mastodon. "Help is on the way!"
As he watched the battle through his Zord's viewscreen, Tyson noticed that Snizzard was beginning to overpower the Tyrannosaurus and decided to make his move. After taking a moment to remember his training, the Black Ranger focused himself and proceeded to press a button on his control console. This caused the Mastodon Dinozord to fire a barrage of ice missiles from its tusk, striking Snizzard and knocking it back.
"Hell yeah!" He shouted in triumph. "There's more where that came from!"
Taking aim, Tyson fired several more ice missiles at Snizzard, forcing the monster to back away even further from Keith. While continuing with his assault, the Black Ranger was amazed by the incredible power of his Dinozord and the ease in which he was able to pilot it. Eventually, he decided to launch a critical blow and proceeded to flip switches inside the cockpit before slamming down on a big blue button on the control panel.
"Now…have a taste of my Frost Breath!"
At the instant Tyson pressed the blue button on his console, the Mastodon let out another loud trumpet from its trunk before directing towards Snizzard. It then unleased a powerful gust of cold air at the monster, which began instantly freezing everything it made contact with. Upon feeling the air, Snizzard watched as its body began to tense up and responded before it could freeze solid. To that end, it summoned its bow and began twirling it around like a propeller. This not only shielded Snizzard from the Mastodon's attack, but also enabled it to deflect it right towards Keith and the Tyrannosaurus.
Much to Tyson's horror, he watched as the Tyrannosaurus Zord was quickly trapped in a block of air by his own frost attack. Right away, he attempted to free Keith by destroying the ice with a pair of his missiles, but Snizzard wasn't having any of that. Using its Zapper Apple, the monster fired a powerful electric arrow right at the Mastodon's side. The force of the attack not only not the Zord on its side, but also damaged its systems and rendering Tyson unable to help. This left Keith vulnerable as Snizzard quickly turned its focus towards him.
As she watched the monster get ready to finish the Tyrannosaurs off, Jasmine looked on at the scene and wondered what she could do to help. Eventually, as she watched Snizzard summon another electric arrow, a realization soon popped within her head. After pulling out her Morpher on her belt and staring at her Power Coin, the Pink Ranger looked at the pterodactyl symbol embedded upon it. She then nodded her head as she firmly raised her right hand up towards the sky.
"Here goes everything…" She said to herself. "…PTERODACTYL DINOZORD POWER!"
The very instant Jasmine shouted out those words, an island volcano located on the other side of the planet suddenly erupted. As fire and lava shot up into the air, a pink and white robotic pterodactyl emerged from the volcano and started soaring high above the sky. After letting out a loud screech, the Dinozord teleported directly to the battlefield before blasting Snizzard back with its lasers.
Upon seeing her Zord, Jasmine could immediately feel a powerful connection with it, prompting her to jump up and get inside its cockpit. Once she was in and she sat down, Jasmine immediately understood what every button inside the Zord was for and what they did. This was because the Morphin Grid connected her to the Pterodactyl on a neurological level, giving her the ability to pilot it. She then grabbed the Zord's control stick before diving down towards Snizzard.
"Alright, big buy," she said as she readied herself. "Let's see how you deal with the Pink Ranger and her shiny new toy!"
Pressing a button on the top of the control stick, Jasmine fired another barrage of lasers at Snizzard, forcing the monster to back away from Keith and the Tyrannosaurs. In response, Snizzard summoned several electric arrows and fired them directly at the Dinozord. However, thanks to the Pterodactyl's incredible maneuverability, Jasmine was able to avoid each shot with ease. She then started soaring through the sky an incredible speed, confusing Snizzard.
While Jasmine continued battling it out with Snizzard, the block of ice that the Tyrannosaurus Zord was trapped it started to shake around. Eventually, the ice started to crack until it eventually broke apart and the Tyrannosaurus was free, unleashing an ear deafening roar. At the very moment it was free, the Mastodon Zord finally got back to its feet and walked over towards it.
"Sorry about the deep freeze, Keith." Tyson apologized.
"Don't…worry…about it." The Red Ranger stuttered, as his body was shivering. "Let's go…help…Jasmine!"
Just as Keith said that, both he and Tyson watched as the Triceratops and Saber-Tooth Tiger Dinozords quickly made their way over to them. Cameron and Serena were finally ready to rejoin the battle and were eager to help. To that end, the Rangers raced over towards the battle and worked together to completely overwhelm Snizzard.
Keith and Serena used their Dinozords to attack the monster from two different angles, preventing Snizzard from picking them off one at a time. At the same time, Cameron used the Triceratops horn chains to hold Snizzard in place. This gave Tyson the opportunity to finally freeze the monster in place with the Mastodon's frost breath. Once Snizzard was frozen, Jasmine locked on its Zapper Apple before pressing a big red button on the Pterodactyl's control panel.
"Fire in the hole!"
The Pterodactyl Dinozord fired two sets of missiles from the sides of its wings and targeted them directly at the Zapper Apple. Upon contact, a large explosion occurred that not only destroyed the apple, but also completely obliterated Snizzard's body as well. The only thing left was its bow, which soon turned to dust and scattered off in the wind. Once the monster was gone, the Pterodactyl let out a loud cry and it was soon joined by the rest of the Dinozords. After a long battle, the 5 Power Rangers finally obtained victory.
Back at the Walton residence, police officers and firefighters were still surveying the area following the battle that took place earlier in the evening. Mayor Adam Walton was still dealing with the press, although he was desperate to get away from them and join the search for his missing daughter. Eventually, just when it seemed like the mayor had finally had enough, Adam noticed that the crowd around him suddenly turned their attention away from him and back towards his partially destroyed mansion. When he turned around and looked on in shock as someone was making their way towards him.
"Jasmine…"
The individual in question was indeed Jasmine Walton. Following the battle against Snizzard, the Rangers realized that they needed to bring Jasmine back home or else they run the risk of drawing suspicion. To that end, after teleporting her back to her, the Pink Ranger demorphed to her civilian form and ripped up her dress some more in order to give the illusion that she was in trouble. She then exited the mansion as she made her to her father.
As the two of them embraced one other, Adam let out a noticeable sigh of relief as tears started streaming down his face. Several news crews soon surrounded them as reporters told their viewers the details of Jasmine's miraculous return. After another minute of hugging, Adam gently kissed the top of his daughter's head before gently placing his hands upon her shoulders.
"What…What happened?" He questioned. "Where were you?"
"…Well." Jasmine started off as she gathered her thoughts. "One of those monsters attacked me and I got knocked out. Everything else is kinda fuzzy…but I do know that the Power Rangers saved me."
"The Power Rangers…?"
After Jasmine nodded her head in confirmation, the young woman looked up and proceeded to point towards the roof of her home. As everyone else looked on in that direction, they were all stunned to see all the Rangers looking down at them from the roof. Upon seeing them, Adam soon gave the Rangers a round of applause, thanking them for saving his beloved daughter. He was soon joined by everyone else, as they were once again amazed by the Power Rangers heroics.
As the team took a moment to soak all of this in, Keith looked down at Jasmine and saw her giving him a small smile. Upon seeing that, the Red Ranger gently nodded his head before placing his hands on his belt buckle. He then teleported away in a bright red stream of light. The other Rangers soon followed suit and flew away as the crowd looked on in excitement. While watching them leave, Jasmine reached into her pocket and gripped her Power Morpher before letting out another small smile.
Meanwhile, in the depths of outer space, Rita Repulsa was busy observing this scene from the balcony of her moon palace. Just seeing all those people so happy was making her sick to her stomach. This upset her so much that Rita unintentionally caused the palace to shake violent due to her raw power. Although she managed to calm herself down, the damage she caused was noticeable as there were several cracks placed all over the palace.
While this was going on, Finster, Squatt, and Baboo were all nervously looking on as their empress continued her observation. Eventually, when Rita slowly turned around, her minions quickly got on their hands and knees and begged for forgiveness. This was especially true for Finster, who once again failed to create a monster that could finally best the Power Rangers. Not only that, but Rita more or less warned him what would happen if Snizzard failed to destroy the Rangers. That time has come and as Rita slowly walked over towards him, Finster broke out in a terrible sweat.
"My empress…" He muttered. "I…I…I…"
As he struggled to come up with something to say, Rita looked down at Finster with a cold expression on her face. However, instead of destroying him for his failure, the witch simply walked past Finster. When the gnome looked up at her, he watched as Rita stopped for a moment and looked back at him.
"Finster…" She spoke. "You disappoint me."
Once she said those few short words, Rita silently continued on her way through the palace. For a moment, Squatt and Baboo seemed relieved by the outcome and were about to congratulate Finster for his survival. However, when they looked towards him, the duo watched as the gnome was busy sobbing in sorrow. More than her anger, what Finster feared most was Rita's disappointment. She was a goddess in his eyes and disappointing her was far worse than any punishment or death sentence he could've received. As a result, Finster was left wailing in despair as Squatt and Baboo silently looked on.
Meanwhile, Rita walked down the halls of her palace until she eventually arrived at the dungeon. Upon entering, she looked on as Goldar continued to sit quietly while being held down by his chains. Without saying a word to him, Rita destroyed the chains with a blast of her wand, freeing her general from its grasp. She then walked away as Goldar slowly picked himself up and stretched his limps. He then let out a sinister grin as he exited the dungeon.
"Get ready…for the second coming of Goldar."
A few days later, on a bright Tuesday morning at Angel Grove High, Keith and Jasmine were busy presenting their group project to Ms. Appleby and the rest of their class. It took a while, but the two of them finally managed to get it done. Once they finished their presentation, the two of them watched as most of the class gave them a round of applause, led by none other than Ms. Appleby herself.
"Excellent," she clapped. "You two did a magnificent job and for your efforts…you both are receiving a perfect score!"
"Thank you, Ms. Appleby." The two of them said in unison.
Shortly after their presentation, the bell rung all throughout the school and the students got ready to head out of the classroom. As Keith grabbed his things, he noticed Mandy and the rest of her group surrounding Jasmine, talking to her about what happened at her home a few days ago. Right away, the Red Ranger noticed how overwhelmed Jasmine was becoming and was tempted to her go over and help. However, before he could do anything, Jasmine simply slammed her hands down and walked over to him instead. She then grabbed his hand and the two of them walked out of the classroom, much to Mandy and the others confusion.
After spending a few seconds pondering what just happened, Mandy was the first to rush out of the classroom and make her way over to Jasmine and Keith. Upon reaching them, the young woman attempted to stop her friend by grabbing her, but Jasmine promptly brushed her aside. She then stopped for a moment before turning around and glaring at Mandy.
"Jasmine, what are you doing with-"
"What I'm doing is hanging out with my friend!" Jasmine interrupted. "In the short time we've known each other, Keith has been more than a friend to me than you and the others ever have, Mandy. Unlike all of you, he doesn't just hang out with me because I'm popular or because I come from a wealthy family. He actually cares about what I want instead of what I can provide. When have you ever done that?"
As she looked at Mandy, Jasmine watched as the young woman was struggling to find the right words to say. Seeing her like that gave her all the confirmation she needed. As a result, the Pink Ranger scoffed at Mandy before turning her back on her.
"I thought so…" She said as she grabbed Keith's hand again. "Let's go, Keith."
Upon walking off with her again, Keith noticed how happy and relieved Jasmine seemed to be at this moment. It was like a huge burden was lifted off her shoulder and she was finally free to be herself. Although he's quite the stoic individual, Keith couldn't help but grin upon seeing the big and happy smile that plastered on Jasmine's face. He then continued to walk with her while all the other students looked on.
Chapter Preview
Although the team is now assembled, Zordon notes that they're missing one crucial element before they can move on to the next step. The Power Rangers need a leader. But who will be the one to take up this heavy burden…and will he/she even want to carry it?
Next Time, Chapter 21: The Team Leader