Streaks of Purple Saga Volume Four - Heather Ray (little red riding hood ebook txt) 📗

have something inside

it.

"Oh my God," she breathed, stumbling backward.

The enormous face within the glass tube smiled. "YOU ARE IN NO DANGER, AISHA. THIS IS THE COMMAND CENTER OF THE POWER RANGERS OF EARTH. THE PINK AND WHITE RANGERS SENT YOU HERE FOR TREATMENT. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?"

Nearly a minute passed before her tongue loosened enough to speak. "Yes?"

She remembered consciously deciding to give two obnoxious children a stern lecture. She remembered watching in horror as they mutated, transforming into monsters with more than enough strength to finish her off.

She even remembered them referring to her as "Trini."

Her throat went dry. Trini's a Power Ranger. I'm in the Power Ranger headquarters! The Power Rangers are actually human!

The revelations flashed through her mind like quicksilver, draining the strength from her legs. Overwhelmed, she leaned against the nearest console.

"YOU SHOULD RETURN TO THE BARRACKS," the head advised. The concern in his tone was so at odds with the intimidating voice in which he spoke.

"I'll be okay," Aisha hastily reported, "Uh? how long are you planning to keep me here?"

"THE POWER RANGERS ARE CURRENTLY BATTLING A MONSTER IN ANGEL GROVE. ONCE THE THREAT HAS BEEN NEUTRALIZED, I WILL BE GLAD TO RETURN YOU TO YOUR HOME. I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SEND YOU TO A DANGEROUS AREA."

His reassurance helped put Aisha at ease. "I appreciate that."

A strange, awkward silence fell. Aisha kept her eyes away from the floating blue head, finding the bright yellow diamonds on her boots oddly intriguing. So many questions swam in her mind that her tongue actually burned to ask them, yet she couldn't bring herself to demand information from this alien ally of the Power Rangers.

After a few more moments, the head himself broke the silence. "I THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO PROTECT THE YOUTHS TARGETED BY THOSE CREATURES."

His praise startled Aisha even more than his appearance. "Thank you." Her words didn't even come close to capturing the surge of pride that made her feel ten feet tall.

"YET I CAUTION YOU, AISHA: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE STRENGTH OF THE MOON FORCES. I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT HUMANITY'S DETERMINATION IS ONE OF ITS GREATEST ASSETS, YET I WOULD HATE FOR YOU TO BE THE VICTIM OF ALIEN VIOLENCE AGAIN. HAD YOU BEEN TREATED AT A HOSPITAL, YOUR ARM WOULD NOT HAVE EVER RECOVERED FULLY FROM THE DAMAGE IT SUFFERED."

She stared at him several moments, dissecting his comments and listening to what he didn't

say. He didn't tell her to stay out of the Rangers' way, or even not to masquerade as a Power Ranger again.

Aisha met his vivid blue gaze for the first time. She could feel the warmth in those projected eyes, making her wonder how she could've been afraid of him mere minutes earlier. She grinned. "I'll just have to be more careful next time."

An expression of surprise opened the floating face, urging a small giggle from Aisha.

Then, the alien smiled as well. "YOU MAY BE MY GUEST FOR QUITE A WHILE LONGER. IF YOU WISH, YOU MAY WATCH THE BATTLE PROGRESS ON THE SPHERE BEHIND YOU."

Suddenly, Aisha's burning curiosity turned to more immediate matters. She jumped up from the console and hurried to the Viewing Globe, watching in fascination as the park appeared before her eyes.

Chapter Fifty-Four

In a matter of seconds the Yellow and Blue Rangers reached the Zord hangar via direct teleportation. Together they stood at the top of the stairs to the enormous underground station, where only two Thunder Zords remained.

"It's now or never," Billy decided. His voice revealed none of the anxiety that knotted his stomach.

Trini squeezed his hand. "Let's go."

He nodded, grateful for the simple gesture. The two Rangers leapt into the air, the Power carrying them to their assault vehicles.

Billy strapped on his seatbelt, waiting as the Unicorn's systems flared to life. He flipped on his communicator. "Alpha, this is the Blue Ranger."

^I read you.^

"Activate the device."

^Roger!^

The Blue Ranger then pressed several buttons on his controls. A digital clock appeared in the bottom corner of his view screen, and slowly incremented.

"Trini, let's join the others," he said, "We have a maximum of eleven minutes and fifty-one seconds to destroy the Misfit."

Chapter Fifty-Five

Kimberly watched the Red Dragon and White Tiger perform through her view screen. Not for the first time, she marveled at the agility such gargantuan mechanical constructs could display.

Combating the Misfit with the two anthropomorphic Zords proved to be a good idea. While even the combined firepower of the Zords could not damage the Misfit, at least the speed and maneuverability were comparable. And the two Zords had resorted to a hit and dodge tactic, stepping in for a few quick blows and stepping out before a proper retaliation could land, letting the other Zord take the offensive.

The Pink Ranger chewed her lip, her fingers tightly clenched on the steering lever of her Firebird. Her eyes barely blinked as she waited for an opening, so she could finally aid her friends and relieve some of the pressure.

Her moment finally came when the Red Dragon was unable to dodge out of the Misfit's reach in time. The more wiry Zord stumbled, falling heavily into the nearby lake.

The White Tiger visibly braced itself as the Misfit's haughty cackle rose.

"My turn," Kim murmured, activating the thrusters. The smallest Thunder Zord zipped through the air, skirting just out of the Misfit's reach. Her fly-by distracted the beast, drawing fire that she evaded with bare feet to spare.

"Firebird Cyclone... Activate!"

Reddish energy flowed from the Firebird, creating a circle of bright light and fierce winds that created a funnel of power. That cyclone drove to the earth, capturing the nightmarish creature in its irresistible pull.

"Who's laughing now, jerk?" she gloated. Just as she moved her hands to steer away from the monster, her communicator sounded.

^Kim, wait!^

"Trini, you're back! Tell me you figured something out!"

^Yes, we did. But we'll need you to maintain the cyclone for as long as you can. So long as you continue to feed the tornado winds, the Misfit should remain trapped.^

"I'll hold him as long as I can," Kim promised.

Chapter Fifty-Six

Billy oriented his Unicorn toward the battle, green eyes narrow as he perused the readings his scanners fed him. The Firebird Cyclone proved to be effective against the Misfit, buffeting the magical creature with enough raw power to keep it off balance. However, it was clear that the Firebird couldn't maintain the assault much longer, and the Misfit still manifested a dangerously high power level.

He activated the all-call. "Rangers, approximately one minute ago we activated a device that we hope will weaken the Misfit."

A whoop of joy from the Lion answered him. ^That's the best news I've heard all day!^

"Don't cheer yet," Billy cautioned, "We have no idea how long it will take for the Misfit to feel the effect. I suggest that we continue to fight him in the individual, more maneuverable Zords until we see some signs of vulnerability."

^Sounds good,^ Tommy agreed, ^Kim, what's-^

An unexpected surge of power flashed across the Unicorn's screen. "Kim, look out!" Billy suddenly shouted. Unfortunately, the warning came too late. A split second later, a burst of pure black energy erupted from within the cyclone, spreading in all directions with enough strength to strip the nearby trees of their leaves. The Rangers braced themselves as their Zords weathered the backlash.

The next sound was a sickening crash that shook the very ground.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Aisha gasped loudly as she watched the streak of red smash into the ground. The haze of dust and uprooted verdure that followed clouded the Viewing Globe, but she still had a pretty good idea what had happened.

"The Pink Ranger's down!" she gasped.

The communicator then beeped urgently. ^Zordon! Is Ki-^

"WHITE RANGER," the floating head interrupted, "I SHALL TEND TO THE PINK RANGER. YOU AND THE OTHERS MUST SEE THAT THE MISFIT IS DESTROYED."

After a brief silence, the White Ranger's voice returned. ^It's as good as done, Zordon.^

Aisha's eyebrow rose as the vicious tone she'd heard. She turned to the floating head she now knew was named 'Zordon.' "Is there anything I can do to help? I'm certified in first aid."

"PLEASE RETURN TO THE BARRACKS. I MUST FOCUS MY ATTENTION ON THE PINK RANGER, AND THE RANGERS' IDENTITIES CANNOT BE COMPROMISED."

She