[FangRX]

Last time on Power Rangers Unleashed:

“What’s your name?”

“Artemis.” Serpen said as her body melted into itself again and her light red hair sprang forward again. “My name is Artemis.”

“What’s my name?” The other girl asked, looking up at Serpen, confusion in her eyes.
_____________________

Drake let out a heavy sigh and held his hand out. “Here.” He said as he gave his Silver Ranger key to the pink ranger. “You don’t need me. You proved that a couple of hours ago. I mean…I did nothing during that fight. You don’t need a Silver Ranger. Not at this point in the fight.”

“Drake…” April closed her DVD player and stood up to look at the young man in front of her. “We do need you. We just need to get things back up and running so we can get you integrated.”

“April, please. We all know that the only reason Thomas took me on was because I was an asset for five minutes,” Drake said. “I’ll see you around, kid.” He turned and walked out before dropping down into the crowded street below and blending in. Before April could catch sight of him, he disappeared.

“Drake!” April got up and ran out after him, yelling his name the entire time. When she got to the spot where he dropped down to the street, she looked around for him, but it was too late. There was no sign of him anywhere.
_______________________

The young woman knelt down in front of the grave she was searching for and removed the dead flower stalks before replacing them with the new ones. She sat on the ground in front of the gravestone with these words inscribes in the cold granite:

Here lies Virginia “Ginny” Underwood
Beloved Mother and friend
December 23, 1956--October 13, 2006

“Hi, Mama.” April whispered. As she dusted off the gravestone softly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been by lately. I’ve been busy with some friends. I know you’re watching me, so I won’t go into the details since you probably already know. I…it’s been seven years and I still miss you. I wish you would have taken me with you when you left…”
______________________

“About time. I was starting to wonder if you’d ever come out to play,” Dimas said. “Besides, I’ve got an old friend of some predecessors of yours that wants to play.” He snapped his fingers, a red crack appearing in the sidewalk before the Nighlok Negatron--looking rather decomposed--appeared, cracking his neck. “Negatron…welcome back from Hell.”

“I’d say it’s good to be back, but when Rangers are involved, it’s going to a challenge,” Negatron growled. “Lucky for me I know some better secrets this time.”

“Enough!” Thomas said. “Let’s Ranger up!”

“UNLEASHED ENGAGE!” Turning their Keys, the five Rangers transformed, going from their street clothes into their multicolored spandex forms of the Unleashed Power Rangers.

“Oh, I’ve got the juiciest secret about you!” He laughed.

“No…don’t you dare!” April growled, yelping as Negatron spun around and knocked her off of him. “Please…don’t.” Her sword fell limply from her hand, fear in her eyes. “Please…”

“You’re just a scared little girl who’s afraid of everyone abandoning her!” Negatron laughed, April’s yell of pain as her suit exploded music to his ears.

The Pink Ranger hit her back, holding her ribs as she tried to sit up. Fear clouded April’s eyes, tears streaking down her cheeks behind the broken visor of her helmet, flecks of black plastic pierced into her face and making some small cuts that bled.
________________________

“Because as of right now, spores that I crafted myself a very long time ago are weeding into the Rangers bloodstreams. In a matter of minutes, the four main Rangers are going to be stuck in our Ship where Mitagas will begin his testing on them for turning them into the ultimate warriors in your CyborEx Program, so that when the Outlying get here, you have nothing standing in your way as you conquer.” Dimas explained, standing up and shaking his head out before hearing the sounds of teleportation devices.

Four black flashes later, the four Rangers stood in the middle of the bridge on the Blizkon, Demi and Thomas looking ready to fight while Richmond and Alec stood confused.

“Oh, hell no!” Demi snapped.

“Welcome to the beginning of the last day of your lives, Rangers!” Dimas smirked, throwing an electrical field around the Rangers as Alec lunged at Serpen, ten thousand volts of power being surged through the Blue Ranger.

“What do you want with us?” Thomas asked. He knew that if Serpen and Dimas wanted them on the ship that he and his team would be out for a fight to the death soon.

“That’s for us to know and you to find out, Thomas,” Dimas smirked, waving his hand. “Take them to the cells. Take their Keys and Callers and lock them up separately. Put the girl in my chambers.”

“Don’t touch her!” Richmond snapped, getting a fist into the mouth from a Golbak that knocked him into Demi, the Yellow Ranger helping steady him.

“I’ll be fine.” Demi said, noting the look in Alec’s eyes as well. “I promise.”

As they were marched off, Thomas noticed several small objects in the laboratories that they passed, objects that looked strangely like their Keys….
__________________________

April, having been determined to find her friends since Dimas’ message, clenched her fists as she did another sit up. “Two hundred…” she mumbled, relaxing and taking a deep breath. “Geeps, where did that slimy son of a bitch say he was going to be?” She flipped over, pointing her feet down before she started push ups, counting lowly. “One…two….three….”

“He didn’t,” Geeps said, flying in with a towel and dropping it on the bed beside April’s water bottle. “He said, “Have fun trying to find me.” I don’t really want to think of what he’s doing to them.”

“Or what he’s doing to Demi,” April growled. “Fifteen….” As she kept going, she moved one hand to get to her mPod, scrolling through before finding the theme she wanted. As the tune from the Rocky Movies blared throughout the ship, the Pink Rangers eyes blazed with cold fury and determination. “Twenty…twenty-one…”
____________________________________

Deep inside of the Blizkon, Thomas and the other Rangers yelled out as electric shocks coursed through them, Mitagas’ experiments searing them deep inside. The Red Ranger fought against his bonds but to no avail. After a while, the four Rangers felt the electricity stop, allowing them to catch whatever breath they could.

Mitagas looked at his screens, trying to find a way to break the Rangers, despite their chances of staying alive being very low. “I do not know why you don’t give in, Rangers,” the aged professor said, looking over the Ranger’s vital signs. “Especially you, Thomas.”

“Because if we give up, Serpen wins,” Thomas growled.

“I refuse to give up and let her win,” Alec snarled, struggling against his own restraints.

“After all the hell she’s caused, I don’t want her to win. I love Earth, and I won’t go down without a fight!” Richmond snapped, pure anger blazing in his eyes.

“If she wins, that’s it,” Demi sighed, having stopped struggling a long time ago. Her muscles, sore from Dimas’ assaults on her body, didn’t think she could stand more. “I refuse to let her have my home. As it is, she’s already wiped out half of the population. She’s killing more and more of us every day, never giving up. Why should we quit and let her have this planet where she can screw it over!? She already did that once by acting like she was a friend!”

“You don’t understand,” Mitagas said. “None of you know her as I do. That’s why these electroshock treatments will continue until your mind or body breaks. Whichever. It is of no consequence to me which goes first so long as you all succumb to the CyborEx program.”

Stepping into the lab, Serpen had her arms crossed behind her. “Mitagas,” she said, putting her hand on the professor’s arm. “Let them rest. They’re not any good to us dead.”

“Of course, Lady Serpen,” Mitagas said, bowing his head in respect. “Though the insolence will only be accepted for a short time. My patience with them is wearing deadly thin.” He bowed his head again, retreating to his office before the door hissed closed behind them.

“Get up,” Serpen said, undoing the restraints and pulling the Rangers to their feet. “Come on. You don’t have any time.”

“Why are you helping us?” Thomas growled, pulling away from Serpen before he helped Demi up, the Yellow Ranger pale. “You’re trying to kill us. Why help us escape?”

“Because there are bigger forces here then you can imagine,” Serpen said, melting back into Artemis before her eyes softened. “Please, Thomas. You have to trust me. Dimas is planning something that’s going to throw me out of command in a heartbeat, and he’s planning on using Vexacon and the remaining Ranger Keys to do so. I need you to get out.”

“No way in hell are we trusting you,” Thomas snapped, shoving Serpen away. “Not after what you did to us.”

“Very well then,” she said, returning to normal before she stabbed Thomas in the shoulder, driving him to the ground. “Jesus, Thomas, for once in your life, listen to me. Dimas is planning something. You remember the Outlying? The Key of Deletion? Yeah, that’s happening. If we can’t stop Dimas, nothing is going to stop him from gaining ultimate power.”

“Ultimate Power?” Alec asked, looking up at Serpen. “Are you serious?”

“Listen, Alec--”

“No. You don’t get to tell me to listen,” Alec snapped. “Not after what you’ve done to us.”

Serpen sighed, looking away. “Do you think I wanted to do what I did? I didn’t,” she said, healing the cut in Thomas’ arm before she let herself return to normal. She knew that Mitagas wouldn't be long gone, so she restrapped the Rangers down. "I'm sorry for this."

“Then why don’t you put yourself in front of your little subordinate’s cattle prod?” Demi asked, her voice low. Everyone turned to look at the Yellow Ranger, none more intrigued then Serpen. “PUt yourself in front of him and let him do to you what he did to me. See if you’re still so adamant.”

Serpen looked down, having a damn sure idea of what Demi was talking about. “I told him not to touch you,” she said. “I’ll deal with him. Severely. Just…for now, please trust me. I can get you out of here and get the Keys we’ve gained to Geeps.”

Thomas sighed, looking at his team. “We don’t have much choice, do we?”

“Guess not,” Alec said, Richmond nodding in agreement.

“Fine,” Thomas said. “But take the ship into Earth so that April can find it.”

“Done,” Serpen said, nodding. “And I’ll take a few swings from each of you if it’ll make you feel better.” She looked up as Mitagas came back inside, stepping back before nodding softly, heading for the door. “They’re useless. Begin the upgrades.”

“Of course,” Mitagas said, restarting the electroshock treatments. As the Rangers screamed out, he set to work lining up several large pieces of metal, knowing exactly what he wanted to do.
_____________________________

April, having taken a hot shower and eaten enough for eight people, paced around the ship’s main deck. “Geeps! I know what I can do to help get the guys back.”

“What?” the parrot asked, landing on his friend’s shoulder.

“My aunt Koyomi has my fathers War Katana at her house. It’s just a few blocks away. I can get it, and with that razor sharp steel that never dulls, I’ll be able to slice my way around more then with a Ranger Saber,” she said, adjusting a black long sleeve shirt over her torso, tightening a black belt before she pulled on her boots, cracking her knuckles.

Geeps nodded, tapping the keyboard before he squawked, alarms ringing out. “Looks like that katana will have to wait, April,” he said, pulling up the cause of the alarm. “The Empire’s flagship, the Blizkon, just lowered down into the planet. What do you want me to do?”

“Set a course right for them. Full speed. Ram the bastards,” the Pink Ranger growled, putting her Caller and Pink Ranger Key in her pocket. She knew what she had to do, and if it got her killed, so be it.
_____________________________

Dimas, having been watching the way the ship was working on his monitors, growled as it slowly descended into the city. “What the hell is going on!?” he demanded. “Why are we near the surface?!”

“Lord Dimas, it appears that Lady Serpen has authorized us to lower onto the planet,” Vexacon said, tapping some keys. “I cannot override the commands.”

“Volan!” Dimas swore. “I’ll fix this.” He started towards the door, planning on ending Serpen’s life and taking over. He opened the door, taking one foot out when suddenly--

“Sir!” one of the guards called out, making Dimas turn. “The Rangers Uchuu Galleon! It’s coming right for us!”

“Evasive--” Dimas started. His words were cut off in his throat when a thunderous crash was heard. He toppled over, ending up on the floor under the view screen, anger in his normally calm blue eyes. “What the hell!?”

“It was the Galleon!” the same guard yelled out. He got back into his seat, tapping several keys. “There’s a massive hull breach on decks nine through fifteen. Reporting several casualties spanning the width of the ship.”

“Get an attack force down there now! Stop her!” Dimas snapped getting up and grabbing his sword again before he ran out with the guards, seeing blasts of light from several corridors down.

As he rounded the corner, he was met with April hacking and slashing down his Timbaks, knocking several of them away.

“Unleashed Engage!” the Pink Ranger yelled. GO GO SAMURAI was heard, the Caller changing the Pink Ranger into that of the Samurai Rangers. As Golbaks gathered around her, she drew out her Samuraizer, flipping it open. “Symbol Power! Shield!” Drawing out the Japanese character for Shield, she managed to get it around her fast enough that the Golbaks’ attack didn’t even scratch her.

“Kill her!” Dimas yelled, holding his sword out. “NOW!”

The Golbaks rushed forward, swinging their arms around and hoping to land a hit on the Pink Ranger. One took charge, knocking April off of her feet before she landed on the ground, a solid smirk on her face under the helmet.

“Is that really all you’ve got?” she asked, laughing. “I haven't even started! Unleashed Engage!” WILD ACCESS her Caller rang out, turning her into the White Tiger Wild Force Ranger. “White Tiger Baton!” She thrust forward, slamming it headlong into one of the Golbaks’ face, leaping up and over before flipping it onto his head, throwing it into it’s friends. “Come on, I thought you were tough.”

“Try them on for size,” Dimas growled, slamming his fist into the wall as two Eternaks walked out, holding their staffs up before crossing them, the symbol of the Empire shining before it blasted out.

“Oh, shit,” April yelped, landing on her back as she jumped backwards, the blast making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. “Ok, you want to play like that? Try this on. Unleashed Engage!” RPM! GET IN GEAR! As her suit changed into that of the Black RPM Ranger, she summoned her Rocket Blaster, firing several high powered blasts into the Eternaks’ chests, knocking them back before she got up and ran.

“Yeah, keep running,” one of the Eternaks laughed, taking chase. He ran down the hall, blasting at April only to miss, slamming headlong into the wall as she made a sharp left, running towards the cells.

“Guys!” the Pink Ranger yelled, kicking down a door and hearing her friend’s screams. “No…please, don’t be too late…” She ran down the hallway, following the Ranger’s screams as they were electrocuted, kicking the door for the lab in. “Turn it off!” Pointing her Rocket Blaster at Mitagas, she wanted it to be known she wasn’t playing. “NOW!”

Mitagas nodded, flipping off the switch and undoing the Rangers bonds and allowing them to sit up, discreetly hitting a second switch that activated the CyborEx Program. “Do you think you’re going to get away with this, Pink?” the aged professor asked, looking at the Pink Ranger who was helping her friends up.

“I think I just did,” April growled, kicking a filing cabinet over and taking the Callers and Keys back, handing them to her friends. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Not so fast, actually,” Mitagas said, smirking. “See…what you didn’t notice was I activated the CyborEx program. Now, with Skelecron back, have fun trying to get out of here alive!” He laughed as he ducked out of a side door, leaving the room strangely silent.

“April,” Thomas said, putting his hand on the Pink Ranger’s shoulder. “Good job.”

“Dude, you rock,” Demi smiled, though her smile was dimmer then she wanted. “Thomas, we need to find those Keys Serpen spoke about.”

“I know where to look,” Thomas said. “I spent eight years on this ship. I know it inside and out, and I know where a lot of hiding spots are. Come on.” He led the four Rangers out of the lab, running down the hallway towards the docking bay, running into Serpen’s personal runner. “She keeps everything valuable to her in here.” He opened a door, several Ranger Keys falling out.

“SPD Shadow, Omega, and Kat Rangers! Lady Samurai Red, Dino Thunder White, Solaris Knight, Wolf Warrior, and White Mystic Ranger. Oh, my god!” Demi said, grinning. “Let’s get the hell out of here while we still can enjoy these things, huh?”

Just then, the entire docking bay shook as heavy footsteps stormed through, Eternaks’ laughing voices ringing down the hallway. “Rangers!” a familiar voice yelled out, the double doors of the docking bay blasting off of their hinges in a cloud of smoke. Stepping out of the smoke, Skelecron, now converted into a Cyborg, stood holding his Twin DioSabers, ready for battle.

“You had to open your mouth,” Richmond snickered. “Let’s Ranger up and put an eternal end to him, shall we?”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Thomas said, holding his Caller up. “Ready!?”

“Unleashed Engage!” the four unmorphed Rangers yelled out, transforming in a blast of colored light. Standing ready to fight, the five Rangers--April back in her Unleashed Suit--each held their respective weapons: Thomas using both Saber and Blaster, Demi and Alec both wielding Swords, and April and Richmond with the Blasters.

“Let’s rumble,” Thomas said, rushing forward and slashing out with his Saber, the blade not even connecting as Skelecron leapt backwards, driving two solid waves of energy out of his Blades at the five Rangers.

As they hit the ground with their suits sparking lightly, April growled as she stood up. “I’ve got an idea,” she smirked, hitting her belt and taking out the White Dino Thunder Key.

“Oh, you’re good,” Demi said, tapping her belt and summoning the Silver Space Ranger Key.

Thomas, Richmond, and Alec shook their heads at the Yellow and Pink Rangers interactions, each man taking a Key from their own belts.

“Unleashed Engage!”

DRAGONZORD

QUANTUM POWER

MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE

LET’S ROCKET

WHITE RANGER, DINO POWER

As the Rangers transformed, they summoned their respective weapons, Thomas rushing Skelecron again with the Dragon Dagger, slamming it into his chest before he kicked the converted warrior backwards. Super Silverizer in hand, Demi followed with a cross slash against his head, severing several horns that had been placed.

“You think that can stop me?” Skelecron growled, combining his DioSabers into one and throwing it like a boomerang, knocking the Rangers backward again, throwing Demi and Richmond against the wall before April landed on a very sensitive spot on Alec, making the Blue Ranger groan out.

“Ow…” Alec groaned.

“Sorry,” April said, helping Alec up. “Let’s do this.” She held her Drago Sword out, drawing a dozen arrows in the air before throwing them forward, making them collide with Skelecron as Alec leapt up, following the arrows.

“Quantum Defender!” the Blue Ranger called out, slashing with the two-in-one sword/gun, connecting multiple times with Skelecron.

“My turn,” Richmond said, smirking as he held up the Laser Lamp, spinning the silver dial on the side. “Fire!” As he pulled the trigger, a dozen bursts of energy emerged, colliding with Skelecron, knocking him backwards.

“You think you pathetic pansies can stop me again!?” Skelecron growled. “DioSaber Burst!” Charging both DioSabers, he threw each one like a boomerang, the twin weapons connecting with the Rangers and knocking all of them backwards, each one falling out of their secondary morph, leaving them in their Unleashed Suits. “You’re weak. You’re always going to be weak, Rangers. You can’t stop me!”

Struggling to get up, Thomas forced himself up, firing a few rounds from his Unleashed Blaster, the other Rangers getting up and firing beside him. Demi kept her focus on his chest, aiming for the small rectangular slot that would cover whatever heart he didn’t have.

“April, you alright?” Richmond asked, glancing back at the Pink Ranger who had yet to get up. “April!”

“Mmm…I’m alright,” she groaned, holding her side where a bit of black was seen seeping out of her fingers. “I think…”

“Let’s end this,” Skelecron growled, firing again.

“Unleashed Engage!” Thomas yelled, transforming one more time. DINO THUNDER POWER UP his Caller rang out, his suit changing into the Blue Dino Thunder Ranger, blocking the shot with the Tricera Shield. He threw the shield, spearing it into Skelecron’s chest. “Guys, let’s go Pink and go home.”

“Sounds good,” Demi said, watching April stumble a bit. “April, sit down. You’ve done enough today. Rest.”

“I can’t,” the Pink Ranger groaned. She used the wall to stand up, holding her Caller before she summoned a Pink Ranger Key. “Let’s finish this.”

“If you say so,” Demi said, her tone clearly worried for her best friend. She held up her own Pink Ranger Key, nodding. “Let’s do it, guys.”

“Pink,” Alec groaned, taking a Key from his belt.

“Get used to it, dude,” Richmond snickered.

“Unleashed Engage!” the five Rangers called out for the final time, turning the five Pink Ranger Keys in their Callers.

PTERADACTYL

OVERDRIVE ACCELERATE!

SHIFT INTO TURBO!

MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!

GO GALACTIC!

“Power Bow!” Thomas yelled, firing several arrows from the bow, each of them landing in Skelecrons’ chest. He ducked down, letting Richmond leap over him.

“Hydro Geyser!” the Green Ranger called out, firing a blast of high power water from the spout on the front of his weapon. He knocked Skelecron backwards with a snap kick, landing him on the Quasar Saber thanks to Demi.

“Tell your boss something,” the Yellow Ranger growled, twisting the blade. “Go to hell.” She pulled the blade out of his back, slashing down before throwing him into Alec. “You’re up, babe.”

“Thank you,” Alec said, taking the MagiStaff from his belt before he channeled a gust of wind at Skelecron that lifted him up, slamming him into the roof of the ship before he delivered a kick to the face. “April, finish him!”

“With pleasure,” April growled. “Turbo Wind Fire! Unleashed Break!” She leapt up, slamming the bumper-styled bow into Skelecron’s chest, firing all she could before she kicked him backwards, standing with her back to the explosion. “Let’s go--” She hit her knees, Demi rushing over and keeping her from falling over.

“Thomas! Get us back to the ship!” the Yellow Ranger yelled, her voice carrying urgency. “Now!”

“Right,” Thomas said, looking at Alec. The Blue Ranger waved the MagiStaff, taking all five Rangers back to the Galleon which reversed and sped away.

Dimas, having gotten to the fight late, growled as he kicked Skelecron’s body to the side. “Idiot!” he snapped, the Cyborg warrior sitting up with anger in his eyes.

“Damn,” Skelecron sighed, stuffing his DioSabers on his back.
______________________________

Demi laid April on a bed in the medical bay, cutting her friends shirt off of her and throwing it into the trash. “April, look at me,” she said.

“Can’t keep my eyes open,” April admitted with a light chuckle. “Just hurts, that’s all.” She sighed, looking up at her best friend. “Guess we have to tell them the truth, don’t we?”

“Yeah, Ap,” Demi whispered, moving her friends brunette hair out of her eyes. “Yeah, we have to tell them…I know you didn’t want to tell them and keep the charade up, but…we don’t have a choice, sweetheart. We have to tell them.”

Thomas, Alec, and Richmond stepped into the room, watching the two girls talk. “How is she?” Richmond asked, looking at Demi.

April sighed, thankful she was still in her bra as she sat up with Demi’s help. As she moved lightly, sparks could be seen from inside of her skin, black fluid seeping out. “Guys--”

“You’re an android,” Alec said, cutting April off.

“Yes. Created by the Empire. I was only supposed to be used to find out things about the planet, find out if it was protected or not. I went above that programming, I…I grew,” April whispered. “I was found by a woman named Koyomi, the woman I called my aunt. I met Virginia Underwood and Hiromu Chang twenty years ago, and after she left, he started beating me. My metal endoskeleton grows like a humans. I was only a child-like being when I was first sent to Earth. I’ve grown up on this planet, and…”

“Enough,” Thomas said. “It doesn’t matter to us what you used to be, April. What matters to us is what you are now, and that’s more human then I am. It doesn’t matter to us if you were Empire or not. I was for the first twenty years of my life. It doesn’t matter. You’re as human as Demi is to me, and you’re nothing like what the Empire made you to be. So don’t worry about anything. Alright?”

April, who wasn’t expecting that kind of reaction, lowered her eyes. She knew they had a right to hate her for what she really was, but seeing how accepting they were, and coupled with Demi’s hand on her shoulder, it made the Pink Ranger smile. “Thank you, guys. I’ll keep doing my best to make the best out of what I am and how much I love this planet.”

Demi smiled, hugging April and kissing her head, grabbing some bandages and a wrap. “Now, can I fix you up?” she asked, smiling at her friend. “Please?”

“Yeah,” April smiled, laying back down. “Oi, you three. Get your butts out. I’m about to be topless here. Go!”

Laughing, Thomas grabbed Richmond and Alec, leading them out of the room. “I don’t think we want to see this happen,” he snickered.

“Speak for yourself,” Richmond laughed, sitting down at the table while Demi and April’s giggles filled the hallways.

“Boys,” the two female Rangers giggled, Demi starting to work on fixing April’s side.

With Skelecron returned, Serpen caught in the middle of her right hand man’s devilish ways, and the Keys of Deletion nearing Earth ever so slowly, the Rangers gladly welcome a breath of relief from the last months of endless fighting.