[Sentai]

The Pilgrimage
Part 3

“Sir! The Defense Network just lit up like Christmas!” Colonel Mason rushed towards his command board, punching up what his Commander was seeing. And he didn’t understand it either. “Doctor K!” Watching his Comm. Board the familiar block letters and readout popped onto his screen, followed by the synthized female voice chiming on. “Yes, Colonel. I’m watching it to. And before you ask: Yes, Paleomax Megazord is safe within it’s hanger. Whatever that is is not us. Nor is it Venjix, it reads one human pilot.” The Colonel rubbed one hand along his chin, weighing the only option he had. “Scramble the Rangers, Defense posture only!”

The brilliant flash of light certainly wouldn’t draw attention. Then she thought, if that didn’t draw anyone here then the giant blue and gold train bursting into their city might.. Solaris certainly didn’t craft this thing for stealth. But that couldn’t be helped. Kyoko had one of the pieces of her new morpher, and she needed to find the next one. She smiled though as a familiar warmth pressed firm into her ankle.
“And when did you sneak onboard?” Carefully bending over while she stood, she scooped the small white kitten into her arms. Stroking one hand along her back while she dismounted the Solar Streak. Only to watch as the mammoth train disappeared again. Well, she certainly wasn’t leaving that way. And she was suddenly very happy she remembered to shoulder her sword and duffle before stepping off. “Well, Genji, we aren’t leaving here for a while.”
“Good, because we’d like some answers.” Turning herself around Kyoko found herself staring at a very familiar sight. Three Rangers, Morphed, with one hand on their holstered weapons. Though these ones looked a little different. Like someone hot-glued hot wheels onto spandex. Oh, how badly did she want to giggle right now. “Answers I have.”

Suddenly she very much missed Daggeron’s forest. This Base was to sterile, to bogged down by technology. It was all smooth walls and fake floors. Blinking lights and loud sounds, and metal. God the metal. But the chairs were comfy, she thought. She certainly was enjoying the one she was sitting on. “You were going to give us answers?” Summer, she said her name was. Summer. Kyoko liked that name. “Hai.” She said finally, one hand still stroking her Kitten. “My name’s Kyoko. I come from a world where.. Well, we don’t live in Domed Cities.”
And Kyoko went on. Explaining how she was once what they’d consider evil, how the Rangers defeated her, and after months of penance she was sent off on her journey to build a new Morpher. And redeem herself. What helped was Scott. Thanks to him following an enemy to her world and meeting the Samurai Rangers. And the fact it made the giant magic train suddenly make a lot more sense.
Scott was the first to chime in. “We don’t know anything about any test, Kyoko. Before you got here we were outside the Dome. Doing clean-up on the remnants of Venjix’s army. And we can’t use the Subway to get you home either, because that gateway was sealed when I passed through. .. Looks like you’re stuck here.”
Kyoko dropped her shoulders. Stuck, in this ruined world, for the rest of her life? Shaking her head she continued stroking the back of her Kitten. “Then what can I do to help the people? If I can’t go home, I want to continue making up for my sins back home.” That was when the alarm rose. Doctor K appearing upon one of the monitors, which drew everyone’s attention. Including hers.
“Rangers. Three of Venjix’s Advanced Troopers are making a run for the perimeter. Colonel Mason has ordered you launch in the Bio-Zords right now!”

She could hear the battle from even inside the bunker making their base. The ground shaking with the familiar thrumping of a Megazord running, clashing swords and explosions. And people.. She stood, leaving her duffle and sword behind. And her newfound Kitten a tender kiss between his ears, before running towards the Bunker doors.. Only to find them sealed.
“Where are you going, Kyoko? There’s a battle raging outside.” Doctor K had asked, with a curious tilt of her head. “Outside to help the people caught in the fighting.” Kyoko turned towards the strange Monitor Woman, and pointed towards the door. “Open this. Someone needs to help them evacuate before the Monsters or the Rangers accidentally crush people just trying to make it from harm’s way!”
Doctor K looked to be considering, looked to be debating with herself over what to do. “Doctor!” The woman gave a quick nod, and punched the control from her side. “Be careful Kyoko. This world is dangerous, and you are new here.”

The cityscape outside was chaos. But Kyoko was doing her best. Ushering people towards the safe zones, making sure they followed the correct roads which one of the soldiers had told her on her way here. Helping those who needed. While the city exploded all around them. In the distance the rangers fought against the coming horde using their Zords. She overheard one of the soldiers saying they intercepted a powerful signal, and were throwing everything they had at the city to find it.. Which meant this was her fault. What else could the signal be but the Solar Streak bursting into this world?
That made her frown but it also made her focus. It was all the more important then she help these people, since… Blinking wide a scream caught her attention. Throwing her head around she saw where the scream had come from. A small blonde girl, standing terrified in the middle of the road with one of those monsters losing his footing.. Make her fast enough.
Debris was falling around her. Half of what was once an office complex crumbled beside, but she remained focused. Keeping herself low. Rushing out towards .. Nothing. When her arms reached out for the girl they went right through, and she found herself laying curled on a safety mat inside the Ranger’s Bunker. Her brows knit in confusion and she brought herself up onto her knees to kneel. “Another test…?”
Scott was the first one to offer her his hand. Using his help to stand before folding her arms back in against her chest. “You were in a virtual world soon as you walked in. Daggeron came here a month ago, said we’d be needed to give you a test. And to give you this.” With her palm opened Scott gave her the second piece of her new morpher. Along with a strange ticket, with one hole punched already. “What’s this?”
“The ticket I used to go to your world in the first place. Daggeron clipped it in that morpher of his, and now it’ll take you to your next test. He also said something about being sure to take care of Genji.” Genji! Turning around Kyoko smiled, opening her arms just as the Kitten leapt up and nestled in back against her neck. “He knows I will.. Did he say where my next test will be?”

Before Scott could answer the card erupted with light, engulfing the Rangers, submerging her in an intense warmth. Seems her question was about to answered anyway. And it was soon as the light faded, and her eyes adjusted to the dark. She caught her duffle laying on the sidewalk along with her sword, and Genji was still nestled within her arms.. So there was that. But where was she?
Looked.. Futuristic. Tall buildings made of glass, cars which took for the skies and flew about between them like fireflies. This definitely wasn’t home. And it wasn’t Corinth either, the air didn’t taste fake and stale. Where was she? Sighing, giving her shoulders a soft roll, she noticed Genji seemed to be staring at something. “What is it, Gen?” Following his eyeline, upwards to the skyline above her, her eyes to became wide. They were on the doorstep of a massive building. The focal point of the entire city, from the look. White and blue with.. “Why does that building have a Dog’s head…”