“Collision Course”

Chapter Three: Sins of the Power

Cam wasn’t claustrophobic by any means, but he was starting to feel it as most of the rangers hung over his chair and anxiously peered at the screen.

“Come on, Cam,” Dustin whined, resting his elbow and the majority of his weight on Cam’s shoulder. “Can’t this thing jet any faster?”

Cam scowled, “This thing has over Pentium Six modifications, so no, it can’t jet any faster.”

Shane leaned closer to Cam. “Uh, dude, I thought with being a computer nerd and all, you’d know there isn’t anything over a Pentium Four now.”

Cam glared at him and succinctly explained, “My point exactly. Now,” he shook Dustin’s arm off his shoulder, “if you could all back up just a little, maybe I can actually breathe enough to find Nosedive.”

Tori, pacing in the back, shook her head. “Dive used the Water Powers.”

Dustin furled his eyebrow. “You say something, Tor?”

She stopped suddenly and averted his eyes. “Nosedive. He used the Water Powers.”

“How do you know that?” Hunter asked incredulously.

“Fess up, Hunter. Blake told me he can feel when you use your powers and vice versa. That’s why he was so worried when you were kidnapped by Motodrone. It’s the same thing with Dive and me. Since we partly share the same power, I can feel when he uses it, and he’s using it.” Her eyes pored over her nervous fellow rangers. “He’s using it a lot.”

“Have faith, Tori,” Sensei spoke firmly as he walked upon the console, watching as Cam typed away. “Nosedive has taken his training to the fullest. He is ready for the challenge Lothor has put forth.”

Be strong, my Ice Ranger. Know your limitations, he added silently.

*^*^*

Nosedive flipped in the air, hearing the words of his sensei echoing in his head. At the moment, he couldn’t decipher its meaning or even figure out how he was hearing Sensei. At the moment, he needed to live in the moment, and in the moment, an overgrown shark with a sword was attacking him.

Flipping end over end, again, then again, he could heard Vexacus’s sword swiping but luckily missing him. Coming up to a wall, he placed his feet flat against it and propelled himself backwards. Flipping over Vexacus, he delivered a kick to the back of the bounty hunter. As Vexacus hit the wall, the teal ranger almost laughed at the swishy sound that was made when Vexacus’s black jacket smooshed between the concrete and his body.

Vexacus was quick, though, and turned just in time to swipe at Nosedive. The teen ducked, blocked Vexacus’s punch with his forearm, and in rapid succession, landed a punch to the monster’s open stomach. Recovering, Vexacus used the wall to his advantage, propelling off of it and connecting his boot flat with Nosedive’s shoulder. Flying backwards, Nosedive was able to catch his balance, flip on his fingertips, and land on his feet. Breathing heavily, he stared at Vexacus, while the monster glowered back at him.

“You have improved, Teal Ranger,” he congratulated flatly.

Nosedive shrugged absently. “Having six tutors and a guinea pig for a sensei can do that to a person.”

“See what good it will do you,” he lunged again, giving Nosedive just enough to quip, “Yeah, we will.”

And Nosedive leaped—

*^*^*

Wildwing couldn’t believe his eyes. His once clumsy, uncoordinated, never serious baby brother had matured. Now, he jumped with precision, fought with balance, and did moves Wildwing was positive Duke didn’t know.

It killed him to have been absent for the transition, yet it hurt more not being able to help his little brother. Trapped behind the force-field, he could only watch and pray to the Stars his brother was as good as he seemed.

Wildwing gasped as his brother jumped into the air again, and his body dissolved into flash of light. Sadly enough, Vexacus also had this ability, and Nosedive’s teal light bounced off one wall as Vexacus’s gray bounced off the other. Then, clashing in middle air, the two lights fell to the ground, only to shoot back up again.

After two more clashes, Nosedive and Vexacus once more materialized on the ground. Nosedive whirled again, brought his hands together and shot water—or so it looked like—at the fish monster again. The fish ducked, then dove for Nosedive. Too fast for his little brother to react, Vexacus brought his elbow down, connecting directly with the base of Nosedive’s neck. The teen collapsed, only to be flung backwards by a knee to the beak. Tumbling to the ground, Nosedive lay unmoving.

Wildwing found himself reaching out and slamming his fists against the force-field. He had to do something! “NOSEDIVE!” he screamed madly.

Nosedive moaned softly at his voice and reluctantly pushed himself onto his knees. Shaking his head, he wiped his bloodied beak on his sleeve, never looking up.

“Kid!” Canard’s voice blared next to Wildwing. “Get up!”

Slowly, sauntering, Vexacus neared…

*^*^*

Standing over the dazed Nosedive, the bounty hunter hissed, “I’m sure your friends will enjoy working for Lothor. After all, he’s not sending them to Dragaunus…at least not in their right minds. Once their minds are wiped to follow Lothor, they’ll kill Dragaunus before helping to take over Earth.” He smirked devilishly and raised the sword above Nosedive’s neck. “Your brother, I’m sure, will be hurt at first, but you’ll make a place for him in Hell once Lothor is done with him.”

Eyes burning madly, Nosedive shot up as Vexacus brought up his sword down by the teen’s neck. The teal ranger clasped his hands together on the hilt, his muscles straining. He kicked up, hitting the sword from Vexacus’s hand, and then in a shimmering of green, his black suit materialized into his battle gear. Grasping his puck launcher, he fired shot after shot after shot into Vexacus’s chest. The monster stumbled backwards until he finally fell to the ground. Hand over his smoking chest, Vexacus gasped for air and placed his sword in front of him as protection.

Puck launcher in hand, Nosedive clenched his teeth. His eyes hard, his family threatened, his training from the last three months finally came together.

“Vexacus, you know what I have to say to you?”

Vexacus kicked out Nosedive’s legs from underneath him, but the teen was prepared. He flipped backwards before rolling forward under Vexacus’s swipe and tugged his battle gear from his body. Once more dressing in his ninja uniform, he turned as Vexacus pushed to his feet, and dropped his palms flat on the floor.

“Chill out!” His hair blew magically in the sudden wind, his eyes glimmering an dull ice, and his inner ninja took over. “POWER OF ICE!”

Crystals of frozen water crawled from his palms on his floor, crackling and clutching Vexacus’s boots.

“NO! Stop!” the shark pleaded, as the dull blue ice chips edged up his body, overcoming his legs, waist and chest. He tried to turn, but his boots were frozen to the floor. Thrashing until his face and head were covered, he growled one last threat, “You’ll pay for this, Teal Rang—graaa!”

He became silent and still as the ice finished its hostile takeover.

Nosedive Featherburn, Mighty Duck, Ice Ranger, struggled to his feet and staggered backwards, the weight of the situation too much for him to handle. His legs felt weak and numb. His body shuddered as if it had been wrung out.

“I did it,” he breathed, demoralized. His utterly horrified expression slowly crept to a bright and boisterous smile. Abruptly, he leapt into the air, exhilarated. “I did it! I finally did it!”

“I have no idea what you just did, but way to go, baby bro!” Wildwing cheered.

Lothor wasn’t as amused. “So, tapped the Ice Powers, have you?” He shook his head and handed the morpher back to Marah. She jumped at seeing it her hands. Her uncle gave her the powers! Of course, he didn’t notice her excitement and took a step forward. “Must I do everything myself?”

Nosedive whirled to him just a blast of gold power shot toward him. Nosedive’s eyes went wide, and he quickly erected a shield of ice in front of him, which the gold blast simply burst through. The power, slowed but still potent, slammed into Nosedive’s stomach, sending him flying. Shards of ice scraped his face, as he tumbled to a stop along the ground. However, he had to keep moving. He needed to get up. Not all the Power Rangers combined could stop Lothor—even when morphored—and now he had to fight the demon of their quest alone and powerless.

Nosedive rolled upon the ground and got to his feet. He ducked a punch by Lothor but missed the sweeping kick that connected into his side, savagely tossing him into the wall. He tried to breathe but didn’t have the time as Lothor, not even a foot away, raised his hand and shot a blast of gold at him. He ducked the shot, rolled away, but as he regained his footing, felt something hard slam directly into his beak. He knew exactly what it was—an elbow. He had received enough of them in his hockey career to know.

Along with evil space ninja muscle, the attack was powerful enough to send him to the ground, breathing raggedly.

Laying upon the floor face-down, Nosedive at first didn’t dare to move. The world seemed to have kilter-ed off its axis, and he so desperately wanted it back on. After a few moments, he was steady enough to touch his beak and grimace at the pain that radiated and the blood on his fingers. He tensed as he heard Lothor laugh maniacally while sauntering about him.

“My brother spent a lifetime training at that academy, and yet he couldn’t even defeat me,” Lothor affirmed, stopping in front of Nosedive. “What chance does his poorly trained fledgling have?”

The answer came from Choobo. “Uh, none?”

Nosedive whirled onto his back and flicked up his body. Turning, he stared at Lothor, as the evil space ninja simply gazed back.

“Impressive,” Lothor complimented. “You’re actually on your feet. Let’s bet how long you can stay there.”

“Two minutes!” Marah cheered, jumping up.

Kapri scoffed and glanced at her nails, holding them out to examine their pink color. “Uh, please. One minute…maybe.”

“Thirty seconds, sir!” Zurgane replied sharply.

Choobo simply laughed.

“Hey, at least give me some cred— ” Nosedive barely had time to gasp before Lothor lunged at him, and he frantically ducked and rolled away. He leapt into a back flip, as his brother’s threats blared in his ears against the resounding blasts of Lothor’s power. He tried to remain sane and figure a way to defeat Lothor, but he was surely waning. The battle with Vexacus wore him out, and he hadn’t slept since he even battled Siege earlier. Not to mention, he used the Ice Powers for the first time—and now add splitting headache.

He was running out of his tenth wind, and Lothor had just begun.

Finally, as he planted his feet flat upon the floor, he realized what his sensei had meant.

This wasn’t just his battle. It was his team’s—the Power Rangers.

As Lothor jumped into the air toward him, Nosedive dove to the side, his body once more dematerializing. He leapt on the wall, then lunged at Marah. His body once more noticeable, he snatched the morpher from her shocked hand, much to her displeasure, and hit open the connection.

“CAM! I need back—AHH!”

A force slammed into his shoulder, flinging him back into the wall. His comm. unit spun across the floor—too far from his reach. Rubbing his shoulder as he stared demoralized at Lothor, Nosedive kept erect more by the grace of the wall than his own power. “They know where I am now.”

His hand glowing with raw hatred energy, Lothor leered at the teenage duck. “You think that will stop me, Teal Ranger? By the time they get here, all they’ll see is a corpse.”

That was all the warning Nosedive got.

Lothor sprang from his position, giving Nosedive just enough time to duck. As he attempted to flee, Lothor’s elbow collided with the back of his head. He fell forward, but a fist knotted in his hair, pulling him back. The teen whined at the pain but quickly elbowed Lothor in the stomach. It didn’t anything but infuriate the evil space ninja even more. Lothor clunked Nosedive’s head against the wall, and the teal ranger started toward the ground, only to be hit directly in the stomach. He flung backwards and slammed hard to the concrete.

Placing his hands on the floor, he slowly staggered to his feet, battling both fatigue and the spinning world. He turned toward Lothor, gasping but quickly blocking a punch, Nosedive missed the opposite hand as it connected with his forehead. Swiveling, he tried to distance himself by delivering a whirling kick to the evil space ninja’s midsection—which was caught easily by Lothor’s encircled fingers. Nosedive received Lothor’s demented smirk, making his insides turn cold. He frantically tried to tug his appendage away but couldn’t break away from Lothor’s stalwart grip. His grin becoming even wicked from Nosedive’s panic, the evil space ninja applied pressure on the teen’s ankle with his bare hands.

Nosedive let out an anguished shriek as a crack resounded, and pain sweltered through his body like a raging fire. He crumpled to the floor and whimpered when he pulled his reclaimed leg closer to his body, the pain overwhelming and causing him to shake.

“NOSEDIVE!” a frantic voice beckoned—his brother.

Nosedive slowly raised his battered head, blood oozing from his forehead and beak, navy and violet bruises blemishing his face. He looked up at his brother, who stood helplessly behind the force-field. His trembling eyes accented his concern and strife, yet there was nothing Nosedive could do to soothe his worries.

He was dying.

“I forgot how much fun it was to destroy my brother’s students. I should do this more often,” Lothor brayed, looking up at Wildwing. “What do you think? Should we go appendage by appendage?”

“Leave him alone! You’ve defeated him,” Wildwing bartered. “There’s no need to go any further.”

“Oh, but there is.” Lothor redirected his gaze. “Once I destroy him, the Ice Powers will once more be mine, and I can choose whomever I wish.” Bending down and invading Nosedive’s personal space, Lothor brushed back one of the teen’s bedraggled bangs, soothing down his hair, causing Nosedive to flinch. “Next time, I will choose one less…spirited.”

“NO!” Wildwing screamed, but it didn’t matter.

Lothor’s hard hand clamped the back of his uniform and tossed Nosedive carelessly in the air. The teen contorted and desperately fired one icicle from his hand, impaling Lothor in the shoulder.

It was the only shot he got.

Lothor fired a gold blast, hitting Nosedive in the side of his torso. Caught off balance, he landed hard against the ground, grunting in the agony that followed. He haggardly pushed himself to all fours, but his body refused to work as he needed it to.

Get up! he screamed in his mind, but he was so tired and hurting—Stars, his ankle!

He winced at another wave of pain crashed down upon him, and he would have collapsed if not for the rough hand that grabbed him by the collar and threw across the candle factory floor. He slammed into the side of the vat and slid down the concrete. As he lay half-comatose on the ground, a sparkling shimmer caught his eye on the floor next to him—his morpher.

His hand seized it—

—A boot clamped down on his wrist, preventing his usage of the device.

Lothor smirked devilishly down at Nosedive and pressed more weigh down upon Nosedive’s wrist. The teen cried in pain as slowly, he felt his bones bend.

“You thought you could betray me?” Lothor grated. “You thought these powers were yours? I found them, and I gave them to you. Now, Ice Ranger, be prepared to lose them.”

Nosedive’s breathing increased as he saw Lothor place a hand flat out in front of him, the palm glowing gold. Aimed at his head—one deadly shot.

Nosedive beseeched to his brother. His eyes ricocheted back and forth, tears blurring his vision. He tried to tell him that he was sorry—for all this! He was sorry for bringing his brother into this mess, sorry for not being strong enough to defeat Lothor, sorry for leaving him behind. He always knew that would be his downfall, being left behind if his brother ever were to die. He always thought Wildwing would go first, what with Dragaunus constantly aiming his blaster at his big brother’s head. He never thought it’d be like this, but somehow, he wanted it this way. At least he didn’t have to deal with the pain.

It was selfish, but at the moment, it was the only thing that brought him peace.

Wildwing stared back at him, a look of desperate horror upon his face. His own tears coursed his face as he knelt upon the floor, his legs no longer having the strength to keep him standing. His unyielding fists had long been silenced against the force-field, bloody from the force at which he slammed, still from unwillingness to continue.

Nosedive cried out as Lothor’s foot once more compressed his wrist, taking his eyes off his brother only long enough to squeeze them shut and more tears to expel. He looked back and not having the breath to speak, mouthed, “I love you, Wing.”

Wildwing’s eyes softened, and a small smile formed upon his beak. It was shaky and scared, but Nosedive knew his brother tried to remained composed for him, so his last few seconds wouldn’t be full of fear for him.

The light brightened in Lothor’s hand, stealing Nosedive’s attention from his brother.

Lothor’s sadistic smile demonized. “One less pest—only six more to go.”

Wildwing’s cry cut through the air. “NOOOOO!”

Lothor growled and pulled his arm back.

“Thunderstorm Cannon!”

Nosedive glanced toward the left of them, only to hear, “FIRE!”

Lothor followed Nosedive’s glare and hissed at the sight of the yellow power ball hurling toward him. He immediately lunged to the side and off Nosedive’s wrist, as the ball passed above him. The monsters on the platform scattered to the sides as the ball exploded on impact, sending a wave of heat and smoke about the confinement.

Nosedive huffed in deep, cleansing breathes as he felt his morpher in his hand. He brought it to his chest and whined at the pain that surfaced. It didn’t matter. His ankle would heal. His wrist would heal, but more importantly, now that his team was there, his family was safe.

“You okay, man?” Red Ranger asked as he knelt by his side.

Nosedive shook his head and gulped back a wave of nausea. Struggling into a sitting position, he glared at the leader. “Yeah, I’ll live, but what the hell took you guys so long?”

“We hit traffic,” Blake snickered, grabbing Nosedive by the elbow and helping to his feet.

The teal ranger staggered for a moment before gaining his bearings, leaning on Hunter and Blake for support. He looked at his five friends. “You guys came, even after I abandoned you in battle?”

Tori shrugged and grabbed him in a half-hug. “Hey, you’re our friend, Dive. Having us means you never have to say sorry.”

“But if you do it again, I’m kicking your ass,” Hunter spat facetiously.

Nosedive snorted and shook his head, then gestured with his good hand toward Vexacus. “You’d try.”

The team gasped, laying on the frozen bounty hunter. “You used the Ice Powers? Way to go, man!” Dustin congratulated, ruffling the duck’s hair. Despite being the same age as the rangers, besides Hunter and Cam, the team seemed to ruffle Nosedive’s hair just because of its length.

“Hey, what can I tell you? It’s a gift.”

“Which will be your demise!” Lothor’s angered voice called through the factory, distracting the rangers. They turned on instinct, and Shane impulsively placed himself in front of the injured Nosedive.

“Last chance, duck,” the evil space ninja commanded. Nosedive’s face darkened at the sight of the Lothor, standing in front of the force-field. His monsters were not far behind. “Join me or forever morn your family.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it!”

Nosedive smirked as he watch Cam jump down from one of the vats and slice at Lothor. The evil space ninja growled and threw a blast of light, which Cam easily deflected with his Samurai Saber. The light connected directly with the force-field, causing it to shimmer slightly and crackle. Cam took the hint given.

“This is not your fight, nephew!” Lothor snarled, though Cam only boasted back, “Please. You made it our fight when you attacked Nosedive!” Kicking Lothor, he stuck his saber into the force-field and cut through it with his blade. Making it an opening, he allowed the ducks exit.

Though his ankle and wrist throbbed with pain, Nosedive bit in a hiss and met his brother, lunging into Wildwing’s welcoming arms. Overwhelming pain instantly wracked his body, but he said nothing. He couldn’t. Despite the pain, despite the crushing hug that engulfed him and the pressure of holding his cheek fast to his brother’s chest, despite the wetness from his brother’s face saturating his hair, he couldn’t let go. Wildwing was safe, and he wanted to just hold onto him forever. And admittedly, he, too, was saturating his brother’s shirt.

“You mess with one of us, creepage, you mess with all of us,” Shane scowled, pointing his ninja sword at Lothor. “Right, guys?”

The power rangers took defensive positions in front of the Mighty Ducks. “Right!”

“So, these your friends, kid?” Duke asked, pulling Nosedive away from his brother’s attention for the moment.

Nosedive smirked and looked at the group. “Yeah, meet the Power Rangers.”

“Anyone else feel like we’re being cheated on here or what?” Mallory commented, taking out her puck launcher.

“You have foiled my plans for the last time, rangers,” Lothor sneered. Seeing his own forces outnumbered, he snapped, “Kelzaks! Grifftin!” In front of him and his monsters teleported the bird-creature from before, along with a round of kelzaks. “Deal with the birds and rangers.” He looked to the Mighty Ducks. “May this have been our first and last meeting.”

With that, the monsters, except Kapri and Marah, teleported out.

“You sure you don’t want to join?” Marah winked.

Nosedive rolled his eyes and sunk closer to his brother’s chest.

Kapri huffed and grabbed her little sister’s hand. “Come on! Crimson Ranger’s cuter, anyway.” With that, they disappeared with the retort of Marah, “No way! Yellow Ranger’s—”

Shane stared ahead of him at Grifftin and the kelzaks, then peered over his shoulder. “Dive, you want to join us or what?”

Stepping away from his brother, Nosedive smirked and put up his good wrist. “You know I’m ready.” A firm hand grasped his elbow, causing Nosedive to turn around.

“Ready for what? You’re not going to fight again. Not in your condition.” Wildwing always had the power to make a question into a command.

“Wildwing, we’re all fighting to get out of here alive,” Nosedive replied sharply and tugged away his arm. He immediately cursed under his breath at the sight of Wildwing’s lack of battle gear and switched his. Tossing his brother his puck launcher, he smirked at the shock expression on Wildwing’s face. “Trust me. You’re going to need it more than me.”

Snapping his morpher back onto to his wrist and seething at the pain that radiated—he needn’t turn to know Wildwing stared at him worriedly—he yelled, “Hail Storm, Ranger Form!”

*^*^*

Wildwing watched as in a burst of light, Nosedive once more transformed into the teal ranger. With that, his baby brother failed to be part of his team but once more was of the power rangers. Wildwing felt a twinge of longing in his chest but pushed it aside. He needed to focus on the here and now.

As the white-slashed black creatures came at his team, the power rangers flipped over them, leaving the duty to Wildwing and his team. They, instead, forged ahead for the bird-monster.

“Keep tight, team!” Wildwing ordered as he turned, did a forward roll, and shot at one of the kelzaks, hitting it square in the chest. He turned to another, only to see an icicle hit directly in its chest. He looked to the left, seeing Nosedive—no, Teal Ranger—there, shooting at another kelzak. “What are you doing here?”

Nosedive ducked an attack by the kelzak, then elbowed another in the side of the head. “Staying with you!”

His motions were rigid because of his injuries, but he was still a good fighter, Wildwing noticed.

“Why? Don’t you fight with your team?”

Teal Ranger turned around and glared, or so Wildwing thought, incredulously at him. “I am,” he snapped, then shot at a kelzak attacking Canard.

The edge of Wildwing’s beak tugged into a slight smile. With empowered vigor, he once more commenced the battle.

*^*^*

Shane grunted as Grifftin’s talon shots scrapped the side of his uniform, and pain ravaged his side. “I’m tried of playing Duck, Duck, Goose with this bird!”

“Totally with you, Shane!” Tori agreed. “Storm Striker?”

“You’ve got it!”

Blake and Hunter slashed across Grifftin together, as Dustin, Shane, and Tori combined their weapons. As the brothers ducked a pair of talon attacks, Cam brought his saber down, swiping across the monster’s chest. When he saw the three Winds together, Samurai Ranger kicked Grifftin into the line of the fire and fled.

“FIRE!”

*^*^*

Nosedive shot at another minion as the kelzaks attacked unrelentingly. He peered about the room before hearing Wildwing’s voice not too far away. “Can that thing freeze anything?”

He turned sharply and gestured to his weapon. “It’s doesn’t need to. Why?” He ducked a kelzak’s attack and kicked him away before wincing in pain.

Wildwing gestured toward the vat of candle wax. “Think you can hit the net?”

Nosedive smirked, though he knew Wildwing couldn’t see it. “You have to ask?” Rolling upon the ground, he came up and fired a stream of water, laced with ice, from his hands. Instantly, upon contact, ice crept upon the concrete container’s wall.

Following suit, Wildwing fired one explosive puck, shattering the ice and allowing the hot wax to pour out from the container and scorch the kelzaks underneath it.

Wildwing quickly directed the rest of the ducks to knock the kelzaks into the liquid, and when the majority were deposited, Nosedive did his job.

“POWER OF ICE!” His gloves protecting his hands, he placed them flat in the hot wax, and slowly, the kelzaks became one with the wax—as Grin would say.

Abruptly, an explosion sounded to the left, and Nosedive jumped in front of his shellshock-ed team. Constructing an ice shield, much like his brother’s own, he kept the fire back from the ducks, even though it probably would not have burned them.

As the heat died down, Nosedive let his shield drop and suddenly found himself very weak. His power dwindled until he didn’t even need to power down, and his uniform simply shimmered away from his body. Now, standing in his black and teal ninja uniform, he fought the lightheadedness that threatened to claim him and wiped the liquid he felt dribbling down his cheek.

An arm quickly wrapped around his shoulders and steadied him, leaning him back against someone’s chest. He looked up and smiled slightly at his brother, who smiled down in return. “You okay, baby bro?”

Nosedive nodded dismally, not trusting his voice. Fighting Siege, Vexacus, Lothor…he was running on empty.

Footsteps sounded in front of him, and he eyed the power rangers coming toward him. “Man, Dive, you don’t look so good,” Tori started, beseeching silently toward Cam.

Before the green ranger could move, Tanya was in front of him, lightly touching his face.

“Tanya, I’m fine,” Nosedive whined as pain infiltrated his face. He didn’t miss the amused movements of his friends and scowled.

“Fine does not describe you right now. Stay still,” Tanya instructed firmly, even though he knew it was out of concern. After all, he felt like shit, and by the worried expression on his teammates’ faces, he knew he looked like it, too.

Tanya’s hands fled Nosedive’s face as the teen tensed at a thunderous roaring. He instantly clutched his brother’s arm harder when the factory jumbled and parts of the ceiling began to fall.

“Why do I have feeling I don’t want to know what that is?” Mallory asked, suspiciously glancing about the factory.

Grin agreed. “I feel the evil of this place has once more found its light.”

“Uh, Dive?” Blake asked, hitting his friend on the shoulder. “What did he just he say?”

“Lothor used his P.A.M.,” Nosedive uttered faintly, looking heavenward. Abruptly, a huge foot tore through the ceiling of the building, and Nosedive pushed his brother and team tech out of the way, “Move it!”

The two teams dashed outside as the factory fell, luckily clearing the building in time. Nosedive wasn’t all that shocked to see Grifftin now over fifty feet high and sporting the weight to match, though he couldn’t say the same for his team.

“I take it that is not a good thing,” Duke commented.

“Cam!” Shane shouted starkly. “How ‘bout some Zord action?”

The older man nodded swiftly and flipped over the hilt of his sword. “Coming right up!”

Dustin looked over his shoulder. “Dive, you coming?”

Before he could even reply, Wildwing grabbed his hand and squeezed it—tightly. “No! I let you fight those black creatures, but I draw the line at that—thing!”

Glancing back at his unhinged brother, Nosedive hesitated. He quickly turned to his friends. “Go. I’ll catch up with you.”

Hunter nodded his understanding. “Meet you up there, bro.”

The Mighty Ducks gasped as the Zords flew into action, and accordingly, Shane directed, “Let’s do it, guys!”

As they leapt, Nosedive glared piercingly to his brother. “They need me. I have to go.”

Wildwing redirected his gaze from Grifftin and reaffirmed his hold on his brother. “Nosedive, no! I almost just lost you! I’m not going to let some fifty-foot hippogriff slam you—not if I can help it!”

“Don’t you understand?” Nosedive shouted, tearing his hand from his brother’s grip. “Don’t you see? Lothor is just as dangerous as Dragaunus! He could destroy the city and take over the planet! I have to stop him!”

“Why you?” Wildwing pressed, taking a step forward, his face plastered with distress. He gripped his brother by the shoulders. “Why do you have to fight him?”

“Because I can! I have the power, Wildwing!” He growled and stared directly into Wildwing’s eyes. “Not many people my age can stand up and stop this! I couldn’t on Puckworld when I was in the mine!” Slowly, tears began to slip through his narrowed eyes. “I had to take what they did to me because I couldn’t fight back! I can now! I have the power to stop that from happening on Earth! Let me! PLEASE!”

Wildwing ducked his head, as he had done so many times in his life, and searched for something in Nosedive’s eyes—conviction? veracity?—and saw whatever he needed. Abruptly moving forward, he drew his little brother into a quick hug. “You’ll come back to me—in one piece?”

Nosedive laughed softly. “Don’t I always?”

Pulling back, Wildwing looked his brother up and down forlornly. “This is not one piece. Your ankle, itself, is two.” Nuzzling the teen on the top of the head, he let his brother go. “Be careful, baby brother.”

Nosedive smirked lovingly, slowly backing away. Nodding once, his arms moved in a rhythmic fashion. “Hail Storm, Ranger Form!” Moving his arms out horizontally, he put his head back as his teal suit crackled to life on his body. Cocking his head to the side, he gave his brother once last chance to stop him, but Wildwing simply smiled sadly.

Nosedive turned promptly and smacked his morpher. “Cam! Hook me up! I’m back in the game!”

*^*^*

Wildwing exhaled, feeling his chest compress after being held for what seemed like an eternity. After he watched his brother jump into—whatever that mechanical monster was—and engage in the fight, he hadn’t been able to breathe. He simply watched, life suspended by time, as he observed Grifftin and his brother’s team battle.

He felt a hand clasp his shoulder, but he knew whose it was without even looking. Canard stood next to him. His best friend probably felt the same way—helpless, despondent, hopeful that the people he didn’t even know, who probably weren’t any older than Nosedive, were watching out his baby brother.

However, as Grifftin loaded up for another blast of his explosive talons, Wildwing found himself taking a step forward, wanting to stop the beast from shooting at his little brother, even though he knew he couldn’t do anything. Nosedive had to face this monster, and Wildwing was powerless but to watch.

Shaking his head, he blinked back the tears as the rangers combined their machines and attacked the beast with some sort of sword—and just like that, the battle was over. Grifftin fell to the ground, and Wildwing put up his hands as an explosion ravaged his ears.

And he exhaled.

His brother was safe—this time.

When he dropped his arms, he was startled by the sight of five teenagers, minus his brother and the green ranger, standing in front of him in a V-formation. He blinked and observed as they crossed their wrists above their heads. Together, they shouted, “Power down!”

In a myriad of light and color, human teenagers replaced the rangers’ personas. They all wore a black uniform much like his brother’s but accented with different colors.

The blonde female in water blue stepped forward. Wildwing recognized her instantly. “Tori, right?”

She smiled sweetly. “Come with us. It’s time you knew.”

To Be Continued…