"A Thunderous Return"

The Rangers eyes grew wide as they watched the whole transformation take place. Likewise, Mondo, Terrorizer and Jason were staring at it, too. Terrorizer happened to glance toward them and pointed them out to Mondo.

“Well, destroy them, you dolt!” Mondo cried. “With Sean powered up as the Gold Ranger, they'll be crying heaps of humanity and you'll have no problem!"

Terrorizer started to run towards them. Tommy flicked both of his wrists, calling up his Zeonizers. “I don’t know about you guys, but I feel fine! Let’s do it! It’s morphin’ time!”

Placing his two wrists together, the power of the Zeo accelerator activated the Zeo crystal on his other wrist.

Katherine cried, “Zeo Ranger I, Pink!”

Tanya cried, “Zeo Ranger II, Yellow!”

Rocky shouted, “Zeo Ranger III, Blue!”

Adam yelled, “Zeo Ranger IV, Green!”

Tommy finished it with “Zeo Ranger V, Red!”

They morphed into their respective uniforms. Tommy didn’t feel any different and neither did any of the other Rangers.

“I feel perfectly all right,” Kat commented.

“Me, too!” Rocky said.

“Let’s take this guy down!” Adam shouted.

“Look,” Tanya pointed out. “Jason’s attacking Sean!” They all looked over as two golden clad warriors traded power blasts.

“You guys take care of the monster,” Tommy commanded. “I’ll go and stop ‘em.”

“Right!” the Rangers agreed and engaged Terrorizer. Tommy ran towards Jason and Sean but was stopped when several Cogs appeared before him. Mondo waved his staff around as he commanded his troops to attack the Red Zeo Ranger.

The Hammer of Hykrania versus the Golden Staff of Triforia.

Two weapons of immense power crashed together, slamming with such force that the entire area was lit with golden light. The two warriors broke apart and circled one another again.

He just seems to be getting stronger and stronger, Jason thought to himself. If I don’t end this soon, he’ll put me down!

The Gold Zeo Ranger leapt into the air bringing the staff down. Sean blocked it with the hammer, twisting his arms to remove it from the grasp of Jason and headbutting him. Even though the helmet absorbed most of the blow, it still stung. Jason stumbled back, completely taken by the fact that someone had actually managed to get the Golden Staff away from him. It had never happened before.

The other man just threw the staff down and backed up away from it.

“I don’t mean you any harm, man,” he said. “I just need to talk to Zordon and Billy.”

“Why did you attack my friends?!” Jason shouted.

“I didn’t know that my morphing would cause harm to them! That’s why I need to speak to Zordon and Billy! They could explain it better than I could!”

“What about Mondo?” Jason asked, nodding towards the laughing fat machine.

“He tricked you all into believing that I was evil! The sudden power drain of positive energy must increase the power of negative energy!”

“That’s why he was so eager to get you to morph…”

“That’s why I didn’t until I saw you getting ready to use whatever you were going to do on me.”

Jason nodded. “It’s called the Gold Rush.”

“The Gold Rush?” Sean thought out loud. “Now, why didn’t I think of that?”

“So, if what you’re saying is true, why aren’t they losing power now? Why haven’t I been affected?"

The other Gold Ranger shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m no slouch in the brains department, but Billy would know more about why you weren’t affected. I think that the reason they aren’t losing power now is because the Hammer of Hykrania is acting as the power source that allows me to morph.”

Jason looked at the man through his smoky lenses, staring intently as he saw this man for truly the first time. He listened to his voice. He checked for any insincerity. To his surprise and relief, he didn’t detect any. Just an honest explanation of a case of mistaken identity.

“How can I be sure that you’re who you say you are? I need proof.”

Sean bowed his head, placing a gloved hand to his helmet’s chin. He looked back up, quickly. “How about the Radbug? Do you think Mondo would know about that? Or how Tommy became the White Ranger?”

The Gold Ranger stared at the other Gold Ranger…

…and smiled beneath the helmet. “If he had good sources…”

“Come on, man,” Sean replied.

Jason walked over, slowly, and extended his hand. “I’m Jason.”

Sean reached out and clasped the man’s hand. “I’ve always wanted to meet you, Jason. Sean. Thanks.”

“No problem,” he said, reaching for his staff. “Now let’s get this guy!”

“All right!” Sean shouted as he and Jason both jumped into the fray.

Terrorizer held his hand out, a lance of energy shot from it, striking the Green and Pink Zeo Rangers. In retaliation, the Blue Zeo Ranger launched himself into the air, bringing the triangular blades of his weapon down into the monster’s chest. Sparks flew off as the concentrated positive energy came into contact with the monster.

“You'll pay for that, Ranger,” Terrorizer rasped as he brought his double bladed axe out. He swung it around and struck Rocky. The Yellow Zeo Ranger took her Zeo Battle Sticks and attacked him, twirling the weapons and striking Terrorizer. She thrust kicked him, but he blocked her kick and returned one, which she blocked.

Adam and Kat got back up, shaking off the effects of the energy blast.

“This guy’s getting on my nerves,” Kat responded, pulling out her Zeo Shield.

The Green Zeo Ranger brought his Zeo Battle Axe to bear. “You said it, Kat. Terrorizer’s going down!”

They both jumped in the air, as did the other two rangers. Terrorizer looked around and lifted his axe, striking it into the ground. An explosion of thunder filled the area as the rangers’ weapons came into contact with an invisible shield that the monster had erected. Hitting it with such force knocked the Rangers away and down.

“Man, this guy is tough!” Tanya noted, getting up and shaking her head.

“We may need a little help,” the Pink Zeo Ranger said.

“You want help…” a voice from behind them called.

They turned to see Jason, the Gold Ranger, walk side-by-side with the other Gold Ranger, Sean Morissette. Tommy, the Red Zeo Ranger, threw a final Cog away and joined their stride.

“…You got help,” Sean finished and walked up to the other Rangers. “I’m sorry about attacking you. I was frustrated and let it get the better part of me. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

The four other Rangers looked at one another before Kat stepped forward and touched him gently on the arm. “It’s okay. We accept your apology. Right, guys?”

They agreed with Kat, each taking a turn to shake Sean’s hand.

“Thanks, guys,” Sean said. Suddenly, he looked up. “Look out!”

A ball of energy came towards them and exploded in the midst of them, flinging them away from each other.

“You may have foiled my plans, Rangers,” Mondo said near Terrorizer, “but I will still destroy you! Klank!”

The engineering droid came from behind an outcropping of rock, holding onto Orbus. He began to swing the little robot around. “Around, around and away ya go!”

Orbus attached to Terrorizer, opening a small flap on his head. A charging of energy flowed out and into Terrorizer who released a scream. The Rangers watched in astonishment as Terrorizer began to grow before their very eyes. The monster laughed, sinisterly, and stomped the ground near the Rangers.

“Whoa!” Rocky, master of understatement, yelled, “He’s huge!”

“I guess with your new costumes and powers that you’ve got new Zords, eh?” Sean commented.

“You got that right!” Tommy replied. “We need ZeoZord power, NOW!”

Sean cast his gaze up and watched as the massive assault vehicles, known as Zords, burst forth and onto the battlefield. A large green bull pulled some sort of yellow battle cannon while a sphinx, blue in color, pulled a pink battle cannon. Flying overhead, letting out a long cry, was a red bird of some sort.

“Going up!” And the Rangers leapt into the air, turning into bright bolts of their respective colors and emerging into the cockpits of the ZeoZords.

“ZeoMegaZord assembly,” Tommy cried in the cockpit, “NOW!”

The Zords began to go through a series of motions, motions which Sean immediately recognized as the gestalt assembly process. He’d seen it several times and was well aware to steer clear of the area. No sense in becoming an unfortunate victim of giant mecha stomping around the area.

Suddenly, his communicator came to life with the voices of all the Rangers screaming at him.

“LOOK OUT!”

“Wha-…?” He barely uttered before he saw the shadow looming over him. In one smooth motion, the boot of Terrorizer slammed down on Sean.

Part I / Part II / Part III / Part IV / Part V / Part VI / Part VII
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