Categories > TV > Power Rangers > Power Rangers: CPU
Follow the Leader
0 reviewsAs the Rangers struggle to work together, Doctor K selects a reluctant Griffin as team leader. Can the Red Ranger embrace his newfound role in time to defeat the Shovel Attack Bot?
0Unrated
Episode 2: Follow the Leader
"Hahahaha!" The Dozer Attack Bot guffawed as it launched the CPU Rangers backward. They slammed into a brick wall and toppled to the ground, which elicited another laugh from their foe. "You Power Punks are no match for me! You may as well give up now!"
"Like that's gonna happen!" Kenny shouted as they struggled back up to their feet. A beep from their morphers drew their attention as a timer appeared on its screen and began to count down from ten minutes.
"We need to finish him off before his Attack Zord gets here!" Wendy urged.
"Yeah, cuz that's not what we've been trying to do for a half-hour now," Griffin muttered.
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
"Nothing, just...forget about it,"
"Whatever," She scoffed, then turned her attention back to the Attack Bot. "Alright, we need a pl-"
"LEEEEEEROY JENNNNNNKINS!" Kenny dashed forward, grabbed a massive piece of rubble, and lifted it above his head with his superstrength. He leaped into the air, then threw it at his opponent and shouted, "EAT THIS!"
"Wait, Ken, that's not a-!" The Dozer Attack Bot smashed the boulder, which sent several chunks of debris hurtling through the air. Griffin and Wendy hollered in pain as the debris struck them, and Kenny yelped when he was abruptly swatted away by their foe. The Red Ranger coughed, then awkwardly finished, "-good idea..."
"Alright, screw it!" Wendy growled. She summoned her SpyTech Aperture, then vaulted into the air and pelted the Dozer Attack Bot with lasers. "Who needs a plan?!"
"Evidently, you do!" The Attack Bot taunted as it deflected the projectiles with its arms and fired a blast of its own. "So long, girly!"
"Wendy!" Griffin called out as the blast barreled towards her. He supersped over to her, then leaped into the air and shoved her away. They both slammed into the ground, and after a brief coughing fit, he said, "Are you okay…?"
"I'm fine!" She growled.
"You won't be for long!" The Dozer Attack Bot boomed. It charged a massive blob of energy in its hands, then added, "So long, Rangers!"
The Rangers had no time to react as it launched the attack, which zoomed towards them and then froze in mid-air. The Dozer Attack Bot froze, too, then faded into ones and zeroes.
"SIMULATION TERMINATED," A digitized voice announced via the speakers as the plaza faded away and revealed itself to be a projection. Griffin and the others groaned, then demorphed as Doctor K's lab reappeared around them. "PERFORMANCE GRADE: D-MINUS"
"Well, well well...another failure," Doctor K remarked. She logged the results into her computer, stood from her chair, and made her way over to the Rangers. "That makes four so far. Would you like to try again?"
"No! No way, we're not doing it again, just screw it!" Wendy threw up her hands and padded over to the fridge, where she grabbed a bottle of water. She took a quick swig, then shouted, "I've had it up to here with this!"
"Oh c'mon, so we failed again? I'm sure we'll get it next time!" Kenny offered.
"That's easy for you to say, glory hog!" She replied in an accusatory manner. "Your little stunt with the boulder may've looked cool, but Griffin and I didn't exactly appreciate the shrapnel shower!"
"You think I was trying to show off? I was using my power to my advantage!" Her glare intensified, which prompted him to add, "What?! I'm just stating a fact! I have superstrength; you two don't! Would you prefer that I not use it?!"
"I'd prefer you to not suck at using it!"
"Would you two knock it off already?! You're acting like children!" Griffin intervened.
Wendy scoffed, then turned to face him before saying, "Don't even get me started on you, Mister 'I MUST be a hero'! I had a perfect shot, so why you had to pull me to the ground and throw off my aim is beyond me!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want to die in a fiery explosion?!" He shot back. "Excuse me for looking out for you!"
"I don't need to be looked after! I had it under control!"
"Yeah, you most definitely had that 'under control'!" He said sarcastically. "In fact, you had it so 'under control' that-"
"STOP IT!" Doctor K screamed at the top of her lungs, putting a premature end to the conflict. Their eyes shifted to her, and she glanced down at her watch before saying, "We clearly won't be completing this exercise anytime soon, and I have a class to teach in half an hour. Rangers dismissed,"
With that, she slung her bag over her shoulder and exited the lab. The Rangers followed suit, collecting their own bags from a nearby table on the way out.
"Blockhead…!" Wendy hissed, her voice just loud enough for the other two to hear.
"Blockhead? You slash me with your words!" Griffin retorted, feigning offense.
"Would you two just get a room already..?!" Kenny muttered, which earned him a slap on the arm from Griffin. As they made their way out of the room, he added, "Aw c'mon, that was funny!"
The Buddy Droids watched the Rangers leave, then collectively sighed the second they were gone.
"What are we gonna do with those three…?" Cheetor said to himself.
Meanwhile…
"POWER RANGERS?!" A thunderous voice echoed through a derelict warehouse, originating from a silver pillar with a bright red light in its center. Knelt down in front of the pillar were three figures, who fought the urge to tremble as the voice added, "THERE ARE POWER RANGERS HERE NOW?!"
"Monsieur Venjix, calm down! Please!" The first figure, a Caucasian man with spiky blonde hair and icy blue eyes, pleaded. "Encountering another team of Rangers was always a possibility, especially with Doctor K following you to this dimension-"
"SILENCE, CONTROL!" Venjix boomed. "THESE NEW PESTS MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO INTERFERE WITH MY PLANS! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
"Je fais, Monsieur," Control replied. "You can count on me,"
"THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO, ALT! DELETE!" The second and third figures (an Asian woman and a bronze robot) nodded, as Venjix continued with, "NOTHING CAN STAND IN THE WAY OF MY REGENERATION! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! EARTH-1 WILL BE MINE!"
"Yes, Father!"
After a morning round of lectures, Griffin returned to his off-campus apartment, where he plopped down on the couch with a sigh. He set his bag on the cushion next to him, then reached inside and produced his laptop. He booted the computer up, then turned the TV on and flipped to a channel showing a random anime. The Japanese animation effectively served as background noise as he looked over his notes.
Approximately ten minutes into his study session, someone unlocked the front door and swung it open. A guy his age with short and curly dirty blonde hair and glasses stepped inside; this was Thom Hollinger, another student at SHU and Griffin's roommate.
"Hey mate, I'm back," He greeted, then shut and locked the door behind him. He poked his head into the living room, then asked, "Whatcha watching?"
"Evangelion," Griffin replied, his eyes fixed on his laptop. As the sounds of an intense mecha battle echoed from the television's speakers, he added, "I can turn it off if you want,"
"Nah, mate, you can leave it on. Thinking I might join you, actually," Thom set his bag on the kitchen table, then opened up the fridge and grabbed a bottle of dark amber liquid. "Want a beer?"
"No thanks, I don't really drink," Griffin told him. "I'll take a soda, though?"
"Coming right up," Thom grabbed a can of soda, then shut the fridge and carried the drinks into the living room. He set the can on the coffee table in front of Griffin, then took a seat on the couch, cracked open his beer, and took a sip. "Ahhhh…"
"How was class?" Griffin asked. He cracked open his soda and took a swig, then set it down on a coaster and turned his attention back to his notes.
"Eh, same old, same old," The Pre-Med Major replied, then took another drink. "What about you, mate? How was your day?"
"Well, it…" His voice trailed off as the disastrous results of that morning's Ranger simulation flooded back to him. "...wasn't great."
"Oh...? How come?"
"It's a long story," The English Major sighed. "I've got this new...group project I'm a part of, and...it's shaping up to be a disaster."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," Griffin closed his laptop and rubbed his temple, then turned to Thom and said, "I just, I don't know. We're trying to work together, but the three of us aren't on the same page at all. And that kinda sucks because this project is gonna be a big part of our grade this semester."
"I can definitely see where that'd be stressful," Thom replied. He adjusted his glasses, then added, "So like, why don't you three work well together? What exactly is the issue?"
"There's...a lot of different things. The one guy has a bad habit of showing off all the time without realizing it, and the other chick, she…." His voice trailed off again, but eventually, he continued with, "...honestly I don't even know where to begin with her,"
"Sounds like quite the bunch," Thom chuckled. This earned him a look from Griffin, so he cleared his throat and offered, "In all seriousness, mate, it sounds to me like you just need to be more organized. Maybe you could become like the project leader and try to coordinate the other two?"
"Me, a leader? Pfft," He took another sip of soda and added, "I don't know Thom; I'm honestly not the leading type. I mean, you know me, social skills aren't exactly my strong suit,"
"You get along with me pretty well,"
"That's cuz we've been roommates for a year. Meanwhile, I barely know these two," He pointed out. "I just, I don't know, man, I don't think I'm cut out for that sorta-"
He was cut off mid-sentence by the sound of his morpher going off. He tugged the sleeve of his denim jacket down to cover the device, then stood from his seat and said, "Uh, that's my phone, I gotta go take this..."
He sped-walk into his bedroom, then shut the door behind him and raised his morpher to his face. He turned the dial, then pressed the button in its center and said, "Go for Grif,"
"There's something I need to discuss with you, Series Red," Doctor K replied via the comm-link. "Can you meet me in the lab in fifteen minutes, please?"
"Uh, s-sure, I guess I've got time," Griffin said awkwardly. "Be right over,"
He tuned out of the comm-link, then pulled his sleeve back down and headed back out to the living room and grabbed his keys.
"Hey, I'll be back; I gotta run an errand real quick," Griffin lied as his roommate glanced up at him in confusion. He shuffled out the door as fast as he could, but not before saying, "Catch ya later!"
"Later!"
"Processing...Recognized: Steinmann, Griffin," An electronic voice announced as he entered the lab. "Identification Number: B-05,"
"Thanks, weird disembodied computer lady…." He glanced up at the speakers nestled in the ceiling, then turned to Doctor K and said, "You wanted to see me, Doc?"
"Yes. I'm glad you could make it, Series Red," The Earth-2 scientist typed something into her computer, then added, "I'd like to discuss the results of this morning's simulation with you,"
"Oh…" Griffin rubbed the back of his head, then looked down at his feet and said, "Listen, Doc, I know that didn't go particularly well-"
"I'd consider that an understatement; it went quite poorly." She put rather bluntly, which prompted Griffin to look back up at her. "It has come to my attention that this team is disorganized, scattered, and generally lacking in the fundamental areas of teamwork and coordination. This will require immediate correction if we hope to defeat Venjix."
"Agreed...what exactly would that entail, though?"
"I think we'd see some immediate improvement if I selected a team leader. Someone to call the shots, rally the others, things of that nature," Doctor K told him. "...Someone like you, perhaps?"
"I, uh, I'm s-sorry…?" His eyes became saucers, and he stammered, "T-There must be some sort of mistake, I'm no l-leader…."
"I realize the prospect might make you a bit nervous, Series Red-"
"Why do you keep me calling me that..?" He scrunched up his nose in confusion, then added, "You know my name; it seems kinda silly."
"I...sorry," Doctor K looked away for a moment, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "I realize the prospect makes you a bit nervous, Griffin, but of the three, you strike me as the most level-headed. Besides, the Series Red before you-"
"There was another Series Red?" She looked down at her feet, and Griffin found himself unable to read her expression. "...Sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"...It's fine," She looked back up at him, then added, "The previous Series Red, Scott, he...he led my first team. I think it'd only be fitting for his successor to do the same."
"B-But, I-"
Before he could finish his sentence, klaxons blared throughout the lab. Red lights flashed on and off, and the three Buddy Droids rushed to their stations.
"Doctor K, I'm detecting an unauthorized presence at one of the city's Energon production plants!" Cheetor informed. "It's gotta be an Attack Bot!"
"Onscreen!" Cheetor fumbled with his keyboard at the Doctor's behest. Within moments, the plant's security feed displayed itself on a wall-mounted monitor. Civilians and workers alike ran and screamed as the outdoor plant and the area surrounding it was besieged by a small army of Xanadroids; leading the charge was an orange robot resembling a power shovel. "The Shovel Attack Bot...it's gotta be after the plant's MegaTank!"
She turned to Griffin, then said, "If that Attack Bot breaches that MegaTank, Venjix will gain a massive amount of Energon. You cannot allow that to happen!"
"Understood!"
"I need you at that plant ASAP; I've sent the coordinates to your morpher," She told him. "Cheetor, go with him. He's gonna need transportation!"
"I drove here; I could just-"
"Series Red, I can almost guarantee your car isn't fast enough. Cheetor, take it from here," The Buddy Droid nodded, then carried out the order by leading Griffin out of the lab and back up to the surface. Doctor K then turned her attention to the other two and said, "Apex, start scanning for incoming energy signatures. We need to know the second Venjix starts sending over an Attack Zord. Bugz, patch me through to Series Blue and Yellow."
"Yes, ma'am!" They both rushed to perform their assigned tasks as Doctor K adjusted her earpiece.
"Blue and Yellow, come in, this is Doctor K! An Attack Bot is attempting to steal Energon from the MegaTank in District 3's production plant. I need you to intercept ASAP!"
"You got it, Doc!" Kenny replied.
"Heading there now!" Wendy added.
"Hahahaha!" The Shovel Attack Bot chortled as it stomped towards a man in a business suit. It raised its shovel arm, then swung it at the man, who dove out of the way. Its arm struck the headlight of a nearby car instead, and the man turned tail and ran away screaming. "This is so much fun!"
Kenny and Wendy dashed onto the scene as the Attack Bot and its Xanadroid minions continued their rampage. They pushed through the sea of terrified citizens and made their way into the area just outside the Energon Plant.
"This looks like the place!" Kenny said. He glanced over at Wendy, then tilted his head. "Where's Grif?"
"I don't know; he must be running behind," Wendy shrugged. "That blockhead's always late...c'mon, we've got a job to do!"
"Right!"
They brandished their SpyTech Braces, then twisted the dials and pressed the buttons. The sunglasses deployed, and they both raised their Brace in front of their face and pressed the button again. "Install: CPU!"
Within moments, they were morphed and ready for action. The Shovel Attack Bot turned to face them, then shouted, "Rangers!"
"That'd be us," Wendy replied.
"Nice to meet ya!" Kenny raised his right arm in greeting, then sighed, "Man, that hurt to say…."
"Attack!" The Shovel Attack Bot gestured to its squadron of Xanadroids, then to the Rangers. The footsoldiers drew their weapons, then charged towards the two.
"Here we go!" Kenny summoned his SpyTech Analyzer, which he gripped tightly.
"Bring it on, clankers!" Wendy snarled. She summoned her SpyTech Aperture, then aimed it at her foes as they made their advance.
Halfway across the city, Griffin sped down the road on a motorcycle that bore a striking resemblance to Cheetor. As he drove towards the battlefield, he glanced down at the dashboard, where the Buddy Droid's face stared back up at him.
"You never told me you could turn into a bike!" He exclaimed.
"In the interest of fairness, we've only known each other for about a week," Cheetor's face lit up green as he spoke. "So about what Doctor K was saying...you really don't think you could be a leader?"
"I…" Griffin frowned, and a crinkle formed in the center of his forehead. "I don't know, I just...I'm not really that guy. I don't exactly have the best people skills; I can't-"
"That's your real problem right there; you're stuck in an 'I can't' mentality," Cheetor opined. "Your limits are meant to be broken; if you only do things you know you can do, you'll never develop new skills or grow as a person."
"Huh…I never really thought about it like that before," Griffin's expression changed, and he looked less conflicted. "Maybe I'll give it a shot,"
"That's the spirit!" Cheetor encouraged. "Now c'mon, the others are waiting!"
This prompted the Red Ranger to rev up the engine and increase his speed. He hollered in excitement as he flew down the road, reveling in the rush he felt flowing through him…
"Well, this isn't working!" Kenny observed as he and Wendy found themselves backed into a wall by the Xanadroids.
"I hadn't noticed!" Wendy quipped. She fired several shots from her blaster, but most of them missed, and the few that did hit didn't seem to make a dent in the robotic horde. "Where the hell is Griffin?! He should be here by now!"
"What's the matter? Afraid to die without your little Red friend?" The Shovel Attack Bot taunted. "Don't worry, he'll be joining you shortly! Xanadroids, finish 'em!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" A flurry of blaster bolts hurtled towards the Xanadroids out of nowhere, thinning their numbers. The rumbling of an engine filled the air, and everyone turned to watch as Griffin swerved into the parking lot on Cheetor's Vehicle Mode. He dismounted the motorcycle, then removed his helmet and brandished his morpher. "Install: CPU!"
His suit materialized around his body instantaneously, and he slapped his Transpod to summon his SpyTech Analyzer. He flipped the weapon around to hold it in a reverse grip, then made his way over to the others.
"Sorry I'm late," He told them. He gestured to the Shovel Attack Bot, then said, "Who's your new friend?"
"Didn't catch his name, but he plays kinda rough!" Kenny replied.
"It's about time you showed up!" Wendy derided. "I was starting to think you weren't going to!"
"Please! I wouldn't have missed it," As the Xanadroids closed in on them, he added, "Now...let's take 'em down!"
"Right!"
Without warning, the Red Ranger supersped towards the enemy. He slashed them with his SpyTech Analyzer, and sparks and bits of metal flew everywhere as he whizzed by the Xanadroids in a scarlet blur. He blocked a swing from one of them, then kicked it in the sternum and skid to a halt.
"Limit Breaker!" He declared, then struck a pose. "CPU Red!"
"Shield Buster!" Kenny hollered. He scooped a Xanadroid up off the ground and administered a pop-up power-bomb, then caught two more with a quick lariat. "CPU Blue!"
"Climax Jumper!" Wendy chimed in. She vaulted into the air and pelted the Xanadroids below with lasers, then cascaded back down and delivered a flying kick to one of the robots. As she scooped up the stunned henchman and threw it at its comrades, she added, "CPU Yellow!"
"Covertly protecting the universe from evil!" They regrouped, then struck a group pose as multicolored pillars of smoke erupted behind them. "Power Rangers: CPU!"
"Covert?! Pfft! That was the flashiest thing I've ever seen!" The Shovel Attack Bot turned to the remaining Xanadroids, then shouted, "What're you waiting for, idiots?! Finish them once and for all!"
"You're gonna need a lot more Droids if you wanna take us down!" Kenny said in defiance. He then turned to Griffin and asked, "Alright, Boss, what's our plan of attack?"
"You're never letting this 'Red takes charge' thing go, are you?" He feigned a sigh of annoyance, then said, "Right then...follow my lead!"
He disappeared in a red blur. Several Xanadroids exploded into sparks as he supersped past and slashed them with his blade. Kenny and Wendy summoned their Analyzers and followed their Red counterpart into battle. They used their own abilities to keep the Xanadroids on their toes.
As Griffin continued his relentless assault, the stragglers regrouped and formed a phalanx on the other side of the battlefield. They aimed their blasters at the Rangers, then fired. He came to a sudden stop, then turned to the others and shouted, "Watch out!"
Kenny and Wendy followed the order, halting their advance as a volley of blaster bolts soared towards them. The former used his superstrength to lift a nearby car, which he then raised in front of him to block the projectiles.
"Get behind me!" He urged through grit teeth. His teammates wasted no time in doing just that, diving behind their Blue counterpart as the lasers struck the car. The vehicle took extensive damage, but for the most part, it performed its job as a makeshift shield in an adequate manner.
"Nice one!" Griffin said and gave Kenny a thumbs up. He analyzed their current situation, stroking his chin as he did so. "Hey, I think I've got a plan! Wendy!"
"Yeah?"
"If Kenny throws the car, do you think you can shoot it in mid-air?"
"Damn right I can!" She said confidently. She swapped her SpyTech Analyzer out for her SpyTech Aperture, then added, "Dad didn't teach me to shoot for nothing!"
"Right then! That's what we're doing!" Griffin turned back to Kenny, then said, "Think you can handle that, Ken?"
"No problem!"
"It's settled then. On three!"
"One...two...three!" Kenny lifted the car with all of his might, then raised it as high as he could. He threw it, and Wendy aimed her blaster at it as it hurtled through the air.
"Fire!" She shot a series of blaster bolts at the vehicle, which then exploded into hundreds of tiny fragments. The resulting shrapnel embedded itself in the Xanadroids' armor, which caused their bodies to spark. Within moments, the remaining footsoldiers fell to their knees and exploded.
"Allllllright!" Kenny pumped his fist in excitement and high-fived Griffin. "Nice thinking, man!"
"I hate to admit it, but I agree with him," Wendy chimed in and slapped her Red teammate on the back. "Maybe Red is a good color for you after all."
Before Griffin could respond, the Shovel Attack Bot cut in with an evil laugh. The trio turned to face their foe as it said, "Don't start celebrating just yet! You've still gotta deal with me – not to mention the present Venjix has been wrapping for you!"
"Present?" Wendy tilted her head, then turned to the others. "Could he mean what I think he means?"
"D-Doctor, I've g-got something!" Apex stammered, which prompted Doctor K to rush over to his station. He pulled up a reading on his computer terminal, then gestured to it and said, "I'm p-picking up a massive energy s-signature! Do you think it's-"
"An Attack Zord. Just what I was afraid of," She returned to her own terminal, where she began to type in a long string of commands. "Apex, calculate an ETA and transmit it to the Rangers' morphers. Bugz, divert any spare Energon in our system to the hangar. It's time to play our trump card,"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"Roger rabbit!"
"Rangers, this is Doctor K! We've detected an inbound Attack Zord!" The Earth-2 scientist's voice echoed from their morphers, and they raised their arms to look at them as a countdown timer appeared on their screens. "I'm estimating approximately thirty seconds until transmission!"
"Only half a minute?!" Wendy stared at the timer, then looked to the others and exclaimed, "That's way faster than in the simulations!"
"Venjix must not be as patient IRL," Kenny shrugged.
"If you don't mind me asking Doc, how exactly are we supposed to deal with this thing?!" Griffin questioned. "We never got this far in the program!"
"Fear not, Rangers; Venjix isn't the only one with Zords. I have a solution, and I'm prepping it as we speak," Doctor K informed as she raced around her lab. "Griffin and Cheetor, I'm sending you a package; standby for delivery. Kenny and Wendy, I need you to finish off the Shovel Attack Bot. Acknowledged?"
"Read you loud and clear, Doc!" Cheetor replied. He drove himself over to the Rangers, then swerved to a halt in front of Griffin. "Hop on! We've got a ride to catch!"
"Right!" Griffin leaped onto the sentient motorcycle, then revved up the engine and tore down the road before turning onto a nearby street.
"Guess that just leaves us!" The Shovel Attack Bot observed. "Time to finish what we started!"
"I couldn't agree more!" Wendy snarled. She exchanged her SpyTech Aperture for her SpyTech Analyzer as Kenny readied his, then followed her Blue counterpart as he charged forward. The Shovel Attack Bot barreled towards them, and the two sides collided in wild melee combat.
Meanwhile, Griffin tore down the road at breakneck speed. He glanced up at the sky as lightning struck and thunder roared and looked on as green motes of light oozed out of the clouds and coalesced into a massive, shapeless blob.
"Twenty seconds and counting!" Cheetor informed the Red Ranger, who swerved to a halt and deployed the sentient bike's kickstand. "Nineteen! Eighteen! Seventeen!"
"I don't mean to rush you, Doc, but I could really use that Zord right about now!" Griffin shouted into his morpher as the green glow above him began to strobe off and on.
"I'm working as fast as I can, Ranger Red! It's the first use of the Cheetah Chaser Zord Attack Vehicle, so the launch may take a bit longer than I'd like!" She typed another string of commands into her terminal, then switched comm-channels and said, "Rangers Blue and Yellow, gimme a sit-rep! How are things going on your end?"
"Swimmingly," Wendy quipped as she and Kenny dove out of the way of the Shovel Attack Bot's shovel-arm. "Hey Ken, we might wanna think about wrapping this up!"
"Couldn't agree more!" Kenny tossed his SpyTech Analyzer aside, then slapped his Transpod and summoned his SpyTech Aperture. "Let's finish this!"
Wendy materialized her own SpyTech Aperture, and they rushed to meet their foe as it charged towards them and raised its shovel arm above its head.
0:10…
0:09…
0:08…
0:07…
0:06…
0:05…
Thunder crackled above Griffin, and he glanced up from his morpher as the green orb in the sky began to take shape. It solidified and rounded, then expanded into a massive portal. Ones and zeroes rippled from its edges, and the portal trembled, looking as if it could collapse in on itself at any moment.
"This is it…." The Red Ranger murmured to himself.
0:04…
0:03…
0:02…
0:01…
0:00…
"Here it comes…!"
Griffin looked on in horror, and a gigantic silver robot burst through the portal and plummeted to the ground below. Abandoned office buildings exploded as they were crushed under its feet, and the city quaked as it stomped through the office park and made its way towards the Energon MegaTank.
"Just a few more seconds and...finally!" Doctor K made one final keystroke, then slammed her hand on a big red button. "Downmorphing Cheetah Chaser now! Series Red, prepare for Zord combat!"
A nearby skyscraper shook and rumbled, which drew Griffin's attention as it tilted forward to reveal that it wasn't a building at all. Rather, it was a giant hollow tunnel! The Red Ranger then watched as a gigantic black and red race car burst through the tunnel and onto the road behind him.
"That's our ride!" Cheetor hollered. "Let's go!"
"Right!" Griffin flipped up the kickstand, turned the sentient motorcycle around, and drove towards the Cheetah Chaser at breakneck speed. A small hatch on the front of the Zord slid open to reveal a ramp, which the Ranger and Droid duo used to board it.
"Recognized: Cheetor, B-02, Griffin, B-05" An electronic voice echoed through the internal speakers. The interior of the Zord then converted into a cockpit, with Cheetor's face serving as the dashboard and control panel. An orange chair slid into place in front of the controls, and Griffin took a seat as the voice added, "Initializing: Cheetah Chaser Pilot-Program."
"Okay, we're in!" As the Red Ranger studied the numerous controls, Cheetor added, "I know this might seem overwhelming, but I promise it's a lot simpler than it looks."
"If you say so…" He said as he took a tentative grip of Cheetor's motorcycle handles.
"I'll handle targeting and keep an eye on our systems; you just focus on driving and shooting, okay?"
He nodded in agreement, and as the Shovel Attack Zord lumbered onto the street ahead, he willed his own Zord forward. The Cheetah Chaser's engines roared as it barreled down the road, propelled by large thrusters in its rear.
"Just a few more seconds annnnnnd...done!" Cheetor's face lit up on the dash as he spoke. "We're locked on! Let him have it!"
"Don't have to tell me twice!" The Red Ranger squeezed triggers on both control handles, and panels on either side of the Cheetah Chaser slid open to reveal turrets. The turrets aimed upward at the Shovel Attack Zord, then coughed out a rapid barrage of bullets. The projectiles sparked off the humanoid Zord's armor, and it gurgled in anger as it was damaged by the attack. It retaliated by swatting the Cheetah Chaser away with its massive shovel arm; Griffin yelped in fright as his Zord flew into a nearby building. It wound up lying sideways, and he growled as he vainly attempted to right the giant attack vehicle.
"We're stuck…!" He realized. He watched in horror as the Shovel Attack Zord stomped its way over to the MegaTank, which it then attempted to break into. "What do we do?!"
"Don't panic, Ranger Red! I've prepared for just such an occasion!" Doctor K's voice echoed from the comm-link. "To your right is a digital keyboard interface; type in the passcode '041189' please."
Griffin keyed in the code and was stunned when the Zord converted itself into a red humanoid robot with a piece of chest armor shaped like a cheetah's face.
"Cheetah Chaser Warrior Mode: Online," The electronic voice announced, naming the new configuration.
"Alright, we're back in the game!" Cheetor hollered. He ran some calculations, then added, "I've plotted a course to the Shovel Attack Zord, now punch it!"
"Right on!" Griffin revved the right control stick, and the Cheetah Chaser was propelled forward by its thrusters, which were now on its shoulder blades. As the Shovel Attack Zord continued breaking into the MegaTank, the Cheetah Chaser delivered a massive right hook to its back. The Attack Zord staggered away from the Tank, then turned to face the Cheetah Chaser and caught a powerful kick in the sternum. Griffin didn't let up in his assault, following each punch and kick up with another. The Shovel Attack Zord backed up, then retaliated by launching a volley of missiles at its attacker. The Red Ranger willed his Zord out of the way of the projectiles, then panicked when they instead struck an occupied office building behind him.
"Oh no!" Wendy exclaimed, gazing up at the building as the missiles effectively broke it in half.
"I don't mean to alarm you, Ranger Red, but if that building collapses-"
"I'm on it!" Griffin turned his Zord around, then jetted over to the building and grabbed ahold of the top section just as it started to slide downward. The Cheetah Chaser held the structure together long enough for welding lasers on its waist to adhere the two halves together. It wasn't a permanent solution, but it would keep for now.
"Phew!" Cheetor sighed in relief. "That was a close one!"
"Not bad…" Kenny said to himself, looking up at the Cheetah Chaser in awe.
"Yeah, he ain't doin' half bad," Wendy admitted, as the Shovel Attack Bot charged them again. "Now c'mon, he's showing us up!"
As the Shovel Attack Zord continued to bombard the Cheetah Chaser with missiles, Griffin said, "I'm never gonna be able to take it out from here! I need to get in close!"
"Calculating a route as we speak!" A new window popped up on Griffin's cockpit screen, displaying a carefully mapped-out route that would allow them to flank the Attack Zord. "Go, go, go!"
"Rog'!" Griffin willed the Cheetah Chaser forward, and the humanoid Zord tumbled down a side street and navigated the planned route. The Shovel Attack Zord continued firing missiles, which exploded behind the Cheetah Chaser as it ran.
"We need more speed!" Cheetor exclaimed. Mechanical clicks echoed throughout the cockpit, and the Cheetah Chaser transformed again, this time taking on the form of a giant robotic cheetah. "Cheetah Chaser Beast Mode: Online"
Griffin steered the Cheetah Chaser around a nearby corner, then made another turn and dashed towards the Shovel Attack Zord. The giant robot cheetah roared as it pounced on its prey, latching onto its back with its claws. It then bit at its neck, severing wires and damaging its armor.
Meanwhile, Kenny and Wendy continued their assault on the Shovel Attack Zord's smaller cousin. The Shovel Attack Bot cried out in pain as a quartet of lasers struck it in the eye, damaging its right optical unit beyond repair.
"Ow! That hurts!" It lunged at the duo in anger and raised its shovel arm above its head. However, the Blue and Yellow Rangers were undeterred, and they twisted the dial on the barrel of their blasters as their target came in range…
The Cheetah Chaser pushed off of the Shovel Attack Zord's back, then transformed back into its robot mode and grabbed onto a sword that flew off of its tail mid-transformation. Griffin twisted the dial on his morpher, then grabbed ahold of the control sticks as his arms glowed bright green.
"Cheetah Chaser: Claw-CLASH!" He and Cheetor shouted in unison as the Cheetah Chaser dove towards its foe and delivered a powerful downward slash.
"SpyTech Aperture: Snapshot STRIKE!" Kenny and Wendy boomed as they fired twin beams at the Shovel Attack Bot that obliterated its armor.
"Noooooo!" It gurgled as it fell to its knees. The Shovel Attack Bot and Zord simultaneously exploded, leaving all three Rangers victorious.
"Shutdown: COMPLETE!" Griffin declared.
As the sun set over the city, Griffin and the others sat on the roof of a skyscraper. They took in the view below, marveling at the bustling crowds, lightning-fast traffic, and the streetlights that were just beginning to kick on.
"You think it'll last forever," A familiar voice said from out of nowhere, startling them. The trio turned and saw Doctor K, who padded her way out onto the rooftop from a nearby stairwell before continuing with, "People, and cars, and concrete...but it won't. One day it's all gone...even the sky..."
She gazed up at the clouds, then turned back to the Rangers and said, "My planet's gone…."
Griffin and the others tilted their heads in confusion as she continued, "Earth-2, it burned – like I fear this planet may one day. It's dead...it's just rocks and dust...gone before its time."
"What happened…?" Griffin ventured.
"...There was a war, and we lost." Doctor K revealed, and her face darkened.
"A war with who...?" Wendy questioned, which seemed to make the older woman tense up. "What about your people..?"
"I'm all that's left. The human race – my human race...they're all gone. I have to do this all alone because...there's no one else."
"...There's us," Kenny offered. He gave the Doctor a small smile, and she took a breath before focusing her attention on Griffin.
"Series Red, you've had some time to ponder what we discussed earlier. Do you accept your proposed role?"
"I uh...yeah. I've thought about it, and I think I'll actually give being team leader a shot," He looked to the others, then added, "I-If that's okay with you two!"
"Are you kidding?!" Kenny exclaimed, high-fiving his unsuspecting teammate. "I've been saying you should from the get-go! You're the Red Ranger, dude!"
"Still don't quite understand the significance, but I'm glad you're on board," Griffin chuckled, then turned to Wendy and said, "What about you…? Can you live with me as a leader?"
"Of course I can!" The redhead slugged him on the shoulder, then folded her arms. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you're still a blockhead, but...you're a blockhead I'd willingly follow into battle."
"...It's settled, then," Doctor K said, clasping her hands together. "From this moment forward, Series Red will serve as team leader. With that out of the way...you did a good job today, Ranger Operators."
"Thanks, Doc," Griffin replied.
"Don't worry about Venjix! If he wants Earth-1, he'll have to go through us!" Wendy hollered.
"Yeah!" Kenny echoed. He weaved his arms around his teammates' shoulders as they turned to leave, then added, "Man, am I starving! Anyone up for pizza?"
"Pizza sounds great, actually!" Griffin's lips curled into a mischievous smile, and he tore away from the group while shouting, "The last one to the lobby's buying!"
"That's so unfair! You have superspeed!" As Kenny struggled to keep up with his Red counterpart, Wendy blitzed past him, then used her superagility to vault over the stairway's railing. As she descended to the ground floor, he furrowed his eyebrows and shouted, "Aw C'MON!"
Doctor K stifled a laugh as she turned to follow them downstairs. She got about halfway to the stairwell before coming to a sudden halt. She turned back around, then gazed up at the sky. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she took a shaky breath.
"I'll never forget you...Scott, Flynn, Summer, Dillon, Gem, Gemma...Ziggy…" She had to fight the urge to sob as she bit out the last name. "Your sacrifices...they won't be in vain. I promise…"
– POWER RANGERS: CPU –
"Hahahaha!" The Dozer Attack Bot guffawed as it launched the CPU Rangers backward. They slammed into a brick wall and toppled to the ground, which elicited another laugh from their foe. "You Power Punks are no match for me! You may as well give up now!"
"Like that's gonna happen!" Kenny shouted as they struggled back up to their feet. A beep from their morphers drew their attention as a timer appeared on its screen and began to count down from ten minutes.
"We need to finish him off before his Attack Zord gets here!" Wendy urged.
"Yeah, cuz that's not what we've been trying to do for a half-hour now," Griffin muttered.
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
"Nothing, just...forget about it,"
"Whatever," She scoffed, then turned her attention back to the Attack Bot. "Alright, we need a pl-"
"LEEEEEEROY JENNNNNNKINS!" Kenny dashed forward, grabbed a massive piece of rubble, and lifted it above his head with his superstrength. He leaped into the air, then threw it at his opponent and shouted, "EAT THIS!"
"Wait, Ken, that's not a-!" The Dozer Attack Bot smashed the boulder, which sent several chunks of debris hurtling through the air. Griffin and Wendy hollered in pain as the debris struck them, and Kenny yelped when he was abruptly swatted away by their foe. The Red Ranger coughed, then awkwardly finished, "-good idea..."
"Alright, screw it!" Wendy growled. She summoned her SpyTech Aperture, then vaulted into the air and pelted the Dozer Attack Bot with lasers. "Who needs a plan?!"
"Evidently, you do!" The Attack Bot taunted as it deflected the projectiles with its arms and fired a blast of its own. "So long, girly!"
"Wendy!" Griffin called out as the blast barreled towards her. He supersped over to her, then leaped into the air and shoved her away. They both slammed into the ground, and after a brief coughing fit, he said, "Are you okay…?"
"I'm fine!" She growled.
"You won't be for long!" The Dozer Attack Bot boomed. It charged a massive blob of energy in its hands, then added, "So long, Rangers!"
The Rangers had no time to react as it launched the attack, which zoomed towards them and then froze in mid-air. The Dozer Attack Bot froze, too, then faded into ones and zeroes.
"SIMULATION TERMINATED," A digitized voice announced via the speakers as the plaza faded away and revealed itself to be a projection. Griffin and the others groaned, then demorphed as Doctor K's lab reappeared around them. "PERFORMANCE GRADE: D-MINUS"
"Well, well well...another failure," Doctor K remarked. She logged the results into her computer, stood from her chair, and made her way over to the Rangers. "That makes four so far. Would you like to try again?"
"No! No way, we're not doing it again, just screw it!" Wendy threw up her hands and padded over to the fridge, where she grabbed a bottle of water. She took a quick swig, then shouted, "I've had it up to here with this!"
"Oh c'mon, so we failed again? I'm sure we'll get it next time!" Kenny offered.
"That's easy for you to say, glory hog!" She replied in an accusatory manner. "Your little stunt with the boulder may've looked cool, but Griffin and I didn't exactly appreciate the shrapnel shower!"
"You think I was trying to show off? I was using my power to my advantage!" Her glare intensified, which prompted him to add, "What?! I'm just stating a fact! I have superstrength; you two don't! Would you prefer that I not use it?!"
"I'd prefer you to not suck at using it!"
"Would you two knock it off already?! You're acting like children!" Griffin intervened.
Wendy scoffed, then turned to face him before saying, "Don't even get me started on you, Mister 'I MUST be a hero'! I had a perfect shot, so why you had to pull me to the ground and throw off my aim is beyond me!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want to die in a fiery explosion?!" He shot back. "Excuse me for looking out for you!"
"I don't need to be looked after! I had it under control!"
"Yeah, you most definitely had that 'under control'!" He said sarcastically. "In fact, you had it so 'under control' that-"
"STOP IT!" Doctor K screamed at the top of her lungs, putting a premature end to the conflict. Their eyes shifted to her, and she glanced down at her watch before saying, "We clearly won't be completing this exercise anytime soon, and I have a class to teach in half an hour. Rangers dismissed,"
With that, she slung her bag over her shoulder and exited the lab. The Rangers followed suit, collecting their own bags from a nearby table on the way out.
"Blockhead…!" Wendy hissed, her voice just loud enough for the other two to hear.
"Blockhead? You slash me with your words!" Griffin retorted, feigning offense.
"Would you two just get a room already..?!" Kenny muttered, which earned him a slap on the arm from Griffin. As they made their way out of the room, he added, "Aw c'mon, that was funny!"
The Buddy Droids watched the Rangers leave, then collectively sighed the second they were gone.
"What are we gonna do with those three…?" Cheetor said to himself.
Meanwhile…
"POWER RANGERS?!" A thunderous voice echoed through a derelict warehouse, originating from a silver pillar with a bright red light in its center. Knelt down in front of the pillar were three figures, who fought the urge to tremble as the voice added, "THERE ARE POWER RANGERS HERE NOW?!"
"Monsieur Venjix, calm down! Please!" The first figure, a Caucasian man with spiky blonde hair and icy blue eyes, pleaded. "Encountering another team of Rangers was always a possibility, especially with Doctor K following you to this dimension-"
"SILENCE, CONTROL!" Venjix boomed. "THESE NEW PESTS MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO INTERFERE WITH MY PLANS! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
"Je fais, Monsieur," Control replied. "You can count on me,"
"THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO, ALT! DELETE!" The second and third figures (an Asian woman and a bronze robot) nodded, as Venjix continued with, "NOTHING CAN STAND IN THE WAY OF MY REGENERATION! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! EARTH-1 WILL BE MINE!"
"Yes, Father!"
After a morning round of lectures, Griffin returned to his off-campus apartment, where he plopped down on the couch with a sigh. He set his bag on the cushion next to him, then reached inside and produced his laptop. He booted the computer up, then turned the TV on and flipped to a channel showing a random anime. The Japanese animation effectively served as background noise as he looked over his notes.
Approximately ten minutes into his study session, someone unlocked the front door and swung it open. A guy his age with short and curly dirty blonde hair and glasses stepped inside; this was Thom Hollinger, another student at SHU and Griffin's roommate.
"Hey mate, I'm back," He greeted, then shut and locked the door behind him. He poked his head into the living room, then asked, "Whatcha watching?"
"Evangelion," Griffin replied, his eyes fixed on his laptop. As the sounds of an intense mecha battle echoed from the television's speakers, he added, "I can turn it off if you want,"
"Nah, mate, you can leave it on. Thinking I might join you, actually," Thom set his bag on the kitchen table, then opened up the fridge and grabbed a bottle of dark amber liquid. "Want a beer?"
"No thanks, I don't really drink," Griffin told him. "I'll take a soda, though?"
"Coming right up," Thom grabbed a can of soda, then shut the fridge and carried the drinks into the living room. He set the can on the coffee table in front of Griffin, then took a seat on the couch, cracked open his beer, and took a sip. "Ahhhh…"
"How was class?" Griffin asked. He cracked open his soda and took a swig, then set it down on a coaster and turned his attention back to his notes.
"Eh, same old, same old," The Pre-Med Major replied, then took another drink. "What about you, mate? How was your day?"
"Well, it…" His voice trailed off as the disastrous results of that morning's Ranger simulation flooded back to him. "...wasn't great."
"Oh...? How come?"
"It's a long story," The English Major sighed. "I've got this new...group project I'm a part of, and...it's shaping up to be a disaster."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," Griffin closed his laptop and rubbed his temple, then turned to Thom and said, "I just, I don't know. We're trying to work together, but the three of us aren't on the same page at all. And that kinda sucks because this project is gonna be a big part of our grade this semester."
"I can definitely see where that'd be stressful," Thom replied. He adjusted his glasses, then added, "So like, why don't you three work well together? What exactly is the issue?"
"There's...a lot of different things. The one guy has a bad habit of showing off all the time without realizing it, and the other chick, she…." His voice trailed off again, but eventually, he continued with, "...honestly I don't even know where to begin with her,"
"Sounds like quite the bunch," Thom chuckled. This earned him a look from Griffin, so he cleared his throat and offered, "In all seriousness, mate, it sounds to me like you just need to be more organized. Maybe you could become like the project leader and try to coordinate the other two?"
"Me, a leader? Pfft," He took another sip of soda and added, "I don't know Thom; I'm honestly not the leading type. I mean, you know me, social skills aren't exactly my strong suit,"
"You get along with me pretty well,"
"That's cuz we've been roommates for a year. Meanwhile, I barely know these two," He pointed out. "I just, I don't know, man, I don't think I'm cut out for that sorta-"
He was cut off mid-sentence by the sound of his morpher going off. He tugged the sleeve of his denim jacket down to cover the device, then stood from his seat and said, "Uh, that's my phone, I gotta go take this..."
He sped-walk into his bedroom, then shut the door behind him and raised his morpher to his face. He turned the dial, then pressed the button in its center and said, "Go for Grif,"
"There's something I need to discuss with you, Series Red," Doctor K replied via the comm-link. "Can you meet me in the lab in fifteen minutes, please?"
"Uh, s-sure, I guess I've got time," Griffin said awkwardly. "Be right over,"
He tuned out of the comm-link, then pulled his sleeve back down and headed back out to the living room and grabbed his keys.
"Hey, I'll be back; I gotta run an errand real quick," Griffin lied as his roommate glanced up at him in confusion. He shuffled out the door as fast as he could, but not before saying, "Catch ya later!"
"Later!"
"Processing...Recognized: Steinmann, Griffin," An electronic voice announced as he entered the lab. "Identification Number: B-05,"
"Thanks, weird disembodied computer lady…." He glanced up at the speakers nestled in the ceiling, then turned to Doctor K and said, "You wanted to see me, Doc?"
"Yes. I'm glad you could make it, Series Red," The Earth-2 scientist typed something into her computer, then added, "I'd like to discuss the results of this morning's simulation with you,"
"Oh…" Griffin rubbed the back of his head, then looked down at his feet and said, "Listen, Doc, I know that didn't go particularly well-"
"I'd consider that an understatement; it went quite poorly." She put rather bluntly, which prompted Griffin to look back up at her. "It has come to my attention that this team is disorganized, scattered, and generally lacking in the fundamental areas of teamwork and coordination. This will require immediate correction if we hope to defeat Venjix."
"Agreed...what exactly would that entail, though?"
"I think we'd see some immediate improvement if I selected a team leader. Someone to call the shots, rally the others, things of that nature," Doctor K told him. "...Someone like you, perhaps?"
"I, uh, I'm s-sorry…?" His eyes became saucers, and he stammered, "T-There must be some sort of mistake, I'm no l-leader…."
"I realize the prospect might make you a bit nervous, Series Red-"
"Why do you keep me calling me that..?" He scrunched up his nose in confusion, then added, "You know my name; it seems kinda silly."
"I...sorry," Doctor K looked away for a moment, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "I realize the prospect makes you a bit nervous, Griffin, but of the three, you strike me as the most level-headed. Besides, the Series Red before you-"
"There was another Series Red?" She looked down at her feet, and Griffin found himself unable to read her expression. "...Sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"...It's fine," She looked back up at him, then added, "The previous Series Red, Scott, he...he led my first team. I think it'd only be fitting for his successor to do the same."
"B-But, I-"
Before he could finish his sentence, klaxons blared throughout the lab. Red lights flashed on and off, and the three Buddy Droids rushed to their stations.
"Doctor K, I'm detecting an unauthorized presence at one of the city's Energon production plants!" Cheetor informed. "It's gotta be an Attack Bot!"
"Onscreen!" Cheetor fumbled with his keyboard at the Doctor's behest. Within moments, the plant's security feed displayed itself on a wall-mounted monitor. Civilians and workers alike ran and screamed as the outdoor plant and the area surrounding it was besieged by a small army of Xanadroids; leading the charge was an orange robot resembling a power shovel. "The Shovel Attack Bot...it's gotta be after the plant's MegaTank!"
She turned to Griffin, then said, "If that Attack Bot breaches that MegaTank, Venjix will gain a massive amount of Energon. You cannot allow that to happen!"
"Understood!"
"I need you at that plant ASAP; I've sent the coordinates to your morpher," She told him. "Cheetor, go with him. He's gonna need transportation!"
"I drove here; I could just-"
"Series Red, I can almost guarantee your car isn't fast enough. Cheetor, take it from here," The Buddy Droid nodded, then carried out the order by leading Griffin out of the lab and back up to the surface. Doctor K then turned her attention to the other two and said, "Apex, start scanning for incoming energy signatures. We need to know the second Venjix starts sending over an Attack Zord. Bugz, patch me through to Series Blue and Yellow."
"Yes, ma'am!" They both rushed to perform their assigned tasks as Doctor K adjusted her earpiece.
"Blue and Yellow, come in, this is Doctor K! An Attack Bot is attempting to steal Energon from the MegaTank in District 3's production plant. I need you to intercept ASAP!"
"You got it, Doc!" Kenny replied.
"Heading there now!" Wendy added.
"Hahahaha!" The Shovel Attack Bot chortled as it stomped towards a man in a business suit. It raised its shovel arm, then swung it at the man, who dove out of the way. Its arm struck the headlight of a nearby car instead, and the man turned tail and ran away screaming. "This is so much fun!"
Kenny and Wendy dashed onto the scene as the Attack Bot and its Xanadroid minions continued their rampage. They pushed through the sea of terrified citizens and made their way into the area just outside the Energon Plant.
"This looks like the place!" Kenny said. He glanced over at Wendy, then tilted his head. "Where's Grif?"
"I don't know; he must be running behind," Wendy shrugged. "That blockhead's always late...c'mon, we've got a job to do!"
"Right!"
They brandished their SpyTech Braces, then twisted the dials and pressed the buttons. The sunglasses deployed, and they both raised their Brace in front of their face and pressed the button again. "Install: CPU!"
Within moments, they were morphed and ready for action. The Shovel Attack Bot turned to face them, then shouted, "Rangers!"
"That'd be us," Wendy replied.
"Nice to meet ya!" Kenny raised his right arm in greeting, then sighed, "Man, that hurt to say…."
"Attack!" The Shovel Attack Bot gestured to its squadron of Xanadroids, then to the Rangers. The footsoldiers drew their weapons, then charged towards the two.
"Here we go!" Kenny summoned his SpyTech Analyzer, which he gripped tightly.
"Bring it on, clankers!" Wendy snarled. She summoned her SpyTech Aperture, then aimed it at her foes as they made their advance.
Halfway across the city, Griffin sped down the road on a motorcycle that bore a striking resemblance to Cheetor. As he drove towards the battlefield, he glanced down at the dashboard, where the Buddy Droid's face stared back up at him.
"You never told me you could turn into a bike!" He exclaimed.
"In the interest of fairness, we've only known each other for about a week," Cheetor's face lit up green as he spoke. "So about what Doctor K was saying...you really don't think you could be a leader?"
"I…" Griffin frowned, and a crinkle formed in the center of his forehead. "I don't know, I just...I'm not really that guy. I don't exactly have the best people skills; I can't-"
"That's your real problem right there; you're stuck in an 'I can't' mentality," Cheetor opined. "Your limits are meant to be broken; if you only do things you know you can do, you'll never develop new skills or grow as a person."
"Huh…I never really thought about it like that before," Griffin's expression changed, and he looked less conflicted. "Maybe I'll give it a shot,"
"That's the spirit!" Cheetor encouraged. "Now c'mon, the others are waiting!"
This prompted the Red Ranger to rev up the engine and increase his speed. He hollered in excitement as he flew down the road, reveling in the rush he felt flowing through him…
"Well, this isn't working!" Kenny observed as he and Wendy found themselves backed into a wall by the Xanadroids.
"I hadn't noticed!" Wendy quipped. She fired several shots from her blaster, but most of them missed, and the few that did hit didn't seem to make a dent in the robotic horde. "Where the hell is Griffin?! He should be here by now!"
"What's the matter? Afraid to die without your little Red friend?" The Shovel Attack Bot taunted. "Don't worry, he'll be joining you shortly! Xanadroids, finish 'em!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" A flurry of blaster bolts hurtled towards the Xanadroids out of nowhere, thinning their numbers. The rumbling of an engine filled the air, and everyone turned to watch as Griffin swerved into the parking lot on Cheetor's Vehicle Mode. He dismounted the motorcycle, then removed his helmet and brandished his morpher. "Install: CPU!"
His suit materialized around his body instantaneously, and he slapped his Transpod to summon his SpyTech Analyzer. He flipped the weapon around to hold it in a reverse grip, then made his way over to the others.
"Sorry I'm late," He told them. He gestured to the Shovel Attack Bot, then said, "Who's your new friend?"
"Didn't catch his name, but he plays kinda rough!" Kenny replied.
"It's about time you showed up!" Wendy derided. "I was starting to think you weren't going to!"
"Please! I wouldn't have missed it," As the Xanadroids closed in on them, he added, "Now...let's take 'em down!"
"Right!"
Without warning, the Red Ranger supersped towards the enemy. He slashed them with his SpyTech Analyzer, and sparks and bits of metal flew everywhere as he whizzed by the Xanadroids in a scarlet blur. He blocked a swing from one of them, then kicked it in the sternum and skid to a halt.
"Limit Breaker!" He declared, then struck a pose. "CPU Red!"
"Shield Buster!" Kenny hollered. He scooped a Xanadroid up off the ground and administered a pop-up power-bomb, then caught two more with a quick lariat. "CPU Blue!"
"Climax Jumper!" Wendy chimed in. She vaulted into the air and pelted the Xanadroids below with lasers, then cascaded back down and delivered a flying kick to one of the robots. As she scooped up the stunned henchman and threw it at its comrades, she added, "CPU Yellow!"
"Covertly protecting the universe from evil!" They regrouped, then struck a group pose as multicolored pillars of smoke erupted behind them. "Power Rangers: CPU!"
"Covert?! Pfft! That was the flashiest thing I've ever seen!" The Shovel Attack Bot turned to the remaining Xanadroids, then shouted, "What're you waiting for, idiots?! Finish them once and for all!"
"You're gonna need a lot more Droids if you wanna take us down!" Kenny said in defiance. He then turned to Griffin and asked, "Alright, Boss, what's our plan of attack?"
"You're never letting this 'Red takes charge' thing go, are you?" He feigned a sigh of annoyance, then said, "Right then...follow my lead!"
He disappeared in a red blur. Several Xanadroids exploded into sparks as he supersped past and slashed them with his blade. Kenny and Wendy summoned their Analyzers and followed their Red counterpart into battle. They used their own abilities to keep the Xanadroids on their toes.
As Griffin continued his relentless assault, the stragglers regrouped and formed a phalanx on the other side of the battlefield. They aimed their blasters at the Rangers, then fired. He came to a sudden stop, then turned to the others and shouted, "Watch out!"
Kenny and Wendy followed the order, halting their advance as a volley of blaster bolts soared towards them. The former used his superstrength to lift a nearby car, which he then raised in front of him to block the projectiles.
"Get behind me!" He urged through grit teeth. His teammates wasted no time in doing just that, diving behind their Blue counterpart as the lasers struck the car. The vehicle took extensive damage, but for the most part, it performed its job as a makeshift shield in an adequate manner.
"Nice one!" Griffin said and gave Kenny a thumbs up. He analyzed their current situation, stroking his chin as he did so. "Hey, I think I've got a plan! Wendy!"
"Yeah?"
"If Kenny throws the car, do you think you can shoot it in mid-air?"
"Damn right I can!" She said confidently. She swapped her SpyTech Analyzer out for her SpyTech Aperture, then added, "Dad didn't teach me to shoot for nothing!"
"Right then! That's what we're doing!" Griffin turned back to Kenny, then said, "Think you can handle that, Ken?"
"No problem!"
"It's settled then. On three!"
"One...two...three!" Kenny lifted the car with all of his might, then raised it as high as he could. He threw it, and Wendy aimed her blaster at it as it hurtled through the air.
"Fire!" She shot a series of blaster bolts at the vehicle, which then exploded into hundreds of tiny fragments. The resulting shrapnel embedded itself in the Xanadroids' armor, which caused their bodies to spark. Within moments, the remaining footsoldiers fell to their knees and exploded.
"Allllllright!" Kenny pumped his fist in excitement and high-fived Griffin. "Nice thinking, man!"
"I hate to admit it, but I agree with him," Wendy chimed in and slapped her Red teammate on the back. "Maybe Red is a good color for you after all."
Before Griffin could respond, the Shovel Attack Bot cut in with an evil laugh. The trio turned to face their foe as it said, "Don't start celebrating just yet! You've still gotta deal with me – not to mention the present Venjix has been wrapping for you!"
"Present?" Wendy tilted her head, then turned to the others. "Could he mean what I think he means?"
"D-Doctor, I've g-got something!" Apex stammered, which prompted Doctor K to rush over to his station. He pulled up a reading on his computer terminal, then gestured to it and said, "I'm p-picking up a massive energy s-signature! Do you think it's-"
"An Attack Zord. Just what I was afraid of," She returned to her own terminal, where she began to type in a long string of commands. "Apex, calculate an ETA and transmit it to the Rangers' morphers. Bugz, divert any spare Energon in our system to the hangar. It's time to play our trump card,"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"Roger rabbit!"
"Rangers, this is Doctor K! We've detected an inbound Attack Zord!" The Earth-2 scientist's voice echoed from their morphers, and they raised their arms to look at them as a countdown timer appeared on their screens. "I'm estimating approximately thirty seconds until transmission!"
"Only half a minute?!" Wendy stared at the timer, then looked to the others and exclaimed, "That's way faster than in the simulations!"
"Venjix must not be as patient IRL," Kenny shrugged.
"If you don't mind me asking Doc, how exactly are we supposed to deal with this thing?!" Griffin questioned. "We never got this far in the program!"
"Fear not, Rangers; Venjix isn't the only one with Zords. I have a solution, and I'm prepping it as we speak," Doctor K informed as she raced around her lab. "Griffin and Cheetor, I'm sending you a package; standby for delivery. Kenny and Wendy, I need you to finish off the Shovel Attack Bot. Acknowledged?"
"Read you loud and clear, Doc!" Cheetor replied. He drove himself over to the Rangers, then swerved to a halt in front of Griffin. "Hop on! We've got a ride to catch!"
"Right!" Griffin leaped onto the sentient motorcycle, then revved up the engine and tore down the road before turning onto a nearby street.
"Guess that just leaves us!" The Shovel Attack Bot observed. "Time to finish what we started!"
"I couldn't agree more!" Wendy snarled. She exchanged her SpyTech Aperture for her SpyTech Analyzer as Kenny readied his, then followed her Blue counterpart as he charged forward. The Shovel Attack Bot barreled towards them, and the two sides collided in wild melee combat.
Meanwhile, Griffin tore down the road at breakneck speed. He glanced up at the sky as lightning struck and thunder roared and looked on as green motes of light oozed out of the clouds and coalesced into a massive, shapeless blob.
"Twenty seconds and counting!" Cheetor informed the Red Ranger, who swerved to a halt and deployed the sentient bike's kickstand. "Nineteen! Eighteen! Seventeen!"
"I don't mean to rush you, Doc, but I could really use that Zord right about now!" Griffin shouted into his morpher as the green glow above him began to strobe off and on.
"I'm working as fast as I can, Ranger Red! It's the first use of the Cheetah Chaser Zord Attack Vehicle, so the launch may take a bit longer than I'd like!" She typed another string of commands into her terminal, then switched comm-channels and said, "Rangers Blue and Yellow, gimme a sit-rep! How are things going on your end?"
"Swimmingly," Wendy quipped as she and Kenny dove out of the way of the Shovel Attack Bot's shovel-arm. "Hey Ken, we might wanna think about wrapping this up!"
"Couldn't agree more!" Kenny tossed his SpyTech Analyzer aside, then slapped his Transpod and summoned his SpyTech Aperture. "Let's finish this!"
Wendy materialized her own SpyTech Aperture, and they rushed to meet their foe as it charged towards them and raised its shovel arm above its head.
0:10…
0:09…
0:08…
0:07…
0:06…
0:05…
Thunder crackled above Griffin, and he glanced up from his morpher as the green orb in the sky began to take shape. It solidified and rounded, then expanded into a massive portal. Ones and zeroes rippled from its edges, and the portal trembled, looking as if it could collapse in on itself at any moment.
"This is it…." The Red Ranger murmured to himself.
0:04…
0:03…
0:02…
0:01…
0:00…
"Here it comes…!"
Griffin looked on in horror, and a gigantic silver robot burst through the portal and plummeted to the ground below. Abandoned office buildings exploded as they were crushed under its feet, and the city quaked as it stomped through the office park and made its way towards the Energon MegaTank.
"Just a few more seconds and...finally!" Doctor K made one final keystroke, then slammed her hand on a big red button. "Downmorphing Cheetah Chaser now! Series Red, prepare for Zord combat!"
A nearby skyscraper shook and rumbled, which drew Griffin's attention as it tilted forward to reveal that it wasn't a building at all. Rather, it was a giant hollow tunnel! The Red Ranger then watched as a gigantic black and red race car burst through the tunnel and onto the road behind him.
"That's our ride!" Cheetor hollered. "Let's go!"
"Right!" Griffin flipped up the kickstand, turned the sentient motorcycle around, and drove towards the Cheetah Chaser at breakneck speed. A small hatch on the front of the Zord slid open to reveal a ramp, which the Ranger and Droid duo used to board it.
"Recognized: Cheetor, B-02, Griffin, B-05" An electronic voice echoed through the internal speakers. The interior of the Zord then converted into a cockpit, with Cheetor's face serving as the dashboard and control panel. An orange chair slid into place in front of the controls, and Griffin took a seat as the voice added, "Initializing: Cheetah Chaser Pilot-Program."
"Okay, we're in!" As the Red Ranger studied the numerous controls, Cheetor added, "I know this might seem overwhelming, but I promise it's a lot simpler than it looks."
"If you say so…" He said as he took a tentative grip of Cheetor's motorcycle handles.
"I'll handle targeting and keep an eye on our systems; you just focus on driving and shooting, okay?"
He nodded in agreement, and as the Shovel Attack Zord lumbered onto the street ahead, he willed his own Zord forward. The Cheetah Chaser's engines roared as it barreled down the road, propelled by large thrusters in its rear.
"Just a few more seconds annnnnnd...done!" Cheetor's face lit up on the dash as he spoke. "We're locked on! Let him have it!"
"Don't have to tell me twice!" The Red Ranger squeezed triggers on both control handles, and panels on either side of the Cheetah Chaser slid open to reveal turrets. The turrets aimed upward at the Shovel Attack Zord, then coughed out a rapid barrage of bullets. The projectiles sparked off the humanoid Zord's armor, and it gurgled in anger as it was damaged by the attack. It retaliated by swatting the Cheetah Chaser away with its massive shovel arm; Griffin yelped in fright as his Zord flew into a nearby building. It wound up lying sideways, and he growled as he vainly attempted to right the giant attack vehicle.
"We're stuck…!" He realized. He watched in horror as the Shovel Attack Zord stomped its way over to the MegaTank, which it then attempted to break into. "What do we do?!"
"Don't panic, Ranger Red! I've prepared for just such an occasion!" Doctor K's voice echoed from the comm-link. "To your right is a digital keyboard interface; type in the passcode '041189' please."
Griffin keyed in the code and was stunned when the Zord converted itself into a red humanoid robot with a piece of chest armor shaped like a cheetah's face.
"Cheetah Chaser Warrior Mode: Online," The electronic voice announced, naming the new configuration.
"Alright, we're back in the game!" Cheetor hollered. He ran some calculations, then added, "I've plotted a course to the Shovel Attack Zord, now punch it!"
"Right on!" Griffin revved the right control stick, and the Cheetah Chaser was propelled forward by its thrusters, which were now on its shoulder blades. As the Shovel Attack Zord continued breaking into the MegaTank, the Cheetah Chaser delivered a massive right hook to its back. The Attack Zord staggered away from the Tank, then turned to face the Cheetah Chaser and caught a powerful kick in the sternum. Griffin didn't let up in his assault, following each punch and kick up with another. The Shovel Attack Zord backed up, then retaliated by launching a volley of missiles at its attacker. The Red Ranger willed his Zord out of the way of the projectiles, then panicked when they instead struck an occupied office building behind him.
"Oh no!" Wendy exclaimed, gazing up at the building as the missiles effectively broke it in half.
"I don't mean to alarm you, Ranger Red, but if that building collapses-"
"I'm on it!" Griffin turned his Zord around, then jetted over to the building and grabbed ahold of the top section just as it started to slide downward. The Cheetah Chaser held the structure together long enough for welding lasers on its waist to adhere the two halves together. It wasn't a permanent solution, but it would keep for now.
"Phew!" Cheetor sighed in relief. "That was a close one!"
"Not bad…" Kenny said to himself, looking up at the Cheetah Chaser in awe.
"Yeah, he ain't doin' half bad," Wendy admitted, as the Shovel Attack Bot charged them again. "Now c'mon, he's showing us up!"
As the Shovel Attack Zord continued to bombard the Cheetah Chaser with missiles, Griffin said, "I'm never gonna be able to take it out from here! I need to get in close!"
"Calculating a route as we speak!" A new window popped up on Griffin's cockpit screen, displaying a carefully mapped-out route that would allow them to flank the Attack Zord. "Go, go, go!"
"Rog'!" Griffin willed the Cheetah Chaser forward, and the humanoid Zord tumbled down a side street and navigated the planned route. The Shovel Attack Zord continued firing missiles, which exploded behind the Cheetah Chaser as it ran.
"We need more speed!" Cheetor exclaimed. Mechanical clicks echoed throughout the cockpit, and the Cheetah Chaser transformed again, this time taking on the form of a giant robotic cheetah. "Cheetah Chaser Beast Mode: Online"
Griffin steered the Cheetah Chaser around a nearby corner, then made another turn and dashed towards the Shovel Attack Zord. The giant robot cheetah roared as it pounced on its prey, latching onto its back with its claws. It then bit at its neck, severing wires and damaging its armor.
Meanwhile, Kenny and Wendy continued their assault on the Shovel Attack Zord's smaller cousin. The Shovel Attack Bot cried out in pain as a quartet of lasers struck it in the eye, damaging its right optical unit beyond repair.
"Ow! That hurts!" It lunged at the duo in anger and raised its shovel arm above its head. However, the Blue and Yellow Rangers were undeterred, and they twisted the dial on the barrel of their blasters as their target came in range…
The Cheetah Chaser pushed off of the Shovel Attack Zord's back, then transformed back into its robot mode and grabbed onto a sword that flew off of its tail mid-transformation. Griffin twisted the dial on his morpher, then grabbed ahold of the control sticks as his arms glowed bright green.
"Cheetah Chaser: Claw-CLASH!" He and Cheetor shouted in unison as the Cheetah Chaser dove towards its foe and delivered a powerful downward slash.
"SpyTech Aperture: Snapshot STRIKE!" Kenny and Wendy boomed as they fired twin beams at the Shovel Attack Bot that obliterated its armor.
"Noooooo!" It gurgled as it fell to its knees. The Shovel Attack Bot and Zord simultaneously exploded, leaving all three Rangers victorious.
"Shutdown: COMPLETE!" Griffin declared.
As the sun set over the city, Griffin and the others sat on the roof of a skyscraper. They took in the view below, marveling at the bustling crowds, lightning-fast traffic, and the streetlights that were just beginning to kick on.
"You think it'll last forever," A familiar voice said from out of nowhere, startling them. The trio turned and saw Doctor K, who padded her way out onto the rooftop from a nearby stairwell before continuing with, "People, and cars, and concrete...but it won't. One day it's all gone...even the sky..."
She gazed up at the clouds, then turned back to the Rangers and said, "My planet's gone…."
Griffin and the others tilted their heads in confusion as she continued, "Earth-2, it burned – like I fear this planet may one day. It's dead...it's just rocks and dust...gone before its time."
"What happened…?" Griffin ventured.
"...There was a war, and we lost." Doctor K revealed, and her face darkened.
"A war with who...?" Wendy questioned, which seemed to make the older woman tense up. "What about your people..?"
"I'm all that's left. The human race – my human race...they're all gone. I have to do this all alone because...there's no one else."
"...There's us," Kenny offered. He gave the Doctor a small smile, and she took a breath before focusing her attention on Griffin.
"Series Red, you've had some time to ponder what we discussed earlier. Do you accept your proposed role?"
"I uh...yeah. I've thought about it, and I think I'll actually give being team leader a shot," He looked to the others, then added, "I-If that's okay with you two!"
"Are you kidding?!" Kenny exclaimed, high-fiving his unsuspecting teammate. "I've been saying you should from the get-go! You're the Red Ranger, dude!"
"Still don't quite understand the significance, but I'm glad you're on board," Griffin chuckled, then turned to Wendy and said, "What about you…? Can you live with me as a leader?"
"Of course I can!" The redhead slugged him on the shoulder, then folded her arms. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you're still a blockhead, but...you're a blockhead I'd willingly follow into battle."
"...It's settled, then," Doctor K said, clasping her hands together. "From this moment forward, Series Red will serve as team leader. With that out of the way...you did a good job today, Ranger Operators."
"Thanks, Doc," Griffin replied.
"Don't worry about Venjix! If he wants Earth-1, he'll have to go through us!" Wendy hollered.
"Yeah!" Kenny echoed. He weaved his arms around his teammates' shoulders as they turned to leave, then added, "Man, am I starving! Anyone up for pizza?"
"Pizza sounds great, actually!" Griffin's lips curled into a mischievous smile, and he tore away from the group while shouting, "The last one to the lobby's buying!"
"That's so unfair! You have superspeed!" As Kenny struggled to keep up with his Red counterpart, Wendy blitzed past him, then used her superagility to vault over the stairway's railing. As she descended to the ground floor, he furrowed his eyebrows and shouted, "Aw C'MON!"
Doctor K stifled a laugh as she turned to follow them downstairs. She got about halfway to the stairwell before coming to a sudden halt. She turned back around, then gazed up at the sky. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she took a shaky breath.
"I'll never forget you...Scott, Flynn, Summer, Dillon, Gem, Gemma...Ziggy…" She had to fight the urge to sob as she bit out the last name. "Your sacrifices...they won't be in vain. I promise…"
– POWER RANGERS: CPU –
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