FicWad

Episode 3: The Beast Within

"Okay, so we need a new plan…." A morphed Griffin mumbled as the Tire Attack Bot stomped over to him and Wendy. They crept backward as their foe stepped towards them and soon found themselves standing on the edge of the roof they were fighting on.

"I could've told ya that," Wendy scoffed. "In fact, I wanted to a half-hour ago!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence there, Carrot Top…." He glanced around the rooftop and tilted his head, then added, "Hey, where's Kenny…?"

Before Wendy could respond, the door to the building's stairwell flew off its hinges and slid across the rooftop. A morphed Kenny burst through the opening, then lunged at the Tire Attack Bot.

"Wahhhhhh!" It wailed as Kenny picked it up and flung it up into the air with his superstrength. The Blue Ranger materialized his SpyTech Analyzer, then impaled the Attack Bot with the blade as it plummeted back down. "Help...me…"

Kenny twisted the weapon inside the Attack Bot's armor, and it screamed in agony before exploding.

"Man, that was awesome!" Griffin rushed over and went for a high-five, but his Blue counterpart ignored the gesture. "Ken…? You in there…?"

"…You annoy me," Kenny replied, much to Griffin's surprise. He tossed his SpyTech Analyzer aside, then struck the Red Ranger with his forearm. His teammate was flung off the roof and nearly fell to his death, but he managed to save himself by grabbing a railing.

"Griffin!" Wendy exclaimed. She glared at Kenny, then shouted, "What the hell's the matter with you?! We're not your enemies!"

"Everyone is my enemy!" He growled, then sprinted towards the Yellow Ranger without warning. She tried to move out of the way using her superagility but was strangely unable to.

"Ahhhh!" She shrieked as Kenny speared her, knocking her off her feet. He pinned her to the roof and raised his fist to strike her, which sent her into a panic. "Doc...help me…!"

"Working on it, Ranger Yellow!" The sound of Doctor K typing filled the comm-link, and a few moments later, she added, "Here goes nothing!"

She slammed her hand on a red button, then watched on her monitor as electricity surged through Kenny's suit. The Blue Ranger yowled in pain, then fell unconscious and reverted back to his civilian form.

"K-Kenny...!" Apex tore away from his terminal and ran to the freezer, where he stuffed a duffel bag full of ice cubes. After zipping it up, he burst out of the room. "H-Hang in there, I'm on my w-w-way…!"

Wendy pulled herself back up to her feet, l then took a series of shallow breaths. Her heartbeat returned to its regular rate, and she demorphed and let out a sigh of relief.

"Whew…"

"Ahem!" Griffin cleared his throat, and she turned and saw him hanging off the side of the roof. "I know you almost died just now, but if you could find the time-"

"I got it, I got it...!" Wendy groaned. She made her way over, then grabbed him by the arms and pulled him up onto the roof. As he demorphed, she glanced over at Kenny's unconscious body and added, "What the hell happened just now…?"

"Beats me…" Griffin replied with furrowed eyebrows just before a nearby vent popped open to reveal Apex.

"Recognized: Apex, B-03" An electronic voice echoed through the vent as Apex pulled himself up out of it.

"Kenny!" The Buddy Droid rushed over to his human counterpart and then pulled his duffel bag off his shoulder. He opened it and dumped the ice cubes onto him; heat radiated off of the Blue Ranger in waves as his body cooled down. "Don't worry, buddy, we'll make you b-better in no time!"

Apex picked the unconscious Ranger up, cradling him like he was a newborn. He used the teleporter to warp back to the lab, and Griffin and Wendy shared a look before shrugging and following him.

Meanwhile...

"So Ranger Blue's powers have drawbacks…." Control said to himself, having watched the whole ordeal from an adjacent rooftop. "How...intriguing,"

He typed some notes into his laptop, then closed it and slid it into his bag. He zipped it up, then hopped off the roof and landed in the alley below him without so much as a scratch.

"The Tire Attack Bot may've failed to impress, but my next Attack Bot will steal the show..."

"Ohhhh, my head…."

Kenny groaned as he came to, narrowing his eyes as they were assaulted by fluorescent light. Once they'd adjusted, he opened them and found himself lying on a gurney in Doctor K's lab. He rubbed his temple, then sat up as the other occupants of the lab noticed he was awake.

"K-Kenny!" Apex rushed over to his human counterpart, then added, "Are you o-okay? I was so worried!"

"Yeah, Apex, I'm fine, I just…." Kenny's voice trailed off, and as Doctor K made her way over, he said, "How long was I out for..?"

"You were unconscious for almost an entire day, Ranger Blue," The Earth-2 scientist informed. She checked his vitals and blood pressure, then scribbled her findings on a clipboard she was holding. "I'm happy to report that you've made a full recovery."

"Hey, he's awake!" Griffin said as he and Wendy entered the lab. The former carried a box of donuts and a large paper cup filled with coffee, both of which he set down on a nearby table. "I got you some breakfast! Figured you'd need it after your little nap."

"Th...thanks," Kenny yawned, then stretched out his arms until he heard his bones snap softly. "So like...what happened?"

"You mean you don't remember…?" Wendy asked. He shook his head, and she added, "Oh, well…-"

"Yesterday at approximately 1200 hours, you and the others engaged the Tire Attack Bot in combat," Doctor K began, interrupting Wendy. "The fight proved quite difficult, and Rangers Red and Yellow retreated up to a nearby rooftop. Things seemed dire, but then you used your superstrength to eliminate the target."

"Oh...but wait, if that's the case, then how come I conked out?" Kenny questioned. "Did I overexert myself…?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Doctor K wheeled over a dry erase board, which had a computer readout pinned onto it with a magnet. She then gestured to said read out before explaining, "During the preliminary stages of the battle, you expended almost all of your suit's Energon. By utilizing your amplified strength after this, you overrode the suit's safety protocols, and your weakpoint kicked in."

"Weakpoint?" Kenny tilted his head. "I have a...weakpoint?"

"Yes. You all do, actually." Griffin and Wendy scrunched up their noses as she continued, "Your suits' link to the Bio-Field grants you special abilities, but each of them has drawbacks. I have yet to determine why, but my best guess is that your bodies aren't quite able to handle the raw amount of Energon they require to use."

"Why didn't you tell us before...?"

"It never came up," Doctor K said, earning herself a slight glare from all of them. She shrugged this off, then turned to Griffin. "Series Red, your weakpoint causes your body to temporarily lock up if you become too distressed while using your superspeed."

"I get too scared while running, and I'll freeze up?" The Doctor nodded, and he said, "Noted,"

"Series Yellow, your body burns an extremely high level of calories when you use your superagility. By relying on it too often, you run the risk of crashing. I have yet to conclude my research, but I believe you may be able to counteract this with high levels of sugar or caffeine."

"A healthy diet of candy and coffee? Now that's a Doctor's order I can get behind!" Wendy joked as the Doctor shifted her attention to Kenny.

"Series Blue, your weakpoint is perhaps the most dangerous of them all," She began. "As I stated earlier, when you expend your suit's Energon yet continue to use your superstrength, you override the suit's safety protocols and begin to overheat. Your brain becomes temporarily unable to differentiate between friend or foe, and you become extremely hostile and dangerous."

"And that's what happened yesterday…." Kenny realized, and his eyes widened. He turned to Griffin and Wendy, then said, "I almost killed you, didn't I…?"

"Well, you...umm…." Griffin frowned, then let out a small sigh. "...a little bit, yeah…."

"I had no idea my ability was so dangerous…." Kenny looked down at his right hand, which he balled into a fist. He clenched it so hard that his knuckles turned white, then said, "If that's gonna keep happening...I just won't use it."

Griffin and Wendy both opened their mouths to say something but found themselves at a loss. They shared a look, then turned back to their friend and rubbed the back of their heads.

Out of nowhere, a klaxon blared throughout the lab, and the noise echoed off its sterile white walls. Cheetor rushed to his terminal, pulled up a video feed from the city, and projected it onto one of the wall-mounted monitors.

"We've got Venjix activity at McKnight's!"

"Upload the coordinates to their morphers, then get ready to mobilize!" Doctor K ordered, prompting the Buddy Droid to type a string of commands into his terminal. The Rangers' morphers beeped, and she addressed them by saying, "You know what to do!"

"Right!" Griffin and Wendy tore out of the lab, and Cheetor followed close behind. Kenny stood from his seat, then hesitated before ambling after his teammates.

"Will he be a-alright...?" Apex spluttered.

"...That has yet to be seen," Doctor K replied, turning back to her computer.

Downtown, a local gym known as McKnight's had erupted into chaos. Terrified screams filled the air as people clamored for the exits, desperate to escape as Xanadroids chased after them. As the panicked crowd burst through the double doors at the front of the building, a morphed Griffin and Wendy sped onto the scene riding Cheetor's Motorcycle Mode.

"Alright, we're here," Griffin said, and he and Wendy dismounted the bike as Kenny arrived just behind them. The Red Ranger turned to his sentient vehicle, then addressed him by saying, "Cheetor, get these people out of here!"

"Right!" The Buddy Droid transformed into his Robot Mode, then rushed over to the doors and began flagging people down. As he worked on getting people to safety, Griffin and the others stormed the building. Xanadroids spotted them and opened fire at once, sending a volley of blaster bolts hurtling through the air as a civilian male made an ill-timed attempt to escape.

"Stuff like this is why I never work out...!" He whined, freezing in place and clutching his head in his hands. He braced for impact but was saved at the last second by Griffin, who used his superspeed to grab him and get him out of harm's way.

"You're good, now run!" The terrified patron followed the Red Ranger's suggestion without hesitation, darting out of the gym as fast as his legs could carry him. As the last of the civilians cleared out of the gym, Griffin turned to the others and said, "Let's take 'em down!"

"Right!" With that, the trio summoned their weapons and got to work. Griffin used his superspeed to dodge the projectiles, then flanked the Xanadroids and slashed away at them with his SpyTech Analyzer. Wendy dove into the nearby locker room, then vaulted atop a set of lockers and fired at another group of Xanadroids with her SpyTech Aperture. Meanwhile, Kenny slid behind cover, ducking to avoid a volley of lasers before retaliating with a barrage of his own.

Eventually, the gym was cleared of all Xanadroids, and the Rangers regrouped. Griffin scanned their surroundings, then folded his arms.

"Something seems off..." He pointed out, and the others looked around as the realization set in. "... I don't see an Attack Bot,"

"That's because you're not looking hard enough!" A new voice boomed, and a blue dumbbell-themed robot bowled into Griffin out of nowhere. The Red Ranger yelped as he slammed into a nearby weight rack and knocked it over, sending weights falling onto him as he lost his footing.

"Griffin!" Wendy called out in concern, then whipped around to face the Dumbbell Attack Bot. "You're gonna pay for that!"

She aimed her blaster at her foe and fired, but it was undeterred. The Dumbbell Attack Bot swatted the projectiles away with little to no effort, then lunged towards the Yellow Ranger and swung both its fists in her direction. She dove out of the way using her superagility, only to slam into a nearby wall by mistake. The Dumbbell Attack Bot's fists collided with another weight rack, knocking it over and sending weights flying everywhere as the Yellow Ranger fell to her knees.

"Wendy!" Kenny called out, which alerted the Dumbbell Attack Bot to his presence. It turned its attention towards him, then lunged for him like it had his Yellow teammate. The Blue Ranger brandished his SpyTech Analyzer and countered with a defensive swing. However, the Attack Bot grabbed the weapon, wrenched it out of his hand, and crushed it in its fist. "My saber…!"

"Ranger Blue, what're you doing?!" Doctor K's voice echoed through the comm-link. "This Attack Bot is too durable; you need to use your superstrength!"

"I can't!" Kenny replied, shaking his head. "I'll overheat, and then-"

"Kenny, look out!" Wendy shrieked, and Kenny snapped out of his stupor just in time to see the Dumbbell Attack Bot lunging for him again. He crossed his arms in an attempt to shield himself but was saved by Wendy, who used her superagility to tackle him out of the way. The Yellow Ranger brandished her own SpyTech Analyzer, then growled before leaping into the air and plunging the blade into the Attack Bot's back. It appeared unfazed by the attack but teleported away a few moments later. The Rangers sighed in relief, then demorphed as their heart rates climbed back down to normal levels.

"Doc, this is Griffin…" The Red Ranger spoke into his morpher, then groaned in pain as he struggled back up to his feet. "The Dumbbell Attack Bot just warped out of the gym,"

"Curious...you don't seem to have damaged it; why did it leave…?" The Doctor's word rang in Griffin's ears as he stumbled over to the gym's backroom and pushed his way inside. He scanned the room's interior, then spotted the building's Energon Tank, which appeared to have been tampered with.

"If I had to guess, it's probably because it already got what it came for," Griffin twisted his morpher's dial, then pressed a button and aimed it at the Tank. It emitted a series of beeps, as it scanned the device and then remotely uploaded the information it collected to Doctor K.

"Analyzing...the Tank's been sucked nearly bone-dry. It must have been using the Xanadroids as a diversion," Doctor K hypothesized. "We'll have to remain on high alert, the next time it surfaces, it'll likely go after something a lot bigger."

"And now that it's got enough fuel, it'll probably have an Attack Zord backing it up..." Griffin realized. He limped back out to the gym's main floor, where he regrouped with the other two. "The Tank's been siphoned, the Dumbbell Attack Bot was using the Xanadroids as a diversion while it got its fill of Energon. It'll go after a MegaTank next."

"We should split up and patrol the city, try and cut it off," Wendy suggested. "That way we-"

Her voice trailed off, and she fell unconscious out of nowhere. Griffin's eyes widened in horror, and he rushed to her side before attempting to shake her awake.

"Wendy! Hey, c'mon, wake up…!" His ministrations proved futile, and he looked up at Kenny before saying, "...Her weakpoint!"

"...This is all my fault," Kenny balled his hand into a fist, then punched a nearby treadmill. "Dammit!"

"I understand you're upset, but if you could help me get her up, that'd be great…." Griffin gestured to Wendy, and Kenny pulled himself out of his self-pity long enough to help the Red Ranger lift her off the floor...

"This is all my fault…." Kenny gripped his head in his hands, and his eyes burned a hole in the floor of his studio apartment. "When I use my strength, bad things happen...when I don't use it, worse things happen...I'm so worthless…."

A few moments later, he was jolted from his thoughts by a knock at his door. He titled his head, then stood from his seat on the couch and made his way over. He unlocked the door, then turned the knob and swung it open to see Apex.

"K-Kenny!"

"Apex...?" Kenny stepped off to the side, allowing the Buddy Droid to enter the apartment. He shut the door behind them, then added, "How'd you know where I live…? Wait, did anyone see you?"

"N-No, I don't think so…" Apex replied. "And to answer your other question, Doctor K hacked into the school's network, so she has access to info on all the students-"

"Including us Rangers," Kenny guessed. "Never mind that; what're you doing here?"

"C-Checking upon you, of course!" Apex stuttered. "I know you b-blame yourself for what happened to Wendy-"

"Because it was all my fault!" Kenny shouted. He took a deep breath, then continued, "...Look, Apex, I know you're trying to help, but you just don't get it, okay?"

"I may not know exactly how it feels, but...you're my friend, and I don't like seeing you s-sad."

Kenny's expression softened, and he rubbed the back of his head before replying, "I'm not sad, I just...I don't know what to do. I messed up big time; the other two, they were counting on me, and I screwed up – twice!"

"D-Doctor K has this saying she uses every once in a while; maybe it'll help you…." Apex began. "People make mistakes, but mistakes don't define people. How they make up for them does."

"Huh...y'know, that actually makes a lot of sense," Kenny stroked his chin, drinking in the words of encouragement.

"There may be a limit to how long you can handle using your superstrength, but...limits are meant to be broken!" Apex said with a sudden conviction. "Overcoming limitations and surpassing the you of yesterday, it's not just how you progress – it's what makes a man a man!"

"...You're right!" Kenny hollered, seeming to snap out of his funk. However, he soon tilted his head before adding, "...Just how do I do that, though? I mean, there's not exactly a way to offset my weakpoint yet, is there…?"

"Doctor K's still looking into it, but...I have a few i-ideas."

Kenny didn't have to wait long to see what Apex's idea was, as the Buddy Droid escorted him to his apartment building's tiny gym. They spent the next few hours performing a vigorous training regiment. Kenny pushed himself to the brink, performing workouts that utilized his superstrength and tested his limit. Apex served as his spotter, motivating him to carry on while also monitoring his Energon levels and temperature.

"C'mon Kenny, you've g-got this…!" The robotic gorilla coaxed, hanging onto the gym's punching bag as his human counterpart doubled over and took a series of shallow breaths. "You cand-do it!"

Kenny stood up straight, then reeled back his fist as far as it would go and swung with all his might. His arm glowed green with energy, and steam wafted from his skin like a pot of water that was just beginning to boil. "HERE IT COMES…!"

He struck the punching bag with a massive right hook, breaking it off the chain that hooked it to the ceiling and sending Apex flying across the room. Heat radiated from his body in waves, and his eyes turned green as he began to overheat. Seeing this, Apex scrambled back up to his feet, then grabbed a nearby water cooler and ripped the tank off of the dispenser.

"Pl-Please let this work…!" He dumped the water on the Blue Ranger, drenching him and catching him off guard. Kenny took shallow breaths for about thirty or forty seconds; his skin cooled down, and the green glow in his arms and eyes slowly began to fade…

"I...I did it!" He exclaimed. He pumped his fists, then hollered, "I DID IT!"

He then high-fived Apex, who patted him on the shoulder before saying, "Congratulations, Kenny! I k-knew you could do it!"

"Wouldn't have been able to without you," He pointed out. He slapped the robot on the back, then added, "You're the best Buddy Droid a Ranger could have!"

"T-T-T-Thank you!" Apex replied, his tone indicating that if he had cheeks, he'd be blushing. He then crushed the Blue Ranger in a massive hug before shouting, "I'm so proud of you!"

"Haha, you're too much sometimes, y'know that?... Now could you let go? You're hurting me..." Apex released, then began apologizing profusely. The Blue Ranger stifled a laugh, then furrowed his eyebrows when his morpher emitted a sudden beep. He raised his arm, then pressed its button and said, "Go for Kenny,"

"Ranger Blue, we've got Venjix activity near an Energon MegaTank! It's the Dumbbell Attack Bot again!" Doctor K informed him via the comm-link. "Rangers Red and Yellow are engaging it now, but they'll need your help to stand a chance! Uploading coordinates to your morpher now!"

"Right on!" Kenny bolted for the door, then doubled back. With an awkward chuckle, he grabbed his gym bag and said, "I should probably change back into dry clothes first…."

"...is it just me, or are we losing?" A morphed Griffin stopped to regain his breath as he found himself surrounded by an ocean of Xanadroids.

"We're getting our asses kicked!" A morphed Wendy replied, struggling to hold her own against the Dumbbell Attack Bot. It dodged a swing from her SpyTech Analyzer, then retaliated with a left hook. The Yellow Ranger was sent rolling backward on the blacktop, and as Griffin rushed to help her back up, she added, "I'm not sure how much longer we can hold out…!"

"Couldn't help but notice you're short a Ranger!" The Dumbbell Attack Bot taunted. "Where's Blue? Did he decide to throw in the towel after what happened last round?"

"You WISH!" A familiar voice hollered out of nowhere as Kenny and Apex rushed in and blindsided the Dumbbell Attack Bot and tackled it from behind. The Attack Bot groaned as it hit the blacktop, then pulled itself to its feet as its attackers rushed to join the others.

"Why you...that really hurt!"

"What's the matter, ya wimp? Did your gym membership run out?" Kenny smirked, then brandished his SpyTech Brace. "Install: CPU!"

Within an instant, he morphed into his Ranger form. He gestured towards the others, then said, "Sorry I'm late. Mind if I lead the rollcall?"

"Go for it," Griffin shrugged.

"Sweet!" Kenny grinned inside his helmet, then struck his usual pose and added, "Shield Buster! CPU Blue!"

"Limit Breaker! CPU Red!"

"Climax Jumper! CPU Yellow!"

"Covertly protecting the universe from evil!" The trio struck their usual group pose, but this time Kenny was the centerpiece instead of Griffin. As multicolored pillars of smoke erupted behind them, they concluded, "Power Rangers: CPU!"

"Xanadroids, ATTACK!" The robotic foot soldiers followed the order without delay, charging towards the Rangers with their weapons drawn. The Rangers drew their own weapons in kind, and Kenny ran his fingers along the length of his SpyTech Analyzer's blade.

"Time for a final round come back," He said to himself. He then dashed forward, bonking Xanadroids over the head with his sword while dodging their attempts at a counterattack. One of the Droids shot a laser at him, but he sidestepped the projectile and stabbed it in the abdomen before lifting it above his head and tossing it at its comrades.

Meanwhile, Griffin and Wendy stood back to back, using their SpyTech Apertures to keep the remaining Xanadroids at bay. The Droids began ducking and rolling out of the way of the projectiles, which allowed them to move closer to the Red and Yellow Rangers. Griffin tossed his blaster to Wendy, providing her with more firepower. He switched to his SpyTech Analyzer, which he held in his usual reverse grip. He slashed the Droids coming in from the west while Wendy gunned down the ones moving in from the east, but they soon found themselves overrun despite their efforts.

"K-Kenny!" Apex pleaded. "Gr-Griffin and Wendy need help!"

This prompted Kenny to stop beating on the group of Xanadroids he was fighting. He turned his attention to his teammates and, upon seeing their plight, began formulating a plan. He glanced over at a nearby truck, the bed of which was filled with propane tanks…

"Guys, get outta there!" He urged his teammates, who used their superspeed and superagility to escape the swarm of robots flooding their position. Once they'd relocated to a safe distance, he used his superstrength to push the truck until it rolled across the pavement, barreling towards the Xanadroids at breakneck speed. "Wendy, take the shot!"

Wendy realized what he meant right away. After tossing her spare blaster back to Griffin, she summoned her SpyTech Analyzer and combined it with her primary blaster. This formed a combination scope and barrel extension for the SpyTech Aperture. She aimed at one of the tanks, then twisted the barrel dial and fired.

"SpyTech Sniper: Scope...SALVO!" She hollered as a precise beam of energy cut through one of the propane tanks and caused it to explode. The explosion created a massive chain reaction, which in turn caused the other tanks and then the truck to burst into flames. The Xanadroids writhed in agony as they were caught in the blast, and they caught fire before succumbing to their injuries.

"Good thinking, Ken!" Griffin complimented, giving the Blue Ranger a high-five.

"Yeah, nice one!" Wendy echoed, slapping her Blue counterpart on the back.

"Pfft. That was mere child's play! Those stupid Xanadroids are cannon fodder for a reason!" The Dumbbell Attack Bot scoffed. It then charged the Rangers while shouting, "You won't defeat me that easily!"

"Oh yeah?!" Kenny shouted. He rushed to meet his foe, and they engaged in wild hand-to-hand combat. "We'll see about that!"

The Blue Ranger growled, and his arms glowed bright green as he launched a flurry of wild punches and jabs at his opponent. The Dumbell Attack Bot attempted to counter with his own assault, but he was no match as heat rose from Kenny's suit in waves and his visor glowed green as well.

"Ahhhhhh!" Kenny snarled, delivering a superstrength-charged punch to the robot's stomach. He ripped a hole in its armor, exposing some of its internal wiring and circuitry. The Dumbbell Attack Bot yelped in pain, then doubled over when Kenny spun around behind it and ripped the armor off its shoulders. This exposed more wires that he then used to hold the robot captive. "Guys, now!"

"Right!" Griffin and Wendy summoned their SpyTech Analyzers, then pressed a button on the handle. The blades began to glow green, and as they solidified them, they swung them forward, sending twin waves of energy hurtling towards the Attack Bot's exposed midsection. "SpyTech Analyzer: Stakeout...SLASH!"

"Noooooo!" The Dumbbell Attack Bot screamed in agony as the attack tore through its innards, causing them to spark. Kenny released his grip on the wires in its shoulders and kicked it in the back, causing it to fall forward onto its knees. "I was supposed to win! This...isn't...happening!"

It was forever silenced a few moments later when it exploded, sending chunks of debris flying everywhere. Griffin and Wendy cheered and high-fived each other, then turned their attention to Kenny as the heat coming from his suit began to boil over.

"Quick! Somebody...demorph me!" The Blue Ranger said through grit teeth, somehow managing to delay his overheating. Griffin supersped over and pressed a button on his morpher, causing his teammate's suit to vanish. Apex rushed over with a large water balloon, which he slammed onto his human partner's head. Ice cold water ran through his hair and down onto his face, causing the green glow in his eyes to fade away. As his muscles returned to their normal size and his heart rate slowed, he said, "Thanks…."

"K-Kenny, you d-did it!" Apex exclaimed. He crushed him in a massive hug, then lifted him up and shouted, "I knew you could!"

"Thanks for believing in me. Now put me down, dude!" Kenny chuckled. "You're hurting me again! Besides, we're not done just yet!"

"Ranger Blue is correct," Doctor K informed them, her voice echoing from their morphers as Apex set Kenny back down on the ground and released his grip on him. As a timer appeared on their morphers' dials, she added, "We have an Attack Zord incoming, ETA is 5...4...3...2...1!"

A green portal opened up in the sky, and a massive silver robot burst through it and crash-landed on the streets below. It resembled the Shovel Attack Zord, but instead of a shovel-arm, it was equipped with a larger version of the Dumbbell Attack Bot's body armor. The Dumbbell Attack Zord stomped towards a nearby Energon MegaTank, causing the ground to shake as the Rangers watched from below.

"Alright, Doc, ready when you are!" Griffin hollered. "Send Cheetor and the Cheetah Chaser!"

"Actually, Series Red, your Zord would be quite ill-suited for this fight. It lacks the raw power we'll need to take out the Dumbbell Attack Zord," The sound of Doctor K typing away at her keyboard echoed over the comm-link. She soon added, "Ranger Blue, I'm downmorphing your Gorilla Hauler to you now. It's time you and Apex took it for a test drive!"

"Allllllright! I'm getting a Zord!" Kenny high-fived Apex then turned to Griffin and said, "Sorry you gotta sit this one out, Grif,"

"Hey man, don't sweat it." The Red Ranger replied just before the ground beneath their feet began to rumble. A nearby building tilted downward to reveal a Zord tunnel. As a massive gorilla-themed semi-truck burst through it, he slapped his teammate on the back and said, "Good hunting,"

Kenny nodded, then turned and ran towards his Zord. Apex was quick to follow, and together the Ranger and Droid duo boarded the giant vehicle.

"Recognized: Apex, B-03, Kenshin, B-06" An electronic voice echoed through the cockpit as Apex converted into the dashboard and control console, and Kenny slid into the driver's seat. "Initializing: Gorilla Hauler Pilot Program"

"Dude, this thing is awesome!" Kenny exclaimed, scanning the various instruments and widgets. He turned his attention to Apex, then added, "You ready to rock, bud?"

"Y-Yeah, let's do it!"

"Right on!" With that, Kenny gripped the steering wheel and stepped on the gas. The Gorilla Hauler's engines roared as they came to life, and the vehicle barreled towards the Dumbbell Attack Zord. It slammed into the Attack Zord's legs, staggering it and drawing its attention away from the Energon MegaTank. It roared in anger, then swatted at its attacker. Kenny veered off to the left to avoid the attack, then swerved all over the road to dodge the subsequent barrage of giant dumbbells the Attack Zord threw his way.

"Doc, where's that raw power you mentioned?" The Blue Ranger questioned. As Doctor K appeared on the holoscreen to his right, he turned to face her before adding, "Could really use it right about now!"

"To access further offensive options, you'll need to switch modes," She explained. "Type the passcode '081087' into the keypad, and you'll be able to access Beast Mode!"

"Worth a shot!" The live feed from the lab fizzled out, and he typed the passcode into the keypad. The cockpit shook and rattled as the Zord converted into a robotic gorilla.

"Gorilla Hauler Beast Mode: Online," The electronic voice announced, naming this new form.

"Yeah! Now, this is more like it!" Kenny hollered. He gripped the controls, then willed his Zord forward. It bounded towards the Dumbbell Attack Zord, then struck it in the jaw with its right fist once it was in range. It staggered backward, then retaliated by kicking the mechanical ape in the chest. Kenny and Apex yelped in surprise, and the Gorilla Hauler lost its footing for a moment before righting itself.

"Eat this!" Kenny slammed his fist on a button on the dashboard, and a volley of banana-shaped missiles soared out of twin launchers mounted on the Gorilla Hauler's shoulders. The 'bananas' split open, and the 'peels' fell away, leaving their payload to strike the Attack Zord's armor and explode on impact. "Haha!"

"Ranger Blue, I strongly advise you not to let your guard down!" Doctor K admonished, her image reappearing on the cockpit's holoscreen.

"Let my guard down? Please," As soon as he'd said this, he found himself turning back just in time to see the Dumbbell Attack Bot retaliate with a series of dumbbell-shaped projectiles. "Aw crap!"

In his subsequent panic, the Blue Ranger hit another button on the dashboard by mistake. Sound waves erupted from the Gorilla Hauler's shoulder-mounted speakers, destroying the incoming projectiles and sending the Attack Zord stumbling backward.

"Woah, how'd I just do that?!"

"Worry about that later, Ranger Blue. You have the perfect window for a finishing attack; do not let it pass you by!"

"W-What she said, Kenny!" Apex urged his human counterpart, who promptly twisted his morpher's dial.

"Time to bring the pain!" He hollered as his arms and visor glowed green with energy. The Gorilla Hauler's fists also glowed green, and it reeled back its arms as he and Apex added, "Gorilla Hauler: Fist-FURY!"

The Dumbbell Attack Zord lunged to attack the Gorilla Hauler but was immediately caught with twin Energon-charged punches. The attack cut straight through its armor, exposing its inner wiring and causing the whole Attack Zord to spark. It groaned in pain, then fell backward before erupting into a massive explosion.

"Allllllright, we did it!" Kenny exclaimed, pumping his fists. He turned to the holoscreen, then added, "What'd you think, Doc? Not bad for my first Zord battle, huh?"

"You did very well, Ranger Blue. Very well indeed." Doctor K then added, "Ranger Red, can you confirm a lack of Venjix presence in the vicinity?"

"No Attack Bots or Xanadroids here!" Griffin replied as he and Wendy scanned their surroundings and ensured the area was clear. "Shutdown: COMPLETE!"

"...So, you failed." Alt said as she watched the Rangers' post-victory celebration from Control's laptop. She stood from her seat, then turned to face her brother before adding, "Again."

"I did not fail, dear sister. Quite the contrary, actually." Control walked over to the laptop, then closed out of the current window. He switched to another video feed that showed Xanadroids hauling a small tank of Energon out of a small factory. "The Dumbbell Attack Bot and its Attack Zord brother served as an excellent diversion. Their defeat also granted me the opportunity to study and observe Ranger Blue's weakpoint...it was tres bien,"

"So you walked out of this with a small amount of Energon and some fancy new data. Do you really think these pitiful offerings of yours will appease our father?" Alt folded her arms, then continued, "You know what'll happen if you continue to disappoint him, don't you?"

"I am well aware of what's at stake, mademoiselle," Control scoffed. "Your lack of faith in me is duly noted, sister, but I assure you I will get the results he's looking for."

"Perhaps you will...but I have an idea for a new Attack Bot that I've been cooking up for a while," Delete said, cutting into the conversation and startling his siblings. As the two turned to face him, he continued, "If you'd allow me the honor?"

"...Very well, brother. You may have a turn," Control crept to the edge of the rooftop they were on, then cast his gaze downward at the streets below. "Look at them down there, the pitiful insects...blissfully unaware of the rude awakening that's coming their way. I almost feel sorry for them...almost."

With that, he returned to his laptop, which he shut down and slid into his backpack. He leaped over the edge of the roof and faded into ones and zeroes as he teleported away. Alt and Delete soon followed, and together the trio warped back to the abandoned warehouse they called their home…

– POWER RANGERS: CPU –