"Finally, a stage for me to sing my famous songs!" Candelira cheers.
"Lucky!" Luckerio runs around the stage as their seaweed-haired minions take up instruments.
"My lady, it has been a long time!" A dark colored monster appears and bows to her.
"A fan?!" Candelira squeals happily.
"Your number one fan! I have longed to hear your voice again, please sing as loud as you can!" He pleads.
"How can I say no?" She giggles.
Luckerio steps forward, "Hang on! Who are you ?!"
"I am Deboss commander Virusun!" He smirks. "And with the power of Candelira's lyrics, I can maintain control of the mighty Ankydon!" He bows.
Luckerio jerks, "That was you?!"
"Indeed, it was! I just need a few more hours, and then Ramerez will be no more, leaving Ankydon to serve Deboss!" He cackles.
Luckerio throws his arms in the air, "Then what are we waiting for? Candelira, sing your song of joy!"
"Right!" She giggles and clears her throat.
Luckerio gets on the violin as they start playing the music for Candelira.
"Explode, explode! You should all be destroyed! Kill off, die now, you should all go extinct!" Candelira sings happily.
Luckerio looks up at her, "What are you singing?!" But she's just ignored.
"Fated to wander amongst the glittering stars! Dancing the steps that move a great star!" She smiles and gives the minions and Luckerio a solo. "We are the almighty Deboss!"
"Deboss!" Luckerio chimes in.
"The emperors of destruction!" She smiles.
Suddenly, the speakers melt.
She gasps and pouts. "No! Now we need new speakers..."
...
Cinder leans over the table in her ranger form, and glares at the images shining up at her. She looks to Shadow, "I'm going in, send the others when they show up."
He nods. "Good luck."
Ramerez looks up from where he sits, flickering a little. "Be careful, Miss Red."
"I will be sure to pass your warning on to these monsters," she says as she shoots the portal.
He smiles gently, and turns completely solid when the rest of the Rangers warp in.
"What's going on?" Kira frowns.
Shadow points to the pool. "Candelira is performing an evil song rather well, and attracting an audience."
"And when she does that, Virusun uses his power over sickness to make them fall into a sleep filled with happiness." Ramerez frowns. "I think he's the one controlling Ankydon."
Trent looks around, "Red already on the case?"
"She just left." He nods.
"Then we need to move." Conner pulls out his battery. "Ready guys?"
"Ready," the others say, mirroring his movements.
"Ready," the others shout, mirroring his movements.
"Brave In!" They activate their batteries.
Parasagun! Veloslash! Stegoshi! Dricera!
"Kyoryu Change!" They spin their barrels and dance to the music, spinning before pointing their guns straight up. "Fire!" They pull the triggers, and change into their Ranger forms.
Shadow tosses them each a Deinochaser battery, plus one more for Cinder. "This time, just activate it and toss it into the air." He smirks.
Ethan shudders at the memory of being run over, "Sure, no problem..."
...
Just as Candelira is about to start her third round of the song a gunblast destroys the microphone. Off to the side of the stage Cinder stands with her revolver raised.
"Hm, not at all like the single-hand crossbows, I don't have to compensate so much for Gravity it appears."
"The Red Ranger?!" Candelira gasps. "Attack!"
The minions (Parameeshia) attack the Red Ranger with their blasters
She almost casually deflects the blasts, and kneels as she loads a battery into her gun. Then she aims for the stage, "Archenolon, fire!"
She pulls the trigger, making a Gravity Well on the stage.
They all go to the ground, Candelira yelping. "Maybe another time! Keep smiling!" She disappears.
"Cowardly bitch," Cinder growls, turning to the new monster. "So you possessed Ankydon?"
"Still do!" He smirks. "He and Ramerez tried to destroy me all those years ago, but one of my pieces landed on Ankydon! I've been growing since, and soon, I will drain all of Ankydon's energy, along with Ramerez's fighting spirit!"
She fires another Gravity Well at his feet, "Why do Villains insist on gloating...?"
It doesn't seem to affect him, and he charges at her, slashing her with a laugh. "Nice try!"
She grabs his staff, hugging it to herself to immobilize the weapon, and kicks it out of his grasp as she takes it for herself.
He stumbles back before growling. "Let's see how this does you!" He blows something into the air, that immediately makes her sleepy.
She blinks a few times, and drops to one knee. Then in an act of desperation she draws her gun, clamping down the jaw of it onto her tail so the pain makes her stay awake.
Virusun blinks before laughing hysterically and pointing at her. "You're desperate enough to do that?!" He smirks and blows more sleep powder at her.
She slams a fist into the ground, and shockwave of her blow sends the powder flying away. Then she snatches up his staff, and spins it, "Malestrom Fury!"
She holds out he hand with the staff, and it spins like a sawblades, striking him repeatedly at high speed.
He cries out, and hits the wall of the stage. He slowly recovers. "Not bad." He smirks. "But I have more up my sleeves! I'll be back!" He jumps up and disappears as the other Rangers skid to a halt on their new bikes.
"No! We missed him!" Conner growls, slamming his handlebar angrily.
Cinder eyes the wicked staff in her grip, "...Shadow, any readings?"
"Ankydon is nearby, but I can't pinpoint his location." Shadow frowns.
Cinder snaps to the other Rangers, "Spread out! He might try to get us all at once!"
They nod, and Ethan tosses her two batteries. "Here! The first is your own motorcycle, and the other is a battery we tested after you left! It makes you thinner than a piece of paper." Then, the Rangers burn out, spreading out.
Cinder nods, calling up her motorcycle, and speeding off in the one direction they didn't take, that staff still in her hands.
...
Ramerez watches the Rangers from the pool, frowning. "They won't be able to find Ankydon... not without me put there with them."
"You'll stay put." Torin says firmly. "Here, your spirit can be maintained. Out there, you'll burn yourself out."
"I can't just sit here, Torin!" He smirks. "Not when my ankles are itching to find Ankydon!"
Torin rolls his eyes at the terrible pun. "Stay."
Mina leans over the table, "Torin... He's right."
Torin ruffles his wings annoyedly, not liking this at all.
"I'll stick with one of the Rangers. Please?" Ramerez begs.
Torin sighs. "Fine. But you will focus on Ankydon, not jokes."
Ramerez perks and bows. "Thank you!" He dashes to the teleporter, and warps away.
Mina looks up at Torin, "He'll be okay."
Torin sighs and closes his eyes. "His attitude is a facade. He has lost more than half of his strength. If the Rangers don't cure Ankydon soon, Ankydon's resistance to Virusun's sickness assault will fail..."
...
"...And Ramerez will be no more."
The motorbike roars as Cinder rides like a living bullet through a construction site.
"Red, have you found anything?" Kira asks.
"Negative Pink."
"Okay, keep looking." Kira hangs up.
Ramerez lands on a manhole cover, and looks around. "One of the Rangers is headed this way... I hope I can catch their attention!"
Cinder spots him, and skids to a stop beside him, "What are you doing here?!"
"To help find Ankydon." He says seriously with a smile.
She steps off the motorcycle, "You idiot, get back to the base now, or I will put you in the ground AGAIN!"
"No. I'm more use out here." He smiles. "I can sense where Ankydon is!"
Cinder looks taken aback, "Fine, then get on, and tell me which direction to go." She mounts the motorcycle again.
"Okay!" He looks determined as he hops on.
She revs the engine, and takes off again.
"WAH!!! Too fast!" He yelps, hugging her for dear life.
"Mind your hands," she says. "Focus on where Ankydon is, and direct me."
"Er... North!" He says, trying to compose himself.
She swerves to the right, dodging between traffic as she zooms through an alley.
"Ayee!" He yelps, hugging her tighter.
She ignores the air getting crushed out of her, "How much farther?"
"One more mile." He manages to say.
She nods, and kicks it to full throttle to make that extra mile. Then she screeches to a stop, "Alright, your part here is done. Now go."
He gets off the bike shakily. "I'm fine here, Miss Red..."
"No you'll be fine when you get back to base," she says harshly as she calls back the battery in her motorcycle. "So get going."
He crosses his arms. "No. Miss Red, Ankydon is my partner, I need to find him and help save him!"
"And the only reason you don't have the strength to do so is because of me," she says curtly. "I won't fail... Ankydon is in good hands, or he will be once I find him."
"Well." He smiles gently. "I would like nothing more than to be with you when you do."
"I am not risking a decent man's afterlife on a task I can handle on my own," Cinder says firmly.
"I may be weaker than I normally am, but I'm a fighting warrior." He reminds her, punching his fist. "I died fighting, I refuse to go out again without doing something I care about."
"You're not going out at all," Cinder growls. "Because you're going to leave this to me. Or else I will forget any kindness you have shown me, and ignore you for as long as you exist."
He goes quiet, stunned by her resolve in seeing this through. Finally, he says softly, "Very well. I will go. But on the off chance I can't say this later... I'm glad I met you, Cinder." He leans in and pecks her on her helmet where her lips would be, before moving aside. "Torin, send me back to the Spirit Base." He says quietly, before he is warped away.
She balls her fists, she regrets having said what she did, but she meant it. When Ankydon is safe she will find a way to make it up to Ramerez.
Suddenly, the ground shakes, and Ankydon surfaces, tons of Parameeshia spawning.
Cinder narrows her eyes, "Showtime."
She charges the the minion monsters, and jumps high, running across their heads towards Ankydon. "Shadow, I found Ankydon!"
"Confirmed, sending your location to the other Rangers. There's no time for stealth, go get Ankydon back!" Shadow commands.
She nods, and puts extra force into her leap to send her into Ankydon's mouth. She hangs on as she inspects the inflected battery.
Ankydon roars and fires a beam at her, his battery seemingly melted and covered in a black substance.
She dodges sideways, narrowly avoiding being blasted as she hangs in the corner of the mouth.
Right where the beam was fired is a narrow opening for air intake and excess energy removal, and when the beam is finished firing, it oozes more black substance.
"Oh I hate guns," she says as as she loads her newest battery, and spots it at herself.
She immediately turns thinner than paper, and slips through the hole before Ankydon fires again.
When she becomes three-dimensional again she's in a large cyan room, "So this is what the inside of a Beast Battery looks like?"
She gets blasted into a wall.
"Indeed! Cozy, isn't it?" Virusun smirks, recreating his staff and charging at her.
She draws her sword, going on the defensive. She can't risk damaging anything in here, but neither can this monster if he wants to control Ankydon. She needs to get him out somehow.
She remembers being shot in the quarry, and it gives her an idea. Putting some distance between them she puts up a hand for him to pause as she folds up her sword, putting it back on the back of her hips.
Virusun laughs. "You think I'll wait for a Ranger? Ha!" He blasts her with a liquid that splashes onto her uniform, coating her from head to toe. It starts smoking, but her outfit refuses to melt. He blinks. "Wha?! That should've melted you alive!"
"Thank you Gabutyra," she mutters, and then uses Reaper's Wind to dash about, getting the acid off of her. Then she turns to face Virusun, slowly talk off her helmet, and the mask underneath.
"Rather impressive," she says with a smirk.
"Thank you." He smirks back. "How do you like my ingenious plan, Red Ranger?"
"Ingenious is definitely the word for it," she says as she walks about the room. "Wherever there is conflict there is always an appeal to using your enemy's own strength against them. Still, you forget one thing..."
"And what's that?" Virusun scoffs.
"The source of our power as Rangers. Eventually this battery will drain, and Ankydon will be easily subdued. You cannot hold sway over him forever."
"Ah, but that'd the genius of it." He smirks more. "These batteries can hold other things besides Bravery."
Cinder tilts her head with a curious frown, "Truly?"
"Indeed. Ah, but that's all I'm allowed to say." He smirks and blows powder in her face.
She dodges with a backflip, and scowls as her helmet goes rolling to his feet.
"Sometimes I wonder why I fight like this," she tells him. "I feel as though I am red because that is the color of my stained soul. The lives I've taken, the blood I've spilt... In truth I don't feel fit to be a Ranger. I feel as though I was given this title so I could be Torin's rabid dog."
"Hm... so why don't you join Deboss's side then?" He smirks.
She pauses, and looks up, "Would I really be accepted? Even though I am a Ranger?"
"So? We have one already." He smirks more.
She looks up with her mouth slightly agape. Then she smiles her angelic smile as she walks over, and puts on her helmet, "Then I do not see why not. It is only fitting for a monster to roam among her own kind."
"Indeed. Welcome to the winning side, Red Ranger." He smirks and offers his hand to shake.
She nods, and takes it firmly, "Thank you Disease Demon."
"Now, Ruin is a stickler on these things. You must bring him proof of your allegiance." Virsun smirks.
She nods, and strokes the chin of her helmet, "I could turn Gabutyra against the rangers... But he is very strong willed, and loyal to good. How did you corrupt Ankydon? I may be able to power Gabutyra with a different emotion..."
"I used my dark virus to drain his strength." He boasts.
She draws a battery, "I see... Could you possibly infect mine to channel another emotion for me?"
He shakes his head. "Emotions are out of my league. Ruin can fill a battery with Deboss energy though."
She nods, "Then we shall go to meet him forthwith." She loops an arm around him, and then shoots them both with the flattening battery.
They land outside, where Virusun immediately gets shot at.
"Good job Red! You drew him out!" The other Rangers run towards her.
She draws her own gun, and puts a shot in each of their chests without saying a word.
They all yelp, and scramble to their feet.
"Red! What are you doing?!" Conner shouts.
She pulls the monster to his feet, and aims her gun at Connor, "Tell Torin he should choose his rangers wisely."
Ankydon roars angrily, his battery healing without Virusun there to block it.
"No! I forgot!" Virusun yelps.
Ankydon's battery launches out from his mouth, and he burrows away.
"You did it, Miss Red!" Ramerez shouts happily, catching the battery.
She turns to him... Then slowly holsters her gun. "I will not forget the kindness you showed me. However if you face me on the battlefield in the future then I shall." She turns from him, and starts to walk away with the monster at her side.
"Miss Red? Wait, where are you going?!" Ramerez starts to run after her.
She whirls, "Back off!"
He stops, stunned.
"Smell you later, Ramerez!" Virusun cackles, warping himself and Cinder away.
Trent takes a step forward, "...I don't believe it."
"Believe it." Shadow says grimly through the communicators. "Red has changed to the dark side."
...
Cinder follows Virusun through the halls of the Deboss headquarters. She maintains her Ranger form as they walk into a huge room with three pillars.
Luckerio turns, and when she spots Cinder she lets out a blood-curdling scream of terror. "UNLUCKY!!!!!!!"
Virusun cackles before saying, "Relax! She's on our side now!"
"Virusun, what is the meaning of this?" Ruin states, not showing his emotions.
Cinder slowly draws he revolver, handing it to Dragold, and passing her sword to Woemore. Then she approaches Ruin, "Virusun said that you would be willing to accept one such as me... I came in hopes this was true."
Ruin strokes his chin thoughtfully."What do you have to offer Deboss?"
"Hate," she replies. "Anger is born of fear, but pure untamed rage is born of hate. Even without my weapons I could match those you have assembled in this room. With me at your side victory is only a matter of time."
Ruin nods silently. "And what do you want in return?"
"I want to watch this world burn," she says, walking over to a smoking pool of water. She mutters something under her breath, and the smoke takes substance. The colors change to show a young echidna pass a black bag of rings to a wolf who passes the bag to one of his four friends. Then all four of the wolves start converge on her. Suddenly a young hedgehog with a sword charges in, and tries to defend her. The wolf in charge pulls a gun on the young hoglet, and the Echidna throws herself over him like a living shield... Just as the hoglet stabs the wolf in the heart.
Cinder lowers her hand, "A world where this can occur doesn't deserve to exist."
Ruin slowly smiles. "Well then, welcome Red Ranger. D! Show our newest Ranger ally to the more... inhabitable area."
Virusun steps aside as a navy blue Ranger with blood red designs, yellow where there is teeth on his outfit, a golden shoulder fin guard, and a similar one on his left arm. "Fine. Come. Virusun, follow. Carry our friend's weapons for her."
Virusun cows a little, gulping with a nod and taking her weapons from Dragold and Woemore.
D turns and leads her out of the large room.
Cinder follows him, "Virusun had mentioned a second Ranger among the Deboss."
"Indeed. I am he, Ferocious Knight D. The Deathryuger." He glances back. "Or, you can call me D."
She nods, "And Bi suppose you may all keep referring to me as Miss Red, for lack of a better name."
"So you're going to keep the costume on, like me? You will need to convert to Deboss energy if you want to do so." D states, opening a door. It looked like a passable Mobian room, except the walls were still like every other wall there.
"Am I to become a conduit for emotion like the rest of them are?"
"If you desire." D nods.
She turns her helmet, "And what of you? What is your purpose here, Death Ranger?"
He tilts his head. "Can't you tell? To bring death and suffering. Especially those that deserve it."
She nods, and steps into her new quarters, "I wish to reflect, and meditate until next I am needed."
"Very well. Virusun, her weapons."
Virusun quickly nods and hands Cinder back her weapons.
"If you need anything to eat, knock on my door." He states, motioning to a door down the hall. "I am half Mobian, and the only one. I am the only one on base with food."
She nods, holstering her weapons. "Thank you D."
He nods curtly and walks into his room, closing and locking it.
Cinder walks into the center of the room, and sits at attention in its center.
"I should've let that that acid melt you." Gabutrya growls, appearing and pacing angrily.
She checks with her Chi to ensure that no one is eavesdropping, and finding no one she replies, "Really Gabutyra, after all we've trained, and fought together, after how well you've come to know you you truly believe I would betray Torin... Betray you?"
She turns her attention to him, "Look where we are, we are in the heart of Deboss, and now privy to information Torin may find useful. Until Virusun slipped over his tongue we had no idea Ruin had a Ranger on his side."
"So we're gonna play spy, then? Spying's not really my style..." Gabutyra scowls.
"Not mine either, however it was a prime chance to get information, a chance that may have never raised again. Originally I thought to charm Virusun out of Ankydon. At the time I acted like I was going to join to lure him out, but when he mentioned another ranger I realized there was much we do not know about our foes."
"Speaking of... don't demorph in public." Gabutyra says slowly.
"You don't have to remind me," Cinder replies. "I am not about to jeopardize my students by making them bargaining chips to the Deboss. If I can help it I intend not to demorph at all."
"You will, though. You will probably need to charge a batter with Deboss, to keep up the act. I can hopefully keep you safe until you demorph again and switch back to Brave, however, that means you have one full battery, the battery you're using, and the one filled with Deboss. I am telling you not to demorph in public because... I protected the acid from melting your skin. I'm very sure you have some singed fur, and only the jacket Torin gave you, if you decided to wear it today."
Cinder sighs, "And so it appears the universe's pursuit for my virtue continues... If I morph with a Deboss battery, how will it affect you?"
"Shadow has a plan in motion. When you use the Deboss battery, I will be making sure neither side gets hurt. When you come back here, I will force you to demorph, and switch batteries back."
"So you already told him... So long as no one who knows what I'm really up to takes to the battlefield it should be fine. To fool Deboss I first had to fool my... Comrades." She doesn't feel comfortable calling them her friends.
"He doesn't know. Only you are attuned to Chi, hence my ability to spiritually connect with you. I cannot speak physically to anyone else, except through you. He trusts you to know that you're planning something, though." He states.
"He trusts me Hm?" She smiles at that, "I didn't expect him to. He doesn't strike me as the sort to trust often."
"He isn't. He has been controlled by evil multiple influences, and he knows the signs. You didn't be evil enough." He smirks.
"Thank you for the feedback Gabutyra. I may need to tap into your fury as well to make the part more believable to Ruin, and the other Deboss."
"Then we need to train. Lock your door, time for some fun!" Gabutyra smirks and wags his tail.
She smiles, and stands to do so, "Well then, who am I to deny a challenge...?"
