A Power Rangers: Spirit Force Tale

Mighty Morphin Ninjetti Rangers

A Christmas to Remember

by: Shamrock Holmes

Rated: 13+

Chapter 2: Feathered Fiends

Disclaimer: Power Rangers and all its related logos are property of Disney Entertainment and/or Saban Entertainment, the X-Men and all its related logos are property of Marvel Entertainment, and both are being used without permission on a non-profit basis. Any original characters belong to me.

A/N: This companion fic to Power Rangers Spirit Force takes place during the Christmas season of the 'run' considerably later than the current chapter of the main story, and as such many contain mild spoilers for upcoming content. Some elements from "I'm Dreaming of a White Ranger" and "A Season to Remember" plus the first movie have been used but some liberties have been taken.

Contrary to the original version of Chapter 1, I have decided to give the Rangers an Earth-side mentor, who sent them to Phaedos to receive the Ninjetti Power from Dulcea when Rita and Zedd's son Thrax recovered from the events of Once a Ranger and attacked Angel Grove. This original character, a Jewish Original Purple Ranger called Adira Wassermann, is the creation of my friend and occasional co-author Alex Collins and features in his Harry Potter/Power Rangers crossover Meledon Phoenix.

Tom was sitting on an old tree stump, looking out over the ocean. He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear anyone approaching until a slim pair of arms slipped around his neck, he tensed briefly but relaxed when he saw familiar red tresses out of the corner of his eye.

"You scared me, Red," he said, shifting to allow his girlfriend to sit down beside him on the stump. "How did you find me?"

"You were not at the party and Kitty said you have been a bit down in the dumps for the last day or two, so I guessed you would come out here to think," Willow replied. "Was my Christmas present that horrible?"

Tom attempted a slight smile. "It's not your present, or any of my presents really," Tom replied. "It's this whole Ranger thing... I mean, Thrax is one thing, he's powerful... but that's just the 'normal' weirdness, I can handle that."

"So what it is then?" asked Willow, snuggling into the crook of his arm.

"The battle with Ooze," Tom admitted. "We saved Santa Claus, that's huge on a whole new level. I mean, I thought he was just myth... to find out that he's real and then save him from a evil alien..."

"You are having a hard time dealing it."

"Yeah."

"Then allow me me to help you with that, Red Ranger," sneered a familiar voice from behind them.

Tom's eye's narrowed and he jumped up from the stump, nudging Willow away from him as they turned to face the voice. A tall figure stood a few meters away, a gold-armored winged ape.

"Goldar," said Tom by way of greeting to the ape.

"Season Greetings from Lord Thrax, Red Ranger," growled Goldar. "It will be your last."

"If I had a dollar every time I heard that, I'd be a rich man, Bucket Head," retorted Tom, then glanced at Willow, who nodded. "Ninjetti!"

"The Wolverine!"

"The Coyote!"

Immediately, the two teens civilian clothes were replaced by their Ninjetti fighting suits, Tom's was red with a wolverine medallion on the chest, while Willow's was blue with a coyote medallion.

"Care to dance?" asked Tom, holding out a hand to his partner.

"Love to," said his girlfriend, striking a pose and taking his hand in hers.

Adira Wassermann was visually a study in contradictions, with her slight frame and average height, not to mention her snow-white hair, many people on first glance believed her to be old and frail. On the other hand, a glance at her youthful face and her crystal-bright green eyes marked her as young and healthy person with a sharp mind and strong will. Ironically, neither of these appearances were entirely accurate; the strength of her mind and will was undeniable, and her body was that of a seasoned warrior, but she was not young, despite her youthful appearance she was actually in her forties but exposure to The Power over nearly a quarter a century off-and-on Ranger activity had left the Ninjetti Teens' mentor with the appearance of a woman twenty years her junior, a fact which pleased and vexed the woman in equal measure.

December was always a busy time of the year, and she was running late for a Christmas party – despite being Jewish, she always attended the annual get-together held at either the Park or Trueheart homes as it was the best way to catch up with her old friends and the assorted 'nieces and nephews' that she had collected over the years as their families grew. She grinned ruefully with the thought that with her parents' passing, and her stepbrother often in Reefside with his wife and daughter, she saw more of her surrogate Ranger family than her real one – so she missed the flashing red light in the hall of the silent alarm that signaled an attack.

Her sleek old coupe, a antique 2007 GT500 Super Snake, decked out a distinctive metallic purple, made the trip across town in less than five minutes. This year's gathering was being held at the Trueheart house, and Adira was greeted by Kat with the usual enthusiastic greeting, out of all the early female Rangers, Adira and Kat had probably had the second closest relationship even as teens, their shared experiences as pawns of Evil – specifically Rita Repulsa – making up for not knowing each other as long as Kimberly Hart and the late Trini Kwan.

"Did you see Willow on your way over?" Kat asked as they broke apart.

"No, why?" asked Adira, getting a slightly worrying feeling.

"She stopped by briefly, talked to Kitty, but then left quickly," Kat replied. "I haven't seen Tom since breakfast either."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Adira assured her old friend. "They probably just wanted some private time."

Kat relaxed slightly, but Adira broke away quickly, not meeting her friend's eyes, though she thought her suggestion was possible, even likely, she wanted to check it out. She roamed the room for a few moments until she caught up with the other three Teens, who were sitting in a corner sharing gossip with Sammy, who had just arrived in from New Tech City on a weekend pass. She caught Abe's eye and then jerked her head towards the door. They excused themselves to Sammy, who nodded and headed for the punch bowls to get a another drink.

"What's up?" asked Abe.

"Maybe nothing," replied Adira. "But Kat's getting worried that Tom and Willow aren't back yet."

"He's been pretty down since that whole thing with Sa- up north," said Kitty. "He's probably just gone to get some air."

"All the same, I want to check on him," said Adira and lead them into the hall. She raised her communicator to her lips and activated it. "Tom, this is Adira, come in." She paused, there was no answer. "Tom, Willow, please respond."

"Nothing," said Abe. "I've tried them too."

"Where are they likely to be?" Adira asked.

"Well, Tom looked like he wanted to think... well brood, when I saw him last," replied Kitty. "He usually goes to the beach for that, that's where Willow was going to check first."

"Any particular place on the beach?" asked Adira, knowing that Angel Grove had a lot of beaches... maybe she could track him via communicator... no, she'd need the main computer in the lab for that.

"Same spot as Uncle Tommy used to like when he was a kid, apparently," said Abe.

"Figures. You three check there. I'll take the car into town and check there on the way back to the Lab."

"We're on it."

The couple 'danced' through the first couple of Kyonshi, the white-faced, black and white Lycra-clad goons that acted as Thrax's shocktroops, but when one of Goldar's energy blasts detonated close to them they decided to switch tactics.

"Can you handle the grunts, Red?"

"You bet, Slim," said Willow strongly, and broke his grasp, flipping towards another Kyonshi.

"Feeling lonely, Goldilocks?" asked Tom.

"You wouldn't be so chatty when I destroy you, Red Ranger."

"Put on an new track, Goldar. This one's getting a little boring," said Tom, ducking a sword swing from Goldar and delivering two quick punches to the winged simian's armored stomach sending him staggering back. "See? Told you." With a little more room to work, he jumped up slightly, kicking Goldar in the head, "Next?"

Two Kyonshi responded to his 'request' and were easily dealt with. Tom used the opening to scan around the area to see how his girlfriend was doing. He smiled behind his mask when he saw that she had taken down another three Kyonshi and was tackling a fourth, then he frowned, an attack essentially by Goldar didn't really make sense, it wasn't Thrax's style, unless...

"Red, Goldar's the diversion!"

"Agreed!" said Willow, then flipped over a Kyonshi, setting it up for a kick to its unprotected back. "You should contact base!"

"Right!" said Tom, leaping into the air to avoid an energy blast from Goldar, he landed on a thick upper branch of a tree. "Tom to base, come in base. Adira, do you copy?"

"Maybe Adira's on the road?"

"Maybe. Let's finish this up and teleport back," said Tom and jumped out of the tree. "Ninjetti Corkscrew Kick!"

The teen spun violently as he fell, striking Goldar hard in the chest and driving him to the ground.

"I'll get you next time, Red Ranger!" he declared and teleported away in a burst of flames. The remaining Kyonshi disappeared seconds later.

"Ready?" Tom asked Willow as soon as the field was clear. She nodded, and they disappeared in colored streaks of red and blue.

The other three Ranger Teens had almost reached the beach when the flames of a teleport flared in front of them. "Where do you think you're going?" sneered Mordant, Goldar's porcine cousin. Like Goldar, he was flanked on either side by a cadre of Kyonshi, this one over twice the size of Goldar's.

"Out of the way, Pork-Chop," shouted Kitty. "Or we'll take you down hard!"

"Pretty tough talk," replied Mordant, and burped.

"Eww, that's disgusting!" groaned Cindy.

"Kyonshi, destroy them!" At his call, the Kyonshi began to spread out, flanking the three teens.

"Ninjetti!" shouted Abe.

"The Cormorant!"

"The Elephant!"

"The Alligator!"

"Let's take these freaks!" declared Cindy, and suiting action to words flipped over a Kyonshi's low kick and then floored it with a precise spinning kick to the head.

Abe grinned behind his cowl and punched two oncoming Kyonshi in their mid-sections sending them flying backwards.

Kitty jumped over the Kyonshi that attacked her initially and headed for Mordant. "You're mine!"

"I'm a foodie, not a fighter!" screamed Mordant.

"I warned you!" said Kitty and struck out. Mordant was able to clumsily block her initial strike, and they traded blows for a few moments until he managed to catch her arm in his large, powerful snout and clomp down on it.

Kitty screamed out in pain and struggled, trying to break free, but to no avail. "A little help, guys!"

"Hang on, Kitty!" said Abe, who was struggling with three Kyonshi of his own.

"That's kinda the problem!" The blond-haired girl screamed back, but was interrupted by a very familiar battle cry as Mordant was struck from behind. The porcine sycophant dropped the Yellow Ranger and then tripped over her as he stumbled forward.

"Not fair, I was winning!"

"It's called teamwork, Mordant," declared Tom as he moved between the alien and his wounded team-mate.

"Are you all right, Kitty?" asked Willow as she helped her friend to stand.

"No, I can barely feel my hand," growled Kitty. "But I can still fight!"

"Uh-oh!" said Mordant, his eyes bulging slightly at the expression on the Alligator Ninjetti's face, and the fact that the other two Rangers had finished off the Kyonshi leaving him out-numbered five-to-one. "I'm outta here!"

"Don't you...!" snarled Kitty and staggered forward.

But it was too late, and Mordant teleported away before she – or any of the others – could reach him and when the adrenaline rush wore off a few seconds later, she began to waiver, and it was only the quick reflexes of Willow and Cindy that kept her on her feet.

"We need to get her back to base," said Willow. "Quickly!"

"Let's teleport!" decided Tom and they disappeared in five columns of light.

When Adira finally entered the 'Command Center' in her garage, it was to a scene of barely controlled chaos as the boys were rushing around trying to find the first-aid equipment, while Willow and Cindy were attempting to position Kitty comfortably on the room's couch. "Everybody, stop! Calm down. What's going on?"

"Kitty got bit by Mordant during Thrax's latest attack," replied Cindy. "Her arm's hurt pretty bad."

"Okay, I'll take a look," Adira said. "Tom, third cabinet on your left, second shelf. Although if it's as bad as you say, she'll need a doctor."

A quick examination with the portable scanner in the first-aid kit proved that this was indeed the case. "I'll have to the Hub. The facilities are better there and I can have Jo come to me..."

The train of thought was broken by wailing alarm and flashing red lights. "Willow, check the computer!"

"I am on it!" said the redhead, and seconds later her slim fingers were flying across the keyboard, pulling up data. "Two monster alarms have been triggered. One in Angel Grove Park – Goldar again, but no Mordant, the other in the town center – that's a monster, looks like a giant turkey."

"Okay, we'll have to split up," said Adira. "The monster's the priority... Willow, stay here and contact Adam to handle Goldar. Tom, Abe, Cindy, you'll have to take on the monster for now."

Tom didn't overly thrilled with his mentor's assignments, but nodded agreement when the others looked at him. As soon as the invisi-portal had closed behind her, he motioned the Black and Pink Rangers to join him in the center of the room. "It's Morphin' Time!"

"Black Ninjetti Ranger Power!"

"Red Ninjetti Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ninjetti Ranger Power!"

The second the morph cleared, Willow activated the teleport controls and sent them on their way. Then she reached for the phone built into the desk and punched one of the speed-dials. After a moment, the phone was picked up. "Steele residence," said a male voice.

"Mr Steele, this is Willow Bailey from Angel Grove. I need to speak to your son urgently..."

"Where you Rangers? Come out and fight or I will destroy your city!" demanded Goldar, raising his sword and basting another abandoned vehicle to make his point.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Monkey-Boy!" said a voice from behind Goldar. The speaker was a tall, athletic looking man with dark-blond spiky hair. "I'm right here!"

"Tommy?"

"You're loosing your marbles in your old age, Goldie," claimed the green-clad youth. "It's Adam. Remember?"

"Never mind, I shall destroy you nonetheless!" boasted Goldar. "You are no match for my power! Kyonshi, destroy him!"

A dozen of the black-clad minions materialized around Adam, he downed one which a punch to the head and then floored a second with a spinning kick to the stomach. "Ninjetti! Lion!"

Immediately, he was garbed in the all-concealing green ninja suit worn by the Ninjetti in low-intensity battle. Using the power of the Ninjetti he ducked and weaved among his enemies, taking each out with one or two precision blows. He had only two enemies left to deal with and was feeling confident when he was knocked off his feet by an explosion. "Hey Goldilocks, that's not cool! If you were feeling left out, you shouldn't have summoned these goons in the first place! It's not like they actually do much!" Adam retorted then made his point by taking out both remaining minions as he flipped back onto his feet. "But, if that's you want to play it... It's Morphin' Time! Green Ninjetti Ranger Power!"

Goldar backed off slightly, the golden-armored general had little positive experience with green-clad Power Rangers.

"I've about had it with you, Goldar. Let's finish this!"

"So be it!"

Adam's hand moved to his belt and drew his personal weapon. "Lion Fang, Saber Mode!" The green-and silver dagger's blade glowed slightly, then grew in length eventually stopping at around a meter in length, the hilt and cross-guard also altered slightly to accommodate the greater weight and a wider grip. Adam gripped the blade two-handed and brought it up to a guard position. "Bring it!"

Goldar paused for a moment but then charged toward the Ranger, who easily blocked his initial strike then scored two of his own to Goldar's mid-section before jumping out of the monster's reach. Goldar wasn't defeated that easily though, and chased after the Green Ranger, scoring a couple of hits but getting hit himself at least three or four times for each success.

A six-tone alarm interrupted them. "Go ahead, Willow!"

"Adam, the other Rangers need you in the town center! Gobbler has grown to giant-size and without Kitty and I they cannot form the Megazord!"

"All right, I'm on my way!" declared Adam. "Sorry to cut our dance short, Goldie. Another time?"

"Do not turn your back to me, Ranger! I shall kill you for your disrespect!" bellowed Goldar and launched another energy attack from his sword which hit the Ranger, causing him to stagger.

"Okay, that's enough!" said Adam. "We finish this... NOW! Dragon Fang, Laser Blade!" He spun around, his sword now glowing an eerie green that a mundane spectator might have compared to a light-saber. He jumped into the air, closing the gap between himself and Goldar in less than a second, and brought the blade down in a brutal slashing arc that cut across the monster's torso. "You're done!"

"Not today. And never at your hand, Green Ranger!" Goldar growled, but teleported away before Adam could respond.

"Adam, what you doing? The other Rangers need you immediately!"

"Ah, nuts!" exclaimed Adam. "I almost had him!" Then he pressed his free hand against his belt buckle, activating the teleporter to take him to the next battle site.

He reappearing on the top of a skyscraper near the center of town and looked around just in time to see the Wolverine Zord fall to the ground under a hail of glowing flechettes. The slower, bulkier Elephant Zord was already lying on its side immobile on the tarmac.

The Cormorant Zord blasted past overhead, firing pairs of lasers at the monster which did little to no damage but did draw the monster's attention to the Pink Ranger's Zord.

Adam raised his arm, activating his commlink. "Cindy, I'm on the field, disengage before you..."

But it was too slow, and he watched as the monster jumped into the air, slashing at the rose-tinted machine and causing it to crash. Fortunately, Cindy managed to bail out in time and joined her demorphed team-mates in the street.

"All right, Feather Brain, playtime's over!" declared Adam, then he shifted the Lion Fang back to it's dagger form, and brought it to his lips. A five-tone song burst from the device and seconds later was answered by a roar, a hiss and a screech. "Let's how you handle Lion power!"

As the jade-hued feline Zord thundered past he jumped onto it. "Green Lion Zord, Lion Mode!"

"I'm sooo scared!"

"You should be!" claimed Adam. "Lion Roar!" A pale-green pulse wave burst from the Zord's maw and slammed into the monster, sending it crashing back.

"It'll take more that!" replied the monster, and spread it's wings, flying up out of reach of the Lion's weapon.

"Okay... turkeys can fly? When did this happen?"

"Only domestically raised birds are flightless," replied Willow. "Wild birds can fly."

"You're finished!" crowed the monster and fired back, bracketing the ground-bound Zord with exploding flechettes.

"Not likely, I've got a few tricks of my own!" said Adam.

"Remote telemetry is optimal. You are go for combination."

"All right, let's do this!" said Adam, and dropped down into the Lion's cockpit. "Green Lion Zord, convert to Warrior Mode... Now!"

The Zord reared up onto it's back legs, the back shifted to allow it to stand upright and lower jaw folded down onto the chest to expose a face.

"I'm not impressed!" cried Gobbler and blasted the Zord again, but more nimble than ever on two feet it easily the worst of the salvo and harmlessly absorbed the rest.

"That's just the entree, standby for the main course!" declared Adam and raised the flute-dagger to his lips again and blew a different melody. Seconds later, the Gobbler got a taste of his medicine as the FalconZord blasted past him, strafing him with laser fire that definitely hurt more than the Cormorant's.

"Ninjetti GryphonZord sequence... now!"

The Lion caught the CobraZord as soon as it came within range, twisting it around it's own middle like a championship belt, then it leaped into the air to allow the FalconZord to dock with it's back-plate.

"Ninjetti GryphonZord... Power Up!" commanded Adam. "Let's settle this in the skies!"

"Fine by me!" replied the monster and followed the Zord up.

"Time's up... Ninjetti GryphonZord Power Dive!" commanded Adam.

The Zord's wings and claws began glow as it banked towards the monster and then dived, slashing it with one claw, then the second and finally a wing before the monster plummeted to the ground and exploded.

"Nice work, Adam!"

"Thanks Willow. Now I've got to get back to Cross World City before I'm missed, so give my best to the others and I'll catch you later."

A/N: Wheew! That was a tough one to bang out! RL is really kicking my muses all over town at the moment so my writing has slowed to a crawl.