Category: TV Show » Power Rangers

Author: Twix3780

Language: English

Rated: T

Genre: Adventure/Family

Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from my OCs.

Koda waited expectantly for the postman to arrive at the museum. He had been waiting for the last three months to hear from his friends after they had broken up and gone their separate ways. The end of the Sledge meant that there was no real need for many of the team to stay in Amber Beach anymore, meaning they could go home to their families.

Koda, Ivan, and Kendall, on the other hand, were still at Amber Beach and working at the Museum. Koda loved the Museum, it was his home, but he missed his friends greatly. Every day since their departure, he had been receiving letters in the mail, each one of them telling him of their adventures outside of being Rangers.

Today was no exception.

The only problem this morning was the Postman was late.

Koda looked down in disappointment and turned back to the museum doors. If there were any post for him today, it would've arrived by now. Maybe his friends had forgotten about him.

"Hey, turn that frown upside down, big guy."

Koda paused and wheeled around. He recognised that voice. A bright grin spread across his face as he saw Sasha McMillian walking towards him. He ran to her and wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug.

Sasha laughed and hugged him back.

When he had set her back on her feet, Koda reached into her bag and held up three blue envelopes. "Lookie what the postman just gave me," she said. "He's just popped a tyre, and was worried you'd think he'd forgotten you."

"For me?" Koda asked, pointing at himself.

"I hope so," Sasha said. "I don't know anyone else named Koda, who likes blue, and works at the Museum."

Koda hugged her again, grinning like a kid in a candy shop.

"Come on, let's get inside, and you can open them," Sasha said. She handed him the envelopes and walked alongside him into the building.

The museum, as per usual, was bursting with tourists, regulars, and school kids, there seemed to be a school trip going on as a museum guide tried to wrangle the kids in her care, all the while informing them of the many exhibits the museum had to offer. The cafe was just as bad. With only two staff left out of the original seven, the place was overrun.

Hungry customers whined about not being served, angry customers stood in line waiting to pay and be served. Over at the counter, Kendall looked stressed and kept snapping at other museum employees that needed her attention.

"Now, last I checked, snapping at an employee wasn't a team building exercise," Sasha teased.

Kendall looked up and smiled, tiredly. "Oh, thank the lord," she said. "Did you pick up on my rising stress levels and come to save me?"

Sasha chuckled. "Hey, you're the superhero, aren't you supposed to be saving me?" she asked.

"The superhero gig is slower than normal, not that I am complaining," Kendall said. "But the cafe and the museum is proving to be harder than saving the world."

"Here, let's do what we do best," Sasha said. "Divide and conquer." She stripped off her jacket and turned to the cafe. "I'll deal with the line of paying customers, and I'll set a fire under Ivan. Koda, how about you go help him and maybe Kendall can read your letters to you while you work?"

Koda nodded and disappeared into the kitchen.

Kendall took a deep breath and followed Sasha over to the cash register. She apologised to the people in line and rung them up as fast as she could, and sent them on their way. Soon there were just a small handful of customers left.

"You're surely not human," Kendall teased.

Sasha smiled. "I probably just have a bit more patience right now," she said. "You know, considering you have more pressing things to deal with. How is that going, by the way?"

"Like I said," Kendall sighed. "Slow."

"Well, you weren't exactly in the fast lane a couple of months ago, either."

Kendall shrugged. "So, what exactly are you doing here?" she asked. "Not that I'm not happy to see you."

"Well, Caleb and Jessie have returned to their respective bases, my parents are currently in New Mexico, last I checked, my sister was in New Zealand, and I was at home...alone."

"Well, it's great to see you," Kendall smiled.

Sasha smiled.

~X~

Adelaide whooped as she hit the ramp, kicking off with her board and arching her legs up towards the air. She gripped the side of her board and held her free arm above her head. "Whoo, yeah!" she laughed, landing with a thud, her board vibrating beneath her feet.

"Nice moves!" praised an accented voice.

Adelaide looked up into the face of a young lad. He looked no older than her, with a mop of blonde hair, and startling blue eyes. "Thanks," she said with a smile.

"I'm Nate," the guy introduced, holding out his hand.

"Adelaide."

Nate grinned. "You're not from around here, are you, Adelaide?" he asked.

"No, Portland."

"America. Cool dude," Nate said with a lopsided grin.

Adelaide snorted. "No one says 'dude' anymore," she said, "At least no one that I know of."

"No? Then what do they say?"

Adelaide shrugged. "I tend to use 'mate' a lot, but that's just because my best friend says it all the time," she explained.

"Oh, your best sounds like a fun gal."

"I don't think Chase would appreciate being called a girl," Adelaide giggled.

Nate's smile dropped. "Your best friend is... a guy?" he asked.

"Don't tell me you are you part of the majority group that thinks boys' and girls' can't be friends without there being some hidden feelings between them?"

"Well, uh, no... But isn't that usually the case?"

Adelaide shook her head. "Not for me and Chase," she said. "He's my best friend, end of story."

Nate nodded once, and then quickly changed course. "So, Adelaide," he grinned, his eyes wide. "Tell me, what is a young, beautiful thing like you doing in Zandar? Visiting family? Just moved here? If that's the case, I could show you around, help you get the layout."

"I'm actually here with someone," Adelaide said. "We were on our way back from New Zealand. My friend had to stop here to finish some business. I'm just killing time by messing around."

"Who's your friend? What's her name?"

"His name," Adelaide corrected. "And it's Philip."

Nate smirked. "You seem to keep a lot of male company, Adelaide, is that a thing for you?" he asked.

Adelaide scrunched up her nose. She didn't like the implication of his accusation. "I should get going," she said. "It's getting late. I was supposed to have been back an hour ago." She stomped on the edge of her board, flipping it up underarm, and turned away.

Nate caught her elbow, stopping her. "Come on, Adelaide, just a little longer," he said. "Maybe I could teach you some new skateboard moves, or we could go get an ice cream or drink?"

"No thanks," Adelaide said, twisting out of his grasp. He squeezed her arm tighter, drew himself up to his full height and towered over her.

"I insist," Nate insisted.

Adelaide looked up at him. "If you think, just because you're taller than me, you can intimidate me into doing something I don't want to, you can think again. That may work on Zandarian girls', but it's not going to work on me." She pulled her arm free and stumbled back, dropping her board and tripping over it.

Nate chortled and then squatted down to her level. "Here, let me help you," he said, reaching out and brushing his fingers against her thigh.

Instinctively, Adelaide lashed out, striking Nate in the chest with her foot. He fell backwards, landing on his butt.

"Oof!" Nate grunted.

Adelaide scrambled to her feet and took a hesitant step backwards. "I'm sorry!" she said. "It was a reflex!"

"Sorry?" Nate repeated. "You're sorry?! Yeah, you're going to be sorry." He jumped to his feet and took a step towards her, freezing as he glanced over her head. His eyes widened and then he turned tail and ran.

Adelaide frowned, and turned to see what had freaked him out. Her own eyes widened and she let out a scream, one that was silenced as a blast of cold air hit her at full force.

~X~

With the final customer seated and served, Sasha headed back to the kitchen where Kendall was reading Koda's letters to him and Ivan. The reunion between the knight and Sasha had been just as excitable as the one between her and Koda, except with a bit more dignity involved.

"Dear Koda, I'm starting summer school, taking a couple of business classes," Kendall read from a letter that Sasha could only assume came from Shelby. "I'm not sure it's what I want, but my parents say it's the best thing for me."

"Imagine that... Shelby, studying to be a 'business' woman," Ivan said, straining to keep up with the flow of orders.

"What is 'businesswoman'?" Koda asked from the sink.

"I have no idea," Ivan replied.

Sasha laughed as she walked into the kitchen. "Kendall is a businesswoman," she explained. "She runs the museum, making it her business to interact with customers on a daily basis, and making a profit at the end of the day. Someone successful."

Kendall blushed.

She handed another order to Ivan and left, claiming the orders that were waiting for her on the counter.

"Four dino burgers, three milkshakes, fries, fries, and more fries!" Ivan gasped, reading the order. "We simply can't keep up."

"Don't worry," Kendall said, reassuringly. "I'm just about to interview a new waiter."

"Thank you," Ivan said.

Kendall nodded and left, skirting around Sasha as she returned with empty plates. She set them on the counter in the kitchen and returned to the cash register to ring up another bill.

"You seriously aren't human," Kendall said.

"That'd be a good thing right now," Sasha laughed. She handed her customer his change and moved on to the next one.

Kendall, meanwhile, approached the rangers usual booth and sat down in front of her potential employee. "So, you applied to be a waiter, and..." she cut off as she looked up. "It's you! You're that guy... the one who saved Sasha!"

The man smiled and nodded.

"You saved her life, and I don't think she got the chance to properly thank you," said Kendall, looking around for her friend. She spotted Sasha in the kitchen, talking with Ivan.

"Oh, don't be silly!" the guy said, waving her off. "I just did what anyone else would have done."

"So you really want to work here?" Kendall asked.

"Yes. I've only recently arrived from... out of town... and, ah, well, I could use a job," he explained.

"Great. I need someone real -"

"Koda, watch out!" Sasha yelled. A crash and shattering of plates followed her screams.

"Ooh... sorry!" Koda yelped.

"Excuse me for one minute," Kendall said. She stood, leaving her clipboard and letters on the table, and returned to the kitchen.

Sasha looked around as Kendall walked into the kitchen. "We got it under control," she said, helping Koda pick up the shattered shards of China.

"What happened?" Kendall asked.

"Put it this way, we need to invest in a dishwasher or two," Sasha said, tossing the broken china into the trash. "Careful, Koda, it's still sharp."

Kendall sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm almost finished with the interview," she said. "You'll never guess who it is."

Sasha frowned and straightened up. "Spare me the suspense," she said.

"You remember that guy who saved your life during the whole wish fiasco," Kendall asked,

Sasha nodded. "The one who ran off after Wish Star showed up," she said. "Yeah. I remember."

"Well, he's my interviewee."

"No way?" Sasha asked.

Kendall nodded. "He's just arrived from out of town, and could use a job," she explained. "And since we're so short-staffed..."

"No need to explain," Sasha said, shaking her head. "Go give him the good news, and we'll finish up in here."

"Great." Kendall beamed and left the kitchen.

"We have a new teammate?" Koda asked.

Sasha turned to him and smiled. "Yeah, in a way," she said. "We're just going to have to be a little more careful about what we talk about around him."

"Indeed, m'lady," Ivan agreed.

~X~

Kendall frowned as she walked into the base. "That's very odd," she said, staring at her phone.

"What is?" Ivan asked.

"I got a message from Tyler but it was cut off before he finished," Kendall said.

"I call Riley and he, not answer," Koda said, wandering over his phone in hand.

Kendall looked even more worried.

Ivan held up his hands, quickly. It was easy to sense the direction the conversation was heading. "Hold your horses," he said. "You're being paranoid."

"Who's being paranoid?" Sasha asked, entering the base.

"Have you spoken to Adelaide today?" Kendall asked.

Sasha pulled her phone from her back pocket and checked the screen. "Nope," she said. "Which is strange because she usually calls me around this time."

"Knowing Adelaide, she's probably having too much fun," Ivan assured.

"True. But she's never missed a call in the whole time she's been with Chase or Philip," Sasha pointed out.

"I'm sure everyone's just fine," Ivan said, although he didn't sound so assuring anymore.

Sasha bit her lip and looked to Kendall. "It wouldn't hurt to check," she said. "We can't check on all of them. But maybe, if you guys start with the most recent, I can find a loophole with the others? You know, I could call Chase's mother, to check on Chase, and Philip to check on Ade."

Kendall nodded and turned to Ivan and Koda. "Us three will check Tyler's last known point," she said. "Sash, you going to be okay here?"

"If this is Power Ranger related, this is the best place for me," Sasha said.

"Good point. Okay, let's go."

Ivan and Koda nodded and followed Kendall from the base, leaving their Energems behind.

Sasha watched them leave before turning back to her phone. "Alright, Adelaide, let's see what you're up too," she said, dialling Prince Philip's personal number. He had given it to her just before they had departed many months ago, it was his way of assuring her that if she needed anything, or if she couldn't get ahold of Adelaide, he was willing to play middle-man.

~X~

"Are you quite sure this is the place?" Ivan asked, peering out of the front window as Kendall pulled to a stop. They had just entered the forest surrounding Amber Beach, the trees and overgrown bush cast an eerie glow over the path.

"Positive," Kendall said, climbing out of the van. "The GPS data says this is the area Tyler made the call from."

"Tyler!" Koda called. No response.

"We may cover more ground if we spread out," Ivan suggested.

The others nodded and split up.

"Wher are you, good fellow?" Ivan muttered to himself as he ventured further into the trees.

"Over here!" Kendall called.

Ivan picked up the pace and turned a tree stump, stopping beside the scientist. Before her, completely cocooned inside an ice cube, was Tyler's jeep.

"A monster did this," Kendall said.

"But Sledge was destroyed," said Ivan. "Wasn't he?"

Bleep. Bleep. Bleep.

Kendall accepted the transmission on her Dino Com and stared down at the worried face of Sasha.

"Guys, alien bio-signs in your area," Sasha called. "Get out of there! Now!"

A tree snapping behind them caused Ivan and Kendall to turn slowly. The monster, IceAge stepped out of the trees, leering at them almost happily. "Remember me?" he asked. IceAge raised his arms and blasted the pair with frozen air. He laughed as they froze solid, just like the others.

~X~

"Guys? Guys!" Sasha yelled as the Dino Com cut off. She growled in agitation and tossed it onto the table, snatching up her cellphone in the process. "This is not happening!" she murmured, dialling another number. "Philip, pick up the phone!" but just like her last few tries, the call kept going to voicemail. In her anger, Sasha threw the phone across the room. "Where is everyone?!" she shouted.

"Sasha!" Koda called, sliding down into the base. He looked nervous and trembling.

Sasha gasped and rushed over. Her anger disappeared and she knelt beside the caveman, a hand on his shoulder. "Koda, you're freezing!" she said, grabbing a blanket from the table and dropping it over Koda's shoulders. "What happened out there? I lost all communication with Kendall and Ivan. But there was an alien."

"Alien attack them," Koda answered.

"So someone survived the crash," Sasha said. "Do you know who?"

"It was IceAge."

Sasha and Koda looked around to see Tyler pushing himself off the slide.

"Tyler!" Koda gasped. He jumped up, threw the blanket from around him, and caught the red ranger in a bone-crushing hug, lifting him off his feet.

"Koda... good to see you, too!" Tyler laughed. "Where is everyone?" he asked, once Koda had put him down.

"We go look for you," Koda explained. "But monster attack. We not have Energem. They take Kendall and Ivan away in big ice."

"He almost got me, too," Tyler nodded. "We need to call the others, warn them, if possible."

"I think it's too late," Sasha said, shaking her head. "I've been trying to call them since the others left to find you. None of them is answering. I even called Chase's mother, to see if she could shed any light, but she hasn't seen Chase since this morning."

"What about Adelaide?"

"She's with Philip in Zandar," Sasha said. "Neither of them are answering my calls."

Tyler sighed and looked around at the empty base.

"It all my fault," Koda moaned, scratching his head.

Sasha frowned and followed Koda over to the table. "What do you mean it's your fault?" she asked. "You couldn't have predicted this would happen, Koda."

"Koda, you need to tell us exactly what happened out there," Tyler said, walking over.

Koda looked nervously from one friend to the other. "I tried to fight against ice... but it brings back many scary memories from long time ago. Many years later, explorers found me. It was Kendall, Chase, and Adelaide. Kendall makes Dino Blaze Charger melt ice. Ice hold me for 100,000 years. Today, ice come up my arms, want to catch me again! But I escape ice... then I run away."

"You escaped the ice?" Tyler asked, looking excited.

"Hello, friends."

Sasha, Tyler, and Koda looked around to see Keeper standing behind them.

"I so sorry, Keeper. I should have found way to... save Kendall and Ivan," said Koda, awkwardly.

"It wasn't your fault, Koda," Sasha said, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We all have fears."

"You must remember, the Rangers have bonded to Energems. Like you, they will survive being frozen in the ice, unless the monsters destroy them first."

"We can't let that happen," said Sasha, quickly.

"We won't," Tyler said.

The alarms blared and the four occupants hurried over to the computers. Sasha hit a button on the keypad and the holographic screen popped up in mid-air.

"What is happening?" Koda asked.

"It's IceAge," Sasha said, pointing at the bleeping mark of alien DNA. "He's in the city."

"I have an idea," Tyler said. "But we're both going to have to be frozen."

Sasha glared at Tyler as Koda backed away, terrified. "Was the only thing you took from Koda's story the fact that he could escape the ice?" she asked. "He's terrified, Tyler, you can't put him through that!"

"Hear me out," Tyler pleaded. "It's the only way we can save the others, and it isn't a long-term deal." He turned to Koda. "You just need to show me how you escaped the ice last time."

Koda bit his thumbnail, his eyes clouded with fear.

"I know you can do it, Koda, especially to save your friends," Keeper said.

Koda looked to Sasha.

"It's your choice, Koda," Sasha said. "You don't have to do it, and while I'm not going to force you to face your fear, I know you can do it."

Koda hesitated and looked back to Tyler. He swallowed and then nodded. "Okay. This is how I do it..." he said.

~X~

Running through the city, Tyler and Koda soon arrived at the area where IceAge had been located.

"Looking for your friends?" IceAge laughed, turning around to face them. "Well, you've found your doom!"

"Ready?" Tyler asked, looking to Koda.

"Ready," Koda said, swallowing nervously.

"Energise!"

"Freeze!" IceAge yelled, throwing out his hands and blasting the pair with frozen air. It hit them directly, just after they had morphed, and froze them solid. IceAge laughed and stormed over, circling the two frozen rangers before him. "I always knew you Rangers were blockheads! Take 'em away!"

Vivix sprouted up from the ground and heaved the two blocks of ice between them. Carrying the safely out of the city.

~X~

"I can't believe you didn't answer me," said Sasha, walking towards Tyler and Koda. She handed them both a Dino Charger and then handed the third to Philip. The Prince had finally answered her calls, apologising profusely that he had been in back-to-back meetings, and hadn't even realised Adelaide had been taken.

"I was in a meeting," Philip protested. "A very important meeting."

"The whole point of having two phones is so you can deflect a private one to someone else, mainly your secretary, but answer the personal one yourself," Sasha said. "Personal ones are used mainly for emergencies, which is what this was. Also, I can't believe you didn't know Ade was missing. I thought you liked her."

"I do like her," Philip argued. "I like her a lot. But she didn't want to hang around the office for me to finish, and, despite having a royal position, I couldn't allow her inside the meeting room, so she took a guard and went skateboarding."

"Why didn't your guard warn you?" Sasha asked.

"They were attacked by Vivix," Philip explained. "By the time they'd realised what was happening, the vivix had gone and so had Adelaide. Look," he sighed, "I feel guilty enough that I let something happen to her, alright? But I'll make up for it. Somehow."

Sasha rolled her eyes. "Adelaide's not going to blame you," she said, "and I'm just grilling you because she's my younger sister, and she got kidnapped whilst with you. It's the rules."

Philip looked to Tyler and Koda for assistance.

Koda cocked his head to the side, confused, whilst Tyler held his hands up in defence. He knew better than to get involved.

Philip sighed.

"There they are," Sasha said, pointing out in the quarry where IceAge stood with the six blocks of ice. Approaching from behind him was a man made entirely of metal, but strikingly unfamiliar to the rangers. "That must be Sledge's successor."

"He looks powerful," Tyler commented.

Sasha nodded in agreement, watching as the new bad guy walked to the ice cubes containing Tyler and Koda's morphed states. He raised his sword and slashed it through the blocks, shattering them into pieces. He then roared as he picked up the empty suits, realising he had been fooled.

"That's our cue," said Tyler, leading Philip and Koda out into the quarry.

"That's impossible!" IceAge bellowed. "They were right here."

"And we're still here," Tyler called.

IceAge and the new monster turned to face the three.

"Just not where you think," Koda called.

"We slipped out before you could freeze us!" Tyler said, firing his dino morpher at the two. Koda and Philip followed his lead, the three blast combined and knocked the two monsters back.

"Now, we save our friends," said Philip.

"Dino Charger, ready!"

With the dino blaze charger locked and loaded, the three rangers opened fire on the blocks of ice, releasing the others.

The six rangers stumbled forward as their cacoons disappeared, each of them catching their footing before they could fall.

"What happened?" Riley stammered, wrapping his arms around himself as he shivered.

Adelaide squealed and threw herself at Chase, hugging him tightly. Chase laughed, picked her up and spun her around.

"Sir Tyler!" Ivan sighed in relief upon seeing the Red Ranger.

"Koda?" Chase asked as the blue ranger run over.

"Koda!" Adelaide laughed. The blue ranger grabbed both Chase, Adelaide, and Kendall in a hug, lifting all three of them from the ground.

Adelaide smiled and broke away from the trio, running over to Philip as he stood nearby. She hugged him tightly, happy to see that he was okay and had not been captured like she had.

"Starting to get the feeling that you need a tracker," said Sasha, making her way into the quarry. She opened her arms and hugged Adelaide as the young girl run to her. "Especially since I can't always get ahold of the middleman." She pretended to glare at Philip.

"I said I was sorry," Philip sighed.

Adelaide shook her head and returned the prince, hugging him again and resting her head on his chest. "Sash, leave him alone!" she defended. "It's not his fault."

Sasha smirked and shook her head as Philip kissed the top of Adelaide's, thankful that she was on his side.

"Looks like we're going to need these again," Sasha said, holding up her hands to reveal the energems she had brought from the base.

"Our Energems!" Shelby exclaimed, taking the pink one.

"Great!" Riley said, picking up the green one.

"Thanks," said Chase, catching the black one as Sasha tossed it at him. Kendall and Ivan nodded their thanks as Sasha passed theirs over too.

"Ooh! Shiny!" Adelaide laughed, peering at the scarlet one. She felt better already knowing that she was protected again.

"The Energems!"

The team turned to see the new monster getting steadily to his feet.

"The key to my past, present, and future!"

"Who is that?" Chase asked.

"That's the million dollar question," Sasha said. "He's no Sledge."

The monster laughed. "Sledge was a fool," he said. "I am Snide."

"There's your million dollar answer," Adelaide said.

Snide growled. "Get their Energems!" he ordered IceAge.

"Yes, sir!" IceAge nodded. "Ice 'em and dice 'em!" he added, stalking forward, his arms raised.

"This'll be the last time you hear these words..." said Kendall taking the point. She held up her dino charger and the others followed suit. "It's morphin' time! Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"Energise, ha! Unleash the Power!"

"Power Rangers, Dino Charge!"

"Vivix, rise! Attack!" IceAge ordered.

"Dino Steel, armour on!"

"Look! Vivix is still ugly," said Chase, firing off a blast from his para-chopper.

"And easily defeated!" Adelaide called, covering her sister by unleashing several arrows at once onto the approaching foot soldiers. Sasha didn't need telling twice as she ran off, disappearing around the corner and out of sight, as the vivix fell like flies.

Snide growled with annoyance as a vivix was thrown past him. "Useless!" he said, lifting his sword and rushing forward. "I'll get those Energems myself!" he promised. He lunged at Tyler, swinging his sword around.

"You guys never get it," Tyler said, blocking with his T-Rex Smasher. "Try your hardest, we'll always stop you."

"Try my hardest? How about I do that right now!" Snide hissed, slashing at Tyler again. He crashed it against the T-Rex Smasher, and then swiped up, across Tyler's chest and sent him hurtling through the air.

Adelaide rushed forward. "Dimetro Bow!" she yelled, loading an arrow onto the bow. She pulled back on the string and let go. The arrow split into several pieces, each one hitting the ground around Snide and knocking him back.

"Ade!" Tyler groaned as his teammate stopped beside him. Even if she was no match in hand-to-hand combat, he knew that her bubble would've protected her.

"Annoying pest!" Snide snarled. He raised his sword and swung down, stopping short as a glow appeared on the side of his neck. He stumbled back and then run off, leaving Adelaide to watch him go, confused.

With Snide gone, Adelaide helped Tyler back to his feet and they rushed off to where Kendall had cornered IceAge.

"Time for a cold snap!" IceAge yelled, raising his arm into the air. Frozen air, full of water and snow, swirled around him, freezing the entire area.

"Dino Morpher, blast!" Kendall shouted, firing her morpher.

"That doesn't sound cool!" IceAge whined.

"Dino Charger, ready!" Tyler said, activating the dino spike. "Weapons combine!" He threw it into the air and the core five weapons all came together.

"Allow me to lend a hand!" Ivan said, wielding his Ptera Sabre.

"Right behind you," Philip said, summoning his dino sabre.

"Dimetro Bow, ready to fire!" Adelaide said, holding up her loaded bow.

"FIRE!" the rangers yelled, unleashing their many attacks at once. They all hit IceAge, instantly destroying him.

~X~

Chase grinned as he carried Adelaide into the base. "Home sweet home," he said, holding out his Energem and letting it fly back to the Crystal Beds.

"It's good to be back," Adelaide agreed, letting her Energem go too.

"Man, this sure beats cleaning pig pens," Riley said, happily.

"I really missed you guys while I was away," Tyler said, following the others in with Shelby at his side.

"I really missed you, too!" Shelby said, punching his shoulder. "I mean, everyone. I missed everyone," she added as the others smirked at her.

"Sure you did," Sasha teased, wandering over.

Koda grinned and turned to Kendall as she called his name. "I remember when we rescued you from that glacier, you were very afraid of ice. Thank you for being so brave today."

"I thought my biggest fear was ice..." Koda said, softly. "But... my biggest fear... is losing my new family." He wrapped his arms around Kendall, hugging her gently.

Kendall hugged him back.

Slipping down from Chase's back, Adelaide wandered back to Philip and smiled as she lay her head on his side, his arm falling around her shoulders.

"Welcome back, Rangers," said Keeper, appearing out of thin air. He smiled at the team. "I was hoping you wouldn't be needed again, but duty calls."

"Rangers, we now have nine of the twelve energems," said Kendall, walking over to the crystal beds.

"We know someone found and bonded to the Aqua Energem because the Ankylo Zord is awake," said Shelby.

"Correct, my lady," Ivan nodded. "We need to find that elusive Aqua Ranger."

"And the last two," Philip added. "The Crimson and Silver Energems."

"And once we do, I'll be able to continue my duties as the guardian of the Energems," Keeper said, looking hopeful. "We must not fail."

Adelaide looked around at the others, a frown on her lips. "Are we just going to overlook the fact that we have a new bad guy?" she asked.

"Snide," Sasha said, remembering the name. "That guy looked powerful."

"He was," Tyler agreed, rubbing his chest.

"Where do you think he came from?" Chase asked, curiously. "Did he work for Sledge, or was he a prisoner before Sledge was destroyed?"

"Was Sledge destroyed?" Adelaide asked. "None of us saw a body, we only know that the ship crashed."

"She's right," Sasha agreed. "We don't know if anyone survived, and while I want to think that no one did, it doesn't leave much to the interpretation given the fact that you just fought IceAge... again."

The Rangers exchanged looks.

"What about Fury, or Wrench?" Chase asked.

"Curio and Poisandra," Shelby added.

"What if they somehow survived?" Sasha asked. "What if..." she sighed deeply, closing her eyes. "What if Sledge survived?"

"I don't think we'd have a new bad guy if Sledge had survived," Tyler said, shaking his head. "He was a control freak. He very barely trusted Fury with our destruction."

Sasha shrugged. "He could be weak," she said. "Just because we're seeing Snide now doesn't mean he isn't in league with Sledge. They could be biding their time, working together, Snide wears us down until Sledge is fully healed and ready to come back in and destroy us."

"The ultimate team up," Riley murmured.

Adelaide swallowed hard. "So, it's not over?" she asked.

"Far from it, I fear," Sasha said, looking around at the team, dismally.

Kendall took a deep breath and drew herself up to her full height, taking in her teammates one-by-one. "If that's the case," she said, "then we've got a lot of work today. Let's get busy."

And... we're back!

I wasn't going to upload this until I had finished my Teen Wolf story, but I got impatient with the slow pace, and this chapter was just sitting idle in my update folder.

What did you think? Is Sasha right to be worried about Sledge? Find out here... as the Adventure Continues.

~Twix.

Favourites, Alerts, and Reviews are all welcome.