A/N: Hello, readers! Only one more episode left to go and then the epilogue! Enjoy!

edited on april 8th, 2021 @ 2:48pm

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

CHAPTER NINETEEN - DOOM SIGNAL

𝓣𝚁𝙴𝙽𝚃

I WAS WEARING A GREEN hoodie with a black flannel over it as my father stopped in front of Dane's truck. "This is embarrassing." I muttered as my dad looked at me.

"Give me a break, Trent. I haven't spent time with you in ten years." Jeremiah told his son.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm just so used to driving to school by myself." I said before grabbing my backpack and opening the passenger seat. "Thanks for the ride. I appreciate it." I added, closing the door and meeting up with Brody and Levi.

"What's going on today?" Dane questioned.

"Some TV show is holding auditions at our school. Apparently, whoever gets picked will be super rich and famous." Brody answered.

"Yeah. Our friend, Hayley, is trying out." Levi added.  "We gotta go."

"Have a great day." Dane said.

"See you tonight, Dad." Levi said. "Looks like it already started."

We entered the school. "All right, guys, coming through. Excuse me. Sorry, ma'am." Levi apologized as we moved through the crowd.

"So did we miss it?" Levi asked.

"Nope. You're just in time. Calvin is the only one who's late as usual." Hayley answered. "He was supposed to help me rehearse an hour ago."

Calvin then came running. "Hey. Hey. I'm sorry." He said, kissing Hayley's cheek. "My car was having engine troubles. I had to fix it before I could leave."

"You could've got a taxi." Hayley told him. "I needed your help. Did you at least bring my props?"

"Your props? I left them right by the front door..." Calvin trailed off as he realized something. "And then I forgot."

"I'm sorry, Hayles. I'm sure you're gonna be great without them." Calvin said. "It's just one little audition anyway."

"Actually, it's a pretty big deal. They say the show's gonna air worldwide." Preston informed.

"Preston." Calvin whispered, trying to get him to stop talking.

"He's right. And maybe I'd be less nervous if someone had helped me." Hayley said.

"But I'm—" Calvin began.

"Next. Number 146." The TV producer announced.

"That's me." Hayley stated as we all gave her words of encouragement.

"This is a scene from Romeo and Juliet." Hayley said as she began. "Romeo, Romeo, I drink this potion to be with you." She said, pretending to drink a potion before falling to the ground.

"Thank you, thank you. Now move along. We're on a tight schedule." The TV producer said.

Hayley chuckled. "Okay. Thank you." She said, getting up as the crowd clapped for her.

"I think I did well. Right?" Hayley asked us as we all congratulated her.

"Next, number 147." The TV producer announced.

Victor and Monty both stepped up to the stage. "We will now be performing a highly dramatic scene portraying life and death." Victor said as Monty set down the bed.

"I can't wait. Get on with it then." The TV producer told them.

I watched as Monty sat on the bed. "Tell me, patient, can you feel this?" Victor asked. Monty ended up kicking Victor in his knee as I snickered from my place next to Levi.

"Sorry, Victor. It was reflex." Monty apologized.

"Let me make you more comfortable." Victor said while Monty laid on the bed.

Victor pressed a button as the bed folded up with Monty in it. "Sorry. I—" Victor cleared his throat. By now, I was holding in my laugh.

It only got worse from there as Monty flew up in the air and landed on the ground.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what Monty did wrong." Victor said as Monty looked at him confused.

The TV producer closed his book and stood up. "You two are real clowns. That's perfect for my show." He said as Victor laughed.

"We're done here. The rest of you can go home." The TV producer told everyone. "No one will beat these two showbiz geniuses."

"What? I can't believe it." Hayley said.

"Boys, you're about to become superstars." The TV producer informed. "Follow me. We're on a schedule."

"I was much better than them. Right, Cal?" Hayley questioned.

Calvin scoffed. "Well, actually—" He replied as he chuckled. "I mean, they were pretty funny."

"Yeah, but my audition went really well, don't you think?" Hayley asked.

Calvin stayed silent. "What? Be honest. You can tell me." Hayley said, holding his hand.

"Well, I don't think Romeo and Juliet was a good choice for a TV show audition." Calvin stated. "And I think some props could've helped."

"I would've had props, but you forgot them." Hayley reminded him.

"Don't be mad. You asked me what I thought. I'm just being honest." Calvin said.

"Yeah, well, there's honest and then there's—" Hayley started to say.

Levi could feel I was getting anxious by the way I was bouncing my leg up and down. I hated seeing my friends argue. Especially Calvin and Hayley. They loved each other so much and seeing them like this I wanted to cry.

Levi squeezed my shoulder as if to reassure me before walking up to the couple. "Hey, uh, I'm starving." He said.

"So hungry." I added, trying to not make my voice tremble.

"Food sounds amazing." Preston said.

"Let's eat."

"Yeah."

"Yeah. Come on, let's go eat." Sarah said.

"My cousin Zach's having a birthday party." Preston was saying.

"Oh, really? Where at?" Brody asked.

"Presto." Calvin said, handing him his food.

"Angel Grove." Preston replied to Brody.

"And, uh, Hayley, here, I got you your fave." Calvin said, handing her a paper bag. Hayley took it without saying anything to him.

"Hey, there's Victor and Monty with that TV producer." Preston pointed out.

"Are we filming in Summer Cove or—? Oh." I heard Victor say. "Uh, out of town?"

"Out of town?" The TV producer questioned as he turned into a monster. "More like out of space!"

Victor and Monty both screamed. We watched as they disappeared.

"That guy's a monster?" Hayley questioned.

"And they've got Victor and Monty." Sarah added.

"Those fools. No wonder Earth is doomed." Gorrox stated.

We all rushed over to stop him. "What'd you do to Victor and Monty?" Brody asked.

"Let's just say they're on their way to fame and fortune." Gorrox replied.

"You're on your way to doom and destruction. It's Morphin' Time!" Brody shouted as we all got out our morphers. "Power Stars!"

"Lock in! Ready!" We all shouted. "Ninja Spin!"

We then appeared morphed. "Ninja Rangers fear no danger!" Brody exclaimed.

All of us began fighting Gorrox. "The name's Gorrox. Pleased to beat you." He said as we continued fighting him.

"Mess with a bull and you'll get the horns!" Gorrox stated.

"Time to take out this creep. Lion Fire, Ninja Spin!" Brody shouted. "Lion Fire Red!"

Brody then started fighting Gorrox as he fell to the ground. "Time to take the bull by the horns. Lion Fire Armor Star, lock in! Ninja Spin!" Brody said.

"Lion Fire Flame Strike, Final Attack!" Brody shouted as he attacked Gorrox, causing an explosion.

"Great job." Sarah told her boyfriend.

"You said it, Sarah." Preston said.

"You'll have to do better than that because I'm as strong as an ox, and I have backup." Gorrox informed as Brax appeared.

"Don't you mean Brax-up?" He asked. "I've been waiting for another chance at you, Rangers.

"Oh, no, not him, too. Didn't see that coming." Brody commented.

As if things couldn't get any worse, both Gorrox and Brax grew big.

"We're gonna need more than one Megazord to rake these guys on. Ninja Steel Megazord, combine! Ninja Spin!" Brody shouted.

Brody, Levi, Sarah, and I controlled the Ninja Steel Megazord while Calvin, Preston, and Hayley controlled the Ninja Blaze Megazord.

"Let's toast this gruesome twosome!" Calvin exclaimed.

"Yeah!"

"Looks like it's two-on-two, eh, Brax?" Gorrox said as he laughed.

"We'll handle Gorrox." Levi informed.

"Great idea. We'll take down Brax." Calvin said.

Calvin, Preston, and Hayley were dealing with Brax while Brody, Levi, Sarah, and I were dealing with Gorrox.

"Oh! He's so strong!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Batter up." Gorrox said as he attacked us.

"You're surrounded." Brax informed as he laughed.

"We're gonna need more power." Levi said.

"Yeah. Ninja Ultrazord, combine! Ninja Spin!" Brody said as the four of us got into the Ninja Ultrazord.

"Yahoo! This is more like it." Levi commented.

"No one pushes our Ultrazord around." Sarah added.

"We'll give them all we've got. Going up." Brody said as he headed up onto the Ultrazord.

"Okay, Levi, you know what to do." Brody informed.

"Begin Final Attack! Ninja Spin!" Levi shouted. "Ninja Super Steel Blaster, energize!"

"Ninja Ultrazord, blast!" Brody shouted.

"Final Attack!" Levi yelled.

Brax moved out of the way just as our attack hit Gorrox as he was destroyed.

"No more holding back." Brax stated as he attacked both the Ultrazord and the Blaze Megazord.

"Whoa! That was a hard hit. I don't think these Megazords can take another blast like that. What should we do?" Calvin questioned.

"There's nothing you can do. You're finished." Brax told us.

"We need a solution, fast." Calvin said.

"Don't worry, guys. I think I have an idea." Brody stated. "Levi, give me the Blaster."

"Sure thing, bro." Levi said, handing him the blaster.

"I think a different Megazord combination may give us the edge we need to beat Brax." Brody explained.

"Cool." Sarah commented.

"I pray that it works." I said.

"Ninja Ultra Star, lock in! Ninja Blaze Ultrazord, combine! Ninja Spin!" Brody shouted as we changed into the Ninja Blaze Ultrazord as Brody joined with the others.

"Hey, guys. Thought I'd join you. Heads up, Cal." Brody said, handing him the Blaster.

"Thanks. Ready when you are." Calvin told him.

"Brax may be strong, but let's see him take on the Ninja Blaze Ultrazord." Hayley said.

"And that's not all. Sarah, Levi, Trent, you ready?" Preston asked us as we transferred into the Ninja Steel Megazord.

"Yep. The Ninja Steel Megazord is ready for action." Sarah responded.

"Time to take Brax out for good." Levi said.

"You'll never defeat me!" Brax exclaimed.

"All right, Sarah, Levi, Trent, you go first." Brody stated.

"Ninja Steel Megazord Master Slash!" Levi, Sarah, and I shouted as we attacked Brax.

"Now we'll finish him!" Calvin shouted.

"Ninja Blaze Firestorm, Final Attack!"

We finally defeated Brax as he exploded.

"Show's over. Ninjas win!"

We all then appeared out of our Megazords demorphed.

"I'm glad we beat those two. But we've got bigger fish to fry now." Preston reminded us.

"Yeah. The monsters were the ones running that TV show, and they've got Victor and Monty." Sarah informed.

"Come on, let's get to the base." Brody said as we followed him.

"Well, Hayles, I guess it's lucky I didn't get to help you rehearse. If you'd gotten the part, you might be the one stuck on the monster's spaceship. So, really, there is no reason for you to be mad at me. Right?" I heard Calvin ask.

"Excuse me?" Hayley questioned as the rest of us turned around. "You were late, and you didn't help me rehearse, and you made me feel bad about my performance."

"Whoa, hold up. I didn't know I was gonna have car trouble. Plus, you asked for my honest opinion on your performance." Calvin argued.

"Yeah, thinking you would be supportive." Hayley said.

"Uh, guys, maybe we should just all—" Preston began.

Calvin ignored him. "Look, if you asked me for my honest opinion, that's what you're gonna get. And if you don't know that about me, then I guess you don't know me very well." He said.

"And if you can't see that you're hurting my feelings, then you don't know me at all." Hayley shot back as she began walking away with Calvin following her.

"So, what, then?" Calvin questioned.

"Maybe we each need some space." Hayley replied.

"Are you saying we're done?" Calvin asked her.

Hayley stayed silent, and that was the only answer that Calvin needed as he nodded his head.

"Fine, then." He said as he walked away.

Levi only wrapped his arm around as I silently sobbed.

"Calvin and Hayley were so in love. I truly thought they would get married someday. How could Calvin just let her go like that?" I thought.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

All of us were walking in a park with the exception of Calvin.

"Are you... Are you okay, Hayley?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah." Hayley answered. "Actually, no."

"Hey, we'll catch up with you guys, yeah?" Sarah said to us.

"Yeah. Okay." Brody said as we walked away from Sarah and Hayley.

Brody, Preston, Levi, and I all walked up to the steps of the school.

"Hey, why are the doors shut?" Brody asked as Preston tried opening it.

Hayley and Sarah soon joined us. "Um, it's locked." Preston informed.

"Why can't we get in?" Sarah questioned.

Principal Hastings then opened the door. "School's closed. Go home." She said. "Everyone must watch TV."

"Excuse me?" Sarah questioned. Principal Hastings said nothing as she closed the door.

"Well, that's unusual." I commented.

"What in the world is wrong with her?" Levi asked as he tried opening the door but it was locked once more.

"There's Basherbots in there." Levi informed after he took a peek inside.

"What?" Preston questioned as Brody took a peek.

"You're right. We need to take them by surprise." Brody stated. "We've gotta find another way in there. Come on."

We all raced down the steps as Brody's Ninja Comm was beeping.

"Redbot, what's going on? We saw Basherbots in the school." Brody asked.

"Brody, listen. Odius is beaming a TV show to Earth. It's playing on every channel, with Victor and Monty as the stars. But don't watch it." Redbot replied.

"What? Why not?" Brody questioned.

"I've hacked into the source code of the signal, any human who watches the show will fall under Odius' mind-control." Redbot explained.

"No way. That's gotta be half the planet." Brody said.

"Perhaps I can find a way to stop the signal." Redbot informed.

"Okay. Thanks, Redbot." Brody said.

"If we could stop the signal, we should be able to reverse the mind-control." Sarah stated.

"But Odius wouldn't even have that kind of skill in technology. How would she have—" I stopped when I realized something. Everything was piercing together. "Unless..."

"Unless what, Trent?" Levi asked.

That's when Mick suddenly appeared in front of the school.

"Oh, there's Mick. What's he doing?" Brody questioned. That's when Odius appeared right after.

"...She had Mick help her." I answered Levi's question as Mick bowed down.

"It's Odius." Hayley exclaimed as we all hid behind the bushes.

"Did he just bow to her?" Brody questioned.

"Mick must be under her control, just like everyone else." Preston replied.

"That's what I was saying. Mick wouldn't do this on his own free will." I informed.

"Then he never left for the Lion Galaxy." Hayley stated. "He was with Odius this whole time."

Badonna then opened the school doors. "Welcome, Madame. The mind control seems to be working perfectly. This way, everyone. This way. Line up." She ordered. "Quick, march. We have a lot to do today.

"Badonna, teleport these humans to the ship. Once the Rangers are destroyed, these people will become the soldiers that help me to rule the universe." Odius stated.

"Yes, Madame." Badonna said.

"Odius wants to turn the entire human race into her personal army." Preston said.

"Humans may be weak soldiers, but there are billions of them." Badonna pointed out as she laughed.

"The first phase of my plan is complete. Time for phase two." Odius claimed.

"We've gotta figure out what phase two is and stop it before it starts." Brody told us.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

A/N: Another chapter done! Hope you enjoyed!

Word Count: 2665 words.