Power Rangers Zeo: Venusian Encounter, Heather Ray [books that read to you .txt] 📗

Kimberly and Jason anxiously watch the two Super Zeo Zords fight Scorpina in the viewing globe. Jason begins to pace around the Power Chamber while Kim stands beside the globe, watching alertly.

"This is ridiculous!" yells Jason angrily, "Kat and Tanya can't fight Scorpina in the middle of one of the world's most precious cities! They'd destroy everything!"

"SCORPINA HAS PLANNED HER ATTACK WELL,"

said Zordon, "SHE KNEW THAT THE POWER RANGERS WOULD BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHILE FIGHTING IN THE ZORDS IN A DENSELY POPULATED CITY, FILLED WITH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS AND ARTISTIC MASTERPIECES. KATHERINE AND TANYA ARE AT A SERIOUS DISADVANTAGE."

"Is there anything we can do?" asked Kimberly, "I mean, we can' t just watch while Scorpina trashes the zords, and you know Kat and Tanya won't risk trampling Paris."

"The only way to help is to force Scorpina to shrink down to normal size," said Jason, "but how?"

"There's only one way to win," said Kim, looking up at Zordon, "I'm going to Paris. Scorpina will abandon her siege of Paris to capture me. I'm the whole reason she's even in France."

"ALTHOUGH I WOULD RATHER NOT YOU LEAVE THE POWER CHAMBER, YOU ARE CORRECT, KIMBERLY. THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE PARIS IS TO FORCE SCORPINA TO SHRINK DOWN, AND YOUR PRESENCE MOST LIKELY WILL DO SO. HOWEVER, IF YOU PLAN TO FIGHT SCORPINA, YOU MUST SUMMON YOUR FULL NINJETTI POWER. YOU MUST MORPH."

"How?" she asked, "I don't have a coin anymore."

"YOU NEED YOUR NINJETTI BADGE TO SUMMON THE POWER. IF YOU VISUALIZE THE BADGE, IT SHALL APPEAR."

Kim nodded and closed her eyes. In a flash of soft pink light, a silver badge appeared in her hand. The image of a screaming Crane was on the face of the silver coin. She looked at Zordon questioningly.

"It looks just like my Pink Ranger coin," she said, "but why is it silver?"

"BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO VENUSIAN CUSTOM, SILVER IS THE COLOR OF ROYALTY. SINCE YOU ARE A DESCENDENT OF NAYA, YOU ARE A VENUSIAN PRINCESS. THEREFORE, YOUR NINJETTI COSTUME IS TRIMMED WITH SILVER INSTEAD OF GOLD. JUST LIKE DULCEA'S."

Kim shrugged and rose the coin to the air. "I summon the power of the Crane!"

The coin began emitting pink bolts of lightning, and her body was completely immersed in the pink light. When the light faded, Kimberly was wearing the uniform of a Ninjetti warrior. But, it didn't look at all like her Pink Ninja Ranger costume. Rather, it was a long-sleeved pink leotard trimmed with black with a silver collar that connected to a silver badge of the Crane on her chest. She wore knee length black and silver boots, as well as silver wrist bands and a silver tiara. Attached to her silver collar was a flowing soft pink cape, fine and delicate, resembling a pair of elegant wings. Kim's golden brown hair tumbled loosely around her face, and the silver tiara shimmered in the pale light of the Power Chamber.

"This isn't my Ninja Ranger costume," she said, examining the cape curiously.

"THAT IS BECAUSE THIS TIME THE NINJA POWER COMES FROM INSIDE YOU, INSTEAD OF BEING MEDIATED BY A POWER COIN. ONLY A VENUSIAN CAN INTERNALIZE THE GREAT POWER IN THE FORM OF A NINJETTI WARRIOR, AND ONLY A VENUSIAN PRIESTESS CAN TRULY BECOME ONE WITH THE POWER."

"So, what kind of powers do I have?" asked Kim.

"THE CRANE WILL GUIDE YOU,"

said Zordon, "MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU ON YOUR MISSION, KIMBERLY."

"Thanks," said Kim with a smile. She then grabbed a corner of her cape and waved at Jason. "I'm outtie!" she called, and spun the cape over her face. She vanished from the Power Chamber in a flash of pink light.

"Good luck, Kim," whispered Jason, once again turning his attention to the viewing globe. He grimaced when he saw Scorpina trip Super Zeo Zord II with her jagged tail, and witnessed Tanya's struggle to keep the huge zord from falling onto the Louvre.

"Zordon," he said, looking up at his mentor, "Do you think Kimberly can defeat Scorpina?"

"I DO NOT KNOW,"

Zordon admitted, "SCORPINA AND KIMBERLY ARE BOTH PRIESTESSES, SO THEY BOTH HAVE THE SAME POWER POTENTIAL. SCORPINA HAS CENTURIES MORE EXPERIENCE, BUT KIMBERLY IS FIGHTING WITH ALL HER HEART, BECAUSE THE LIVES OF HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE AT STAKE."

Paris is a city of history. It has survived the French Revolution in the eighteenth century, and even the German invasion in World War II. Paris, the city of light and love, seems to be immortal. However, with three colossal forms rampaging on the Rue de Rivoli, one wonders if this classic city can survive another day.

"Kat!" yelled Tanya from within Super Zeozord II, "We have to shrink Scorpina down! NOW!!"

"I'm well aware of that, Tanya," said Katherine, struggling to block Scorpina's deadly tail while at the same time being careful not to step to close to the magnificent Louvre, "Any ideas?"

"Do you think there is some way to lure her into the Seine? The damage she creates should be limited in the river."

"True, but how can we use fire attacks when she's knee-deep in water? We need another plan!"

As the two Zeozords tried to prevent any damage to Paris, no one notices a flash of rosy pink light atop the Louvre. Kimberly Hart, a Ninjetti Priestess and Venusian princess, watches the fight down the street, the strong winds blowing her loose golden brown hair about her face. Kim allowed herself to rise into the air, her silken cape stretching to catch the wind like a pair of wings. Kim surveyed the battle carefully, her arms crossed and a slight snarl on her face.

I've got to get Scorpina as far away from the city as possible!

Kim thought, lifting her silver tiara off her brow. The tiara hovered a few inches above her open palm, and began to expand. Kim sailed away from it, and watched as the tiara began to glow pink, and soon became a disk of pink light. The disk expanded, and reformed into a huge, glowing pink bird.

"The Crane, my animal guide," Kim called to the bird, "Help me in my battle against evil! Together, we must prevent Scorpina from doing any further damage to this city!"

The Crane squawked in reply, and flew towards Scorpina. Its shrill cry grabbed the attention of the two Zeo Rangers, and they watched in utter shock as the majestic pink bird grabbed Scorpina by the shoulder with its sharp talons and carried her into the air before Scorpina could respond.

"Uh, what was that?" asked Tanya quietly. Katherine remained silent. "Kat? You there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," answered Kat finally, "Its a Crane, Tanya. The Pink Ranger's animal guide. Kimberly must be here."

"I didn't know she could create a giant bird."

"Neither did I," said Kat, "Quick, Tanya, activate your thrusters! We gotta follow that Crane!"

"Aye, aye, Skipper!" said Tanya, her zord lifting off the street, "Lead the way!"

In the Power Chamber, the dark room is filled with blinding white light. Alpha shrieked in surprise and Jason shielded his eyes as two forms stepped out of the light. Jason's eyes widened as they fell upon Renee Ryan, wearing a flattering silken orange, black, and gold uniform.

"So," he said finally, "are you the Orange Ranger now, Renee?"

"Nope, I'm not a Power Ranger. I'm a Ninjetti warrior, and my costume is orange and black because it reflects my animal guide -- the Tiger."

"Zordon," said Dulcea, turning to the head suspended in the tube, "what has happened while we were away?"

"THE RANGERS DETECTED VARIOUS TELEPORTATION SIGNATURES COMING FROM AND GOING TO VENUS ISLAND. THEY THEN TRAVELED TO THE LOCATIONS TO LEARN WHAT HAD HAPPENED. IT TURNS OUT THAT ELEVEN WOMEN WERE ABDUCTED BY WOMEN WARRIORS. IT IS SAFE TO CONCLUDE THAT THESE ELEVEN WOMEN WERE THE REMAINING DESCENDANTS OF THE REBEL VENUSIANS."

"Wait," said Renee, looking worried, "did anyone try to contact my mother or something? I mean, if she's a full-blooded Venusian, she's in really big trouble!"

Zordon remained silent for a few moments, and both Alpha 5 and Jason looked down at their feet uncomfortably. Renee's fear mounted as she examined everyone's expressions.

"Where's my mother?" she asked crossly. Jason stepped forward, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Uh, Renee... your home in New Jersey was broken into a few hours ago. Tanya went to check out the situation. She found, um, a pile of ashes in the kitchen."

Renee looked at Jason questioningly, but he avoided her gaze. Dulcea then gently placed her hand on Renee's shoulder, and gazed directly into the girl's eyes.

"Child," she said quietly, "the only way for a Venusian to be injured beyond healing is fire. When flames touch a Venusian's skin, the flesh turns to ash..."

Renee's eyes widened, and she became weak in the knees. She fell to her knees, burying her face in her palms. "She's...dead, isn't she."

"YES,"

said Zordon as quietly as he could, "I'M VERY SORRY, BUT YOUR MOTHER WAS KILLED, AT SYREN'S ORDER, NO DOUBT."

"What about my half-sister, and father?"

"I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE IN ANY DANGER. NEITHER HAS VENUSIAN BLOOD, SINCE YOUR SISTER HAS A MOTHER OTHER THAN LEILA, CORRECT?"

"Right. My dad was married once before. But still, can you please keep an eye on them? They should both be in Florida by now to see me compete. Syren may capture them to get to me or something."

"ALPHA,"

ordered Zordon, "CONDUCT A IMAGE SCAN, USING