drunkenpandaren (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
drunkenpandaren) wrote2009-08-27 01:41 pm
drunkenpandaren) wrote2009-08-27 01:41 pm
Entry tags:
Power Rangers A.D.S. - Chapter 1 "The Gates of Ba Sing Se"
Finished the second draft. It's coming along well.
Nitpick away people.
“Why is it that every time Rangers are involved, I’m here?” said Suki, folding her arms at Sokka who whistled innocently. Katara wore a expression on her face and Suki smothered a laugh under her glove. “Go on, the prisoners are inside.”
“I wish you wouldn’t call them that,” sighed Katara. “They’re just kids.”
“The one in red blew up a good portion of the street.” Replied Suki as she unlocked the cell.
Inside the cell, a pair of boys sat, both around their ages. One of them sported a wicked scar, a burn scar, over the side of his face. The second was out cold, still sleeping but wore the oddest yellow and tan clothing.
“You come to get me out of this dump?” groused the conscious one.
“That depends,” replied Katara. “What’s your name?”
“I told you, I’m Zuko of the Fire Nation. I want to speak with Uncle. I know he’s here.” Responded the boy.
“And just WHO is your uncle?” replied Sokka. “Some bigshot here in Ba Sing Se?”
“You could say that,” said Zuko. “Look, if you’re not going to let me out, get the kid to a hospital.”
Katara knelt beside the boy who still remained asleep. Placing a hand on his forehead, she frowned. “He’s not burning up or anything.”
“Yeah but he was tortured by Azulon forces,” snapped back Zuko. “Just get him to a hospital and get him checked out.”
Katara sighed. This was one of the times she hated being team leader, even if the team was just her and Sokka. “All right. And we’ll get your uncle for you. In the meantime, just stay here and try and not antagonize the guards, okay?”
Zuko scowled but nodded.
“Your story checks out,” said Sokka, returning a half hour later. “Katara’s moved the kid to a hospital and you’re free to go. C’mon, I’m taking you to see General Iroh.”
“FINALLY,” proclaimed Zuko, getting up and holding out his hands for the cuffs to the keys. Suki unlocked them and he massaged them. “Where’s Uncle right now?”
“Main command tower,” replied Suki as she lead him out of the building, Sokka following from the rear. “Welcome to Ba Sing Se proper, PRINCE Zuko.”
“Wait what?” inquired Sokka and Zuko smirked. “Prince? No way in hell you’re a prince.”
“And why’s that?” responded Zuko.
:”Princes don’t run around in the wastes,” replied Sokka in a know-it-all voice. “They just simply sit in the upper quarter doing nothing.”
Zuko reached over and grabbed the Water Tribe boy by the front of his blue shirt. “Don’t. Start. With. Me. I’ve had the shittiest three years possible. Don’t. Even.” Then he released Sokka who brushed his shirt off.
“Testy,” he muttered to Suki in a low voice.
Suki glared at Sokka. “If Ranger Black would learn to keep his mouth shut, things like this wouldn’t happen.”
Sokka opened his mouth to reply but then a device at his side chirped. Pulling it out and flipping it open, he said, “Sokka here.”
“Sokka, there’s a shield breach in Sector 12. North side of town near the water intakes. You’re closest.”
“Where’s my backup?” replied Sokka and Zuko looked at Sokka curiously.
“Negative. Ranger Series Blue is across town. It will take her 10 minutes to arrive. You are a go for interception of the Azulon attack bot.” replied the synthesized voice on the other end.
“Aw damnit,” groused Sokka as he flipped the phone closed. “Hate to break and run but get going to the command tower you two. Attack bot just busted in.”
“Wait what?” proclaimed Zuko, aghast. “What’s it look like?”
“Dunno,” replied Sokka, smirking as he pulled a small square from a tag that was hanging around his neck. “But it’s my job to knock it down. Suki, get princey to safety. I’ll handle this guy.”
“Be careful,” said Suki, grasping Zuko’s arm and attempting to lead him away.
Slotting the device into the top and locking it into place, Sokka swung the device around before tabbing a switch. “A.D.S.! MAX DRIVE!”
Light exploded and a eruption of fire exploded out from behind him as the transformation took a hold of the teenager. In an instant, a black-suited form resolved from the explosion of light. His helmet had a stylized look to it as if it was designed as the head of an animal and he tore off with a screeching of tires on pavement.
Zuko stared, going a little cross-eyed with the effect. “What… was that?”
“That, was our first and last line of defence against the Azulon attack bots: the Powered Recon Advanced Natural aGgression and dEfender Rescue Series.” Explained Suki. “Power Rangers for short.”
Water. Fire. Earth. Air.
One hundred years ago, our people lived in peace. A great wave of technology rose to greet our progress. Sword changed hands for gun. Silver became common place to purchase computers. And all was at peace. That was however until a deadly virus was unleashed upon our world.
Codenamed Azulon, it devastated our technology, rendering us incapable to fight against the march of the relentless soldiers that it created. People cried out for the Avatar, the embodiment of the four elements, to save them. But when there was no response, the world fell to Azulon’s relentless march.
It is here, in the last desperate bastion of humanity, we live in Ba Sing Se. Its great walls are covered in a dome that will protect us all from the harsh wastelands our world has become. And the only hope left is in the hands of what remains of our means to fight aggression.
Power Rangers A.D.S.
Power Rangers is owned and copyright Disney Entertainment. Avatar the Last Airbender is owned by Nickelodeon.
“Series Blue, ETA?”
“Almost there Doctor T,” reported Katara as she revved the throttle of her motorcycle. The engine screamed as she tore through the streets, swerving around the remaining traffic that was being diverted from Sector 12. “I’m in a bit of a traffic jam.”
“Continue on your predesignated route Series Blue,” stated the distorted voice of Doctor T. “The Dragons are moving the civilians out of the way, diverting traffic.”
“Coulda told you that,” muttered Katara as she threw the cycle into a higher gear. “Almost there.”
Suddenly, an explosion blossomed upwards from behind a tall building and a form came screaming out of the sky. Katara screeched to a halt a moment before the form hit the ground with a resounding thud. “Hang on, I just found Series Black.”
“Did anyone get the number of that attack bot?” groaned Sokka as he sat up, holding his helmeted head.
“Boom time is no go time?” quipped Katara and Sokka gave his sister a glare. “Hey just saying…”
“Just suit up already!” groaned Sokka, getting to his feet.
“Fine, fine.” With a hint of a smile on her face, Katara swung the device around. “A.D.S. MAX DRIVE!”
In an instant, a flash of light consumed her and the girl stood there dressed in blue, her own helmet stylized like a bird. “Now what are we up against?”
Without waiting for a reply, the attack bot slammed into the ground in front of them and bared its teeth as it waved its silly looking pipes around.
“That,” replied Sokka blandly as the Pipinator charged at the pair.
“Joy.” Katara reacted immediately as she swung her arms forward, bending the water in the air into a series of sharp ice spikes and launching them at the attack bot who parried most of them. As it closed in, Sokka swung in with his sword, the black metal of the meteorite blade slicing through one of the pipes it held as weapons.
The attack bot reeled as it swung and Sokka parried its attack, landing a blow that sliced open the front. Sidestepping neatly in tandem, Katara launched a deadly barrage of water that hardened into pinpoint spikes that drove itself deep into the machines circuitry. It made a metallic groaning squeal as its eyes lit up.
“WHOA!” proclaimed Katara as she dove out of the place she was standing before it was lit up with a flurry of laser blasts. “Sokka!”
“On it!” Sokka charged headlong through the laser blasts, parrying most of them before he leaped high into the air. “Meteor Kick!” roared the teen as his outstretched leg blazed with black light. He struck home, kicking out several times and driving the enemy backwards. Metal caved inwards and the machine leaked fluid from every port as he finished off his sequence of kicks and leaped backwards just in time for a trail of ice to engulf the enemy attack bot.
Making a crushing gesture with her hand, Katara crushed the attack bot, shoving ice into the frame. The machine sparked and hissed and then exploded in a hail of scraps and mech fluid.
Sokka whooped loudly and cheered. “Yeah! That’s GOT to be a new record!”
“Don’t let your guard down Sokka,” warned Katara as the remains slumped over as she released it from the icy prison. “It could still be functional.”
“Aw c’mon, you totally shoved ice into its systems and it went BOOM! I dunno what it could possibly do.”
Unknown to the pair, the attack bot was in fact still functioning. With what remained of its power, it moved the good pipe into position and energy glowed from it, targeting Katara. There was a low whine that built up and Katara didn’t even notice until a voice yelled, “DOWN!”
Instinctively she hit the pavement as a beam scorched the air where her head was previously, and a blade stabbed into the head of the attack bot. It whimpered electronically and the function went out. “You should always make sure these things are dead,” said Zuko as he withdrew the sword from its brain. “Azulon tech usually has some kind of backup last minute function. Best to sever the head before you do anything else.”
“T-Thanks,” said Katara, getting up from the ground as Suki ran up.
“Zuko!” yelled Suki angrily, hitting him on the arm.
“OW! What was that for?!”
“For RUNNING OFF,” snapped Suki, looking every inch the officer she was. “If you didn’t notice, they had it under control.”
“I did what I had to,” replied Zuko gruffly. “The attack bot woulda taken off that person’s head.”
“That person is also a Power Ranger,” reminded Suki. “She can survive it. Right?”
“Y-yeah,” said Katara, completely embarrassed as she rubbed the back of her helmet. “I could have.”
Zuko fidgeted a little. “Fine. Just, lets get to the tower. Before I go completely nuts with a lack of explanations here.”
“Uncle… can’t… breathe… crushing… ribs…!”
General Iroh released his nephew and mussed his hair fondly. “I thought you had died nephew,” said Iroh, trying not to cry happily in front of his men. Several of the Dragons smothered smiles. “Did you find your family?”
“No… I didn’t,” replied Zuko. “I’m still looking but mark my words I’ll find them soon.”
“Mmmm,” grunted Iroh. “Perhaps for now, it is best to rest here in Ba Sing Se, while we can maintain the shield. I see you also have met our defenders.”
“I have, though they’re not quite what I expected,” admitted Zuko, looking at Sokka and Katara who had depowered to standby and were waiting in the background. Sokka was already digging a finger into his ear and Katara whapped him on the head. “I have to admit, there’s DEFINITELY not what I expected.”
“Sometimes the best things come out of the unexpected,” reminded Iroh as he offered his nephew some tea. Zuko took a cup but didn’t drink it yet. “They were hand selected by Doctor T, the genius behind our ability to fight back against the Azulon Virus.”
“They look younger than I am. How can they be qualified to use spandex armor that somehow protects them from attack bots?”
“Hey, it’s not spandex,” insisted Suki and Zuko raised an eyebrow at her. “they’re a nanotech fibre. At least what Doctor T insists they are.”
“This old man still needs a crash course in them,” chuckled Iroh as Suki settled back to her console. “In any case nephew, I’d like you to go see Doctor T, AND that new visitor you brought with you. Where did you find him?”
“In the wastes, wandering the ruins of a Azulon Facility,” replied Zuko. “I thought I had a lead on my sister, but all I found was this kid wandering there as if he was in a daze. I knew he needed medical help cause he looked half dead. And the torture marks on his body made me hurry back. Unfortunately SOME people don’t remember just who’s the nephew of General Iroh,” he said sourly, thinking of the time he spent in prison due to a mishap.
“Very interesting,” mused the general. “Very well. Katara?”
Katara snapped to attention. “Yes General?”
Iroh waved down her formality with a placating gesture. “Dear girl, call me Iroh. In any case, can you go check on our new visitor for us? I have a car waiting for you. Also, Sokka?”
“Yes sir?” said Sokka and Iroh rolled his eyes.
“Will you show Zuko to the testing facility?”
“Testing facility? WHAT testing facility?” inquired Zuko with the tone that he wasn’t going to like this.
Iroh turned a winning smile onto his nephew and said, “Doctor T has taken great interest in our family. Please do whatever the good doctor tells you to.”
“Why does the sense of impending doom always come at the last moment?” wondered Zuko outloud as he was dragged away by Sokka.
“By your leave sir,” said Katara, heading out the door.
Iroh sat down, completely pleased with himself.
“Any change?”
“A little,” replied the nurse on duty, a young graduate named Meng. She and Katara were familiar with each other since Katara often came to the hospital after a particularly vicious attack bot made its way into the dome. “He keeps fidgeting which means he’s close to consciousness but I can’t tell anything beyond a spike in REM once in a while.”
“I wonder what he’s dreaming about,” said Katara, sitting down next to the boy’s bed. “And what he was doing out in the wastes.”
“You think he could be a survivor?” inquired Meng, adjusting the sheets around the boy in order to prevent him from tangling up in them.
“Most likely. Sokka and I were survivors when we first came to Ba Sing Se with our father before we became Rangers.”
Reaching over, she tentatively touched his hands and were surprised. “Meng look at this. His hands are fairly smooth still.”
Meng reached down and examined them. “Yeah, they are. You’d think someone who was out in the wastelands would be chapped and what not, but despite the scars that are healing…”
“Did you find anything else about him?” inquired Katara. “Any markings?”
Meng pursed her lips and then reached down, turning his arm to the side. “Look at these. They’re ritual tattoos.”
“Arrows…” mused Katara. “But no one has arrows tattooed anymore… do you think he’s…?”
“I think so,” said Meng. “I’m positive since I doubled in history. He’s an airbender; or at least one of the tribe.”
“That means they’re not all wiped out,” said Katara, hope surging. “That means there’s still MORE survivors out there!”
A warning beep issued from the monitor and Meng looked up. “His BP is rising. I think he’s waking.”
Katara and Meng scrambled, preparing the boy as the monitors began to sound more and more alerts. The steady beeping rose sharply and then with a jerk, the boy awoke.
The boy opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Katara hovering over him. “Are you awake now?” she asked.
“…” said the boy, staring at her and then at Meng.
“Hello? Can you understand us?” inquired Meng.
“… wa…ter..?” managed the boy.
“Oh! Of course. One second.” Dashing out, Meng grabbed a cup and a straw and filled the water and dumped ice in it before dashing back. With effort, the boy swallowed a mouthful.
“Thanks,” he rasped out.
“No problem,” said Meng. “Can you sit up? Do you know your name?”
“My name?” echoed the boy. His expression clouded into confusion and he seemed to be thinking hard. “My… name? … I don’t remember my name…”
Katara and Meng shared a look of concern.
“Physically he’s fine,” sighed the doctor on duty. “Even with the signs of Azulon torture, those scars are healing well. Almost phenomenally well. XRays show that there’s no sign of Azulon tech so we’ll be all right with that. But his memory loss, and the fact that he keeps looking at everything strangely makes me wonder.”
“Can you help him?” inquired Katara. “the patient was found in the wastes according to Zuko.”
“I wouldn’t know where to begin,” sighed the doctor. “You must understand that I’ve never treated amnesia, or even selective amnesia. And even then we know little about Air Nomad tribal medicine to make a difference. He does however seem to take to the treatments well, if questioning everything in sight. I think I’m growing tired of the phrase “What’s that”.”
“Keep at it,” reminded Katara. “I’ve got orders from Doctor T to bring him to the testing site.”
“Huh. Would that kid make the cut?” inquired the doctor.
“That’s what Doctor T wants to find out. The report interested the Doctor so we’ll have to see what comes up.”
“Well, the more help we have the better,” replied the doctor. “I’ll let you know of his condition changes.”
“Thanks Jet,” replied Katara as she left. Heading down the stairs and through the hospital doors, she picked up her helmet.
“What’s this?” Katara jumped at the voice as the nameless boy was standing in front of the motorcycle, poking it. “Is it like one of those horseless carriages that I keep seeing outside my window?”
“… what are you doing outside your hospital bed?” inquired Katara incredulously.
“I wanted to see where you were going,” replied the boy innocently. “And this place is so weird! Did you know they have places that can make ice on a whim?”
Katara groaned. “It’s not healthy for you to be out right now, you’re still recovering. C’mon, I’m going to take you back there.”
“Don’t really want to. It smells weird.” Replied the boy.
“That’s because it’s sterile,” replied Katara. “That means clean. Now c’mon!”
“But can’t I go with you?”
Katara felt like tearing her hair out.
“I didn’t know you were babysitting,” smirked Sokka. He got a book to the head.
“I’m not. He just wanted to come along with me,” replied Katara, gesturing to the boy who was running around, checking out everything in the testing facility. “Hey, don’t touch everything!”
“Hey what’s this button do?” inquired the boy, pressing a button on the console.
Sokka, who had gotten up and was getting an ice back for the bump, screamed like a girl as he was blasted by a cannon from inside the fridge. “ooooooooh…” the boy inched away from the button.
“Please don’t touch that button. EVER.” Resounded a voice from the monitors. The boy looked around for the voice and it added, “Over here.”
The boy scampered up to the screens which was emblazoned a large T on the front with a white background. “Hello, I am Doctor T.”
The boy turned to Katara and said, “Katara? The wall’s talking.”
“I am not a wall,” snapped Doctor T testily.
From an inside room, the door hissed open as Zuko stumbled out a little dizzily. “Testing is complete,” said Doctor T as Zuko stumbled to a chair. “I will have the results shortly.”
“Great.” Zuko looked at the kid who he dragged into Ba Sing Se with him and said, “You’re awake?”
“Yep!” said the boy cheerfully.
“Great. So what’s your name?”
The boy’s expression turned inward in thought. “Uh… can I get back to you on that?”
Zuko blinked. “What, you’ve got amnesia?”
“I think that’s what the doctor guy told me I had,” said the boy, shrugging.
“I have the results of the tests,” said Doctor T, forestalling any further argument. “Candidate Zuko, you meet the standards of becoming the operator of Series Red. Congratulations.”
Zuko let out a gust of air. “So that means I get to wear spandex or something?”
Sokka and Katara cringed at the possible explosion but instead, the wall slid open revealing a case with the Series Red Morpher. “Take it, before I lose my temper,” said Doctor T and even through the distorted voice, one could hear the grinding of teeth.
“R-Right.” Zuko picked up the device and the engine cell. But before the wall vault could close, the boy popped into view and picked up another one and the engine cell.
“Put that back,” said Doctor T as the boy examined it in the light.
“So what does this do anyhow?” inquired the boy curiously of the cell phone.
“It is a device to deploy a armor and weapon system, so put it down. NOW.” Snapped Doctor T.
“But how does it work?” inquired the boy again.
“It’s easy,” said Sokka blithely. “You just put that engine cell in the top, close it and press the big red button.”
“You mean like this?” In a deft move, the boy slotted in the cell and pressed the big red button.
“NO!” chorused the entire room but it was too late. In a flash of yellow light, the nameless boy was wearing the outfit of the Series Yellow.
The boy reached up, touching his head and his hands and chest before proclaiming, “COOOOOL!”
“THAT IS NOT A TOY!” yelled Doctor T, the speakers virtually vibrating from the force of the doctors shout. “It’ll take me WEEKS to reverse the genetic lock on the device!”
“Genetic… wot?” echoed the boy.
“Kid, you have a lot to learn, don’t you?” sighed Zuko. “Hey Doc, am I allowed to even use mine?”
“Go… just go… damnit…”
Zuko rolled his eyes, jacked in his own engine cell and bound it to himself.
“Man, I have NEVER seen Doctor T so hacked off before – and we’ve never seen em before!” proclaimed Sokka through a mouthful of pizza.
The boy was picking at the food, or rather pulling the meat off the slice before he nibbled at the end of it. Katara sighed. “Give it a rest Sokka, what’s done is done. And no, you’re not in trouble kid.”
“I’m not a kid, I’m 13,” said the nameless boy.
“That being said,” added Zuko through a mouthful of food, “We need to give you a name.”
“I vote Bob the Lucky,” said Sokka and everyone glared at him. “Hey, it’s better than anything else we could come up with.”
“Well lets see… you’re from Air Nomads right?” said Katara and the boy shrugged. “Well your tattoos say so. But um, lets see…”
“How about Aang?” said Zuko. “Sound good?”
“Aang it is,” proclaimed Sokka.
“Hey you can’t just go choosing his name without him agreeing to it first,” protested Katara but the boy touched her arm.
“I like it. Aang. All right, I’ll be Aang.” Said the boy, his expression faraway.
“Well then Aang, welcome to the Power Rangers,” said Sokka, raising a glass of chilled tea in salute.
“To the rangers, and to Aang,” echoed Katara and Zuko raised his glass as well.
Aang raised his glass. “To me. And to my new friends.”
Nitpick away people.
“Why is it that every time Rangers are involved, I’m here?” said Suki, folding her arms at Sokka who whistled innocently. Katara wore a expression on her face and Suki smothered a laugh under her glove. “Go on, the prisoners are inside.”
“I wish you wouldn’t call them that,” sighed Katara. “They’re just kids.”
“The one in red blew up a good portion of the street.” Replied Suki as she unlocked the cell.
Inside the cell, a pair of boys sat, both around their ages. One of them sported a wicked scar, a burn scar, over the side of his face. The second was out cold, still sleeping but wore the oddest yellow and tan clothing.
“You come to get me out of this dump?” groused the conscious one.
“That depends,” replied Katara. “What’s your name?”
“I told you, I’m Zuko of the Fire Nation. I want to speak with Uncle. I know he’s here.” Responded the boy.
“And just WHO is your uncle?” replied Sokka. “Some bigshot here in Ba Sing Se?”
“You could say that,” said Zuko. “Look, if you’re not going to let me out, get the kid to a hospital.”
Katara knelt beside the boy who still remained asleep. Placing a hand on his forehead, she frowned. “He’s not burning up or anything.”
“Yeah but he was tortured by Azulon forces,” snapped back Zuko. “Just get him to a hospital and get him checked out.”
Katara sighed. This was one of the times she hated being team leader, even if the team was just her and Sokka. “All right. And we’ll get your uncle for you. In the meantime, just stay here and try and not antagonize the guards, okay?”
Zuko scowled but nodded.
“Your story checks out,” said Sokka, returning a half hour later. “Katara’s moved the kid to a hospital and you’re free to go. C’mon, I’m taking you to see General Iroh.”
“FINALLY,” proclaimed Zuko, getting up and holding out his hands for the cuffs to the keys. Suki unlocked them and he massaged them. “Where’s Uncle right now?”
“Main command tower,” replied Suki as she lead him out of the building, Sokka following from the rear. “Welcome to Ba Sing Se proper, PRINCE Zuko.”
“Wait what?” inquired Sokka and Zuko smirked. “Prince? No way in hell you’re a prince.”
“And why’s that?” responded Zuko.
:”Princes don’t run around in the wastes,” replied Sokka in a know-it-all voice. “They just simply sit in the upper quarter doing nothing.”
Zuko reached over and grabbed the Water Tribe boy by the front of his blue shirt. “Don’t. Start. With. Me. I’ve had the shittiest three years possible. Don’t. Even.” Then he released Sokka who brushed his shirt off.
“Testy,” he muttered to Suki in a low voice.
Suki glared at Sokka. “If Ranger Black would learn to keep his mouth shut, things like this wouldn’t happen.”
Sokka opened his mouth to reply but then a device at his side chirped. Pulling it out and flipping it open, he said, “Sokka here.”
“Sokka, there’s a shield breach in Sector 12. North side of town near the water intakes. You’re closest.”
“Where’s my backup?” replied Sokka and Zuko looked at Sokka curiously.
“Negative. Ranger Series Blue is across town. It will take her 10 minutes to arrive. You are a go for interception of the Azulon attack bot.” replied the synthesized voice on the other end.
“Aw damnit,” groused Sokka as he flipped the phone closed. “Hate to break and run but get going to the command tower you two. Attack bot just busted in.”
“Wait what?” proclaimed Zuko, aghast. “What’s it look like?”
“Dunno,” replied Sokka, smirking as he pulled a small square from a tag that was hanging around his neck. “But it’s my job to knock it down. Suki, get princey to safety. I’ll handle this guy.”
“Be careful,” said Suki, grasping Zuko’s arm and attempting to lead him away.
Slotting the device into the top and locking it into place, Sokka swung the device around before tabbing a switch. “A.D.S.! MAX DRIVE!”
Light exploded and a eruption of fire exploded out from behind him as the transformation took a hold of the teenager. In an instant, a black-suited form resolved from the explosion of light. His helmet had a stylized look to it as if it was designed as the head of an animal and he tore off with a screeching of tires on pavement.
Zuko stared, going a little cross-eyed with the effect. “What… was that?”
“That, was our first and last line of defence against the Azulon attack bots: the Powered Recon Advanced Natural aGgression and dEfender Rescue Series.” Explained Suki. “Power Rangers for short.”
Water. Fire. Earth. Air.
One hundred years ago, our people lived in peace. A great wave of technology rose to greet our progress. Sword changed hands for gun. Silver became common place to purchase computers. And all was at peace. That was however until a deadly virus was unleashed upon our world.
Codenamed Azulon, it devastated our technology, rendering us incapable to fight against the march of the relentless soldiers that it created. People cried out for the Avatar, the embodiment of the four elements, to save them. But when there was no response, the world fell to Azulon’s relentless march.
It is here, in the last desperate bastion of humanity, we live in Ba Sing Se. Its great walls are covered in a dome that will protect us all from the harsh wastelands our world has become. And the only hope left is in the hands of what remains of our means to fight aggression.
Power Rangers A.D.S.
Power Rangers is owned and copyright Disney Entertainment. Avatar the Last Airbender is owned by Nickelodeon.
“Series Blue, ETA?”
“Almost there Doctor T,” reported Katara as she revved the throttle of her motorcycle. The engine screamed as she tore through the streets, swerving around the remaining traffic that was being diverted from Sector 12. “I’m in a bit of a traffic jam.”
“Continue on your predesignated route Series Blue,” stated the distorted voice of Doctor T. “The Dragons are moving the civilians out of the way, diverting traffic.”
“Coulda told you that,” muttered Katara as she threw the cycle into a higher gear. “Almost there.”
Suddenly, an explosion blossomed upwards from behind a tall building and a form came screaming out of the sky. Katara screeched to a halt a moment before the form hit the ground with a resounding thud. “Hang on, I just found Series Black.”
“Did anyone get the number of that attack bot?” groaned Sokka as he sat up, holding his helmeted head.
“Boom time is no go time?” quipped Katara and Sokka gave his sister a glare. “Hey just saying…”
“Just suit up already!” groaned Sokka, getting to his feet.
“Fine, fine.” With a hint of a smile on her face, Katara swung the device around. “A.D.S. MAX DRIVE!”
In an instant, a flash of light consumed her and the girl stood there dressed in blue, her own helmet stylized like a bird. “Now what are we up against?”
Without waiting for a reply, the attack bot slammed into the ground in front of them and bared its teeth as it waved its silly looking pipes around.
“That,” replied Sokka blandly as the Pipinator charged at the pair.
“Joy.” Katara reacted immediately as she swung her arms forward, bending the water in the air into a series of sharp ice spikes and launching them at the attack bot who parried most of them. As it closed in, Sokka swung in with his sword, the black metal of the meteorite blade slicing through one of the pipes it held as weapons.
The attack bot reeled as it swung and Sokka parried its attack, landing a blow that sliced open the front. Sidestepping neatly in tandem, Katara launched a deadly barrage of water that hardened into pinpoint spikes that drove itself deep into the machines circuitry. It made a metallic groaning squeal as its eyes lit up.
“WHOA!” proclaimed Katara as she dove out of the place she was standing before it was lit up with a flurry of laser blasts. “Sokka!”
“On it!” Sokka charged headlong through the laser blasts, parrying most of them before he leaped high into the air. “Meteor Kick!” roared the teen as his outstretched leg blazed with black light. He struck home, kicking out several times and driving the enemy backwards. Metal caved inwards and the machine leaked fluid from every port as he finished off his sequence of kicks and leaped backwards just in time for a trail of ice to engulf the enemy attack bot.
Making a crushing gesture with her hand, Katara crushed the attack bot, shoving ice into the frame. The machine sparked and hissed and then exploded in a hail of scraps and mech fluid.
Sokka whooped loudly and cheered. “Yeah! That’s GOT to be a new record!”
“Don’t let your guard down Sokka,” warned Katara as the remains slumped over as she released it from the icy prison. “It could still be functional.”
“Aw c’mon, you totally shoved ice into its systems and it went BOOM! I dunno what it could possibly do.”
Unknown to the pair, the attack bot was in fact still functioning. With what remained of its power, it moved the good pipe into position and energy glowed from it, targeting Katara. There was a low whine that built up and Katara didn’t even notice until a voice yelled, “DOWN!”
Instinctively she hit the pavement as a beam scorched the air where her head was previously, and a blade stabbed into the head of the attack bot. It whimpered electronically and the function went out. “You should always make sure these things are dead,” said Zuko as he withdrew the sword from its brain. “Azulon tech usually has some kind of backup last minute function. Best to sever the head before you do anything else.”
“T-Thanks,” said Katara, getting up from the ground as Suki ran up.
“Zuko!” yelled Suki angrily, hitting him on the arm.
“OW! What was that for?!”
“For RUNNING OFF,” snapped Suki, looking every inch the officer she was. “If you didn’t notice, they had it under control.”
“I did what I had to,” replied Zuko gruffly. “The attack bot woulda taken off that person’s head.”
“That person is also a Power Ranger,” reminded Suki. “She can survive it. Right?”
“Y-yeah,” said Katara, completely embarrassed as she rubbed the back of her helmet. “I could have.”
Zuko fidgeted a little. “Fine. Just, lets get to the tower. Before I go completely nuts with a lack of explanations here.”
“Uncle… can’t… breathe… crushing… ribs…!”
General Iroh released his nephew and mussed his hair fondly. “I thought you had died nephew,” said Iroh, trying not to cry happily in front of his men. Several of the Dragons smothered smiles. “Did you find your family?”
“No… I didn’t,” replied Zuko. “I’m still looking but mark my words I’ll find them soon.”
“Mmmm,” grunted Iroh. “Perhaps for now, it is best to rest here in Ba Sing Se, while we can maintain the shield. I see you also have met our defenders.”
“I have, though they’re not quite what I expected,” admitted Zuko, looking at Sokka and Katara who had depowered to standby and were waiting in the background. Sokka was already digging a finger into his ear and Katara whapped him on the head. “I have to admit, there’s DEFINITELY not what I expected.”
“Sometimes the best things come out of the unexpected,” reminded Iroh as he offered his nephew some tea. Zuko took a cup but didn’t drink it yet. “They were hand selected by Doctor T, the genius behind our ability to fight back against the Azulon Virus.”
“They look younger than I am. How can they be qualified to use spandex armor that somehow protects them from attack bots?”
“Hey, it’s not spandex,” insisted Suki and Zuko raised an eyebrow at her. “they’re a nanotech fibre. At least what Doctor T insists they are.”
“This old man still needs a crash course in them,” chuckled Iroh as Suki settled back to her console. “In any case nephew, I’d like you to go see Doctor T, AND that new visitor you brought with you. Where did you find him?”
“In the wastes, wandering the ruins of a Azulon Facility,” replied Zuko. “I thought I had a lead on my sister, but all I found was this kid wandering there as if he was in a daze. I knew he needed medical help cause he looked half dead. And the torture marks on his body made me hurry back. Unfortunately SOME people don’t remember just who’s the nephew of General Iroh,” he said sourly, thinking of the time he spent in prison due to a mishap.
“Very interesting,” mused the general. “Very well. Katara?”
Katara snapped to attention. “Yes General?”
Iroh waved down her formality with a placating gesture. “Dear girl, call me Iroh. In any case, can you go check on our new visitor for us? I have a car waiting for you. Also, Sokka?”
“Yes sir?” said Sokka and Iroh rolled his eyes.
“Will you show Zuko to the testing facility?”
“Testing facility? WHAT testing facility?” inquired Zuko with the tone that he wasn’t going to like this.
Iroh turned a winning smile onto his nephew and said, “Doctor T has taken great interest in our family. Please do whatever the good doctor tells you to.”
“Why does the sense of impending doom always come at the last moment?” wondered Zuko outloud as he was dragged away by Sokka.
“By your leave sir,” said Katara, heading out the door.
Iroh sat down, completely pleased with himself.
“Any change?”
“A little,” replied the nurse on duty, a young graduate named Meng. She and Katara were familiar with each other since Katara often came to the hospital after a particularly vicious attack bot made its way into the dome. “He keeps fidgeting which means he’s close to consciousness but I can’t tell anything beyond a spike in REM once in a while.”
“I wonder what he’s dreaming about,” said Katara, sitting down next to the boy’s bed. “And what he was doing out in the wastes.”
“You think he could be a survivor?” inquired Meng, adjusting the sheets around the boy in order to prevent him from tangling up in them.
“Most likely. Sokka and I were survivors when we first came to Ba Sing Se with our father before we became Rangers.”
Reaching over, she tentatively touched his hands and were surprised. “Meng look at this. His hands are fairly smooth still.”
Meng reached down and examined them. “Yeah, they are. You’d think someone who was out in the wastelands would be chapped and what not, but despite the scars that are healing…”
“Did you find anything else about him?” inquired Katara. “Any markings?”
Meng pursed her lips and then reached down, turning his arm to the side. “Look at these. They’re ritual tattoos.”
“Arrows…” mused Katara. “But no one has arrows tattooed anymore… do you think he’s…?”
“I think so,” said Meng. “I’m positive since I doubled in history. He’s an airbender; or at least one of the tribe.”
“That means they’re not all wiped out,” said Katara, hope surging. “That means there’s still MORE survivors out there!”
A warning beep issued from the monitor and Meng looked up. “His BP is rising. I think he’s waking.”
Katara and Meng scrambled, preparing the boy as the monitors began to sound more and more alerts. The steady beeping rose sharply and then with a jerk, the boy awoke.
The boy opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Katara hovering over him. “Are you awake now?” she asked.
“…” said the boy, staring at her and then at Meng.
“Hello? Can you understand us?” inquired Meng.
“… wa…ter..?” managed the boy.
“Oh! Of course. One second.” Dashing out, Meng grabbed a cup and a straw and filled the water and dumped ice in it before dashing back. With effort, the boy swallowed a mouthful.
“Thanks,” he rasped out.
“No problem,” said Meng. “Can you sit up? Do you know your name?”
“My name?” echoed the boy. His expression clouded into confusion and he seemed to be thinking hard. “My… name? … I don’t remember my name…”
Katara and Meng shared a look of concern.
“Physically he’s fine,” sighed the doctor on duty. “Even with the signs of Azulon torture, those scars are healing well. Almost phenomenally well. XRays show that there’s no sign of Azulon tech so we’ll be all right with that. But his memory loss, and the fact that he keeps looking at everything strangely makes me wonder.”
“Can you help him?” inquired Katara. “the patient was found in the wastes according to Zuko.”
“I wouldn’t know where to begin,” sighed the doctor. “You must understand that I’ve never treated amnesia, or even selective amnesia. And even then we know little about Air Nomad tribal medicine to make a difference. He does however seem to take to the treatments well, if questioning everything in sight. I think I’m growing tired of the phrase “What’s that”.”
“Keep at it,” reminded Katara. “I’ve got orders from Doctor T to bring him to the testing site.”
“Huh. Would that kid make the cut?” inquired the doctor.
“That’s what Doctor T wants to find out. The report interested the Doctor so we’ll have to see what comes up.”
“Well, the more help we have the better,” replied the doctor. “I’ll let you know of his condition changes.”
“Thanks Jet,” replied Katara as she left. Heading down the stairs and through the hospital doors, she picked up her helmet.
“What’s this?” Katara jumped at the voice as the nameless boy was standing in front of the motorcycle, poking it. “Is it like one of those horseless carriages that I keep seeing outside my window?”
“… what are you doing outside your hospital bed?” inquired Katara incredulously.
“I wanted to see where you were going,” replied the boy innocently. “And this place is so weird! Did you know they have places that can make ice on a whim?”
Katara groaned. “It’s not healthy for you to be out right now, you’re still recovering. C’mon, I’m going to take you back there.”
“Don’t really want to. It smells weird.” Replied the boy.
“That’s because it’s sterile,” replied Katara. “That means clean. Now c’mon!”
“But can’t I go with you?”
Katara felt like tearing her hair out.
“I didn’t know you were babysitting,” smirked Sokka. He got a book to the head.
“I’m not. He just wanted to come along with me,” replied Katara, gesturing to the boy who was running around, checking out everything in the testing facility. “Hey, don’t touch everything!”
“Hey what’s this button do?” inquired the boy, pressing a button on the console.
Sokka, who had gotten up and was getting an ice back for the bump, screamed like a girl as he was blasted by a cannon from inside the fridge. “ooooooooh…” the boy inched away from the button.
“Please don’t touch that button. EVER.” Resounded a voice from the monitors. The boy looked around for the voice and it added, “Over here.”
The boy scampered up to the screens which was emblazoned a large T on the front with a white background. “Hello, I am Doctor T.”
The boy turned to Katara and said, “Katara? The wall’s talking.”
“I am not a wall,” snapped Doctor T testily.
From an inside room, the door hissed open as Zuko stumbled out a little dizzily. “Testing is complete,” said Doctor T as Zuko stumbled to a chair. “I will have the results shortly.”
“Great.” Zuko looked at the kid who he dragged into Ba Sing Se with him and said, “You’re awake?”
“Yep!” said the boy cheerfully.
“Great. So what’s your name?”
The boy’s expression turned inward in thought. “Uh… can I get back to you on that?”
Zuko blinked. “What, you’ve got amnesia?”
“I think that’s what the doctor guy told me I had,” said the boy, shrugging.
“I have the results of the tests,” said Doctor T, forestalling any further argument. “Candidate Zuko, you meet the standards of becoming the operator of Series Red. Congratulations.”
Zuko let out a gust of air. “So that means I get to wear spandex or something?”
Sokka and Katara cringed at the possible explosion but instead, the wall slid open revealing a case with the Series Red Morpher. “Take it, before I lose my temper,” said Doctor T and even through the distorted voice, one could hear the grinding of teeth.
“R-Right.” Zuko picked up the device and the engine cell. But before the wall vault could close, the boy popped into view and picked up another one and the engine cell.
“Put that back,” said Doctor T as the boy examined it in the light.
“So what does this do anyhow?” inquired the boy curiously of the cell phone.
“It is a device to deploy a armor and weapon system, so put it down. NOW.” Snapped Doctor T.
“But how does it work?” inquired the boy again.
“It’s easy,” said Sokka blithely. “You just put that engine cell in the top, close it and press the big red button.”
“You mean like this?” In a deft move, the boy slotted in the cell and pressed the big red button.
“NO!” chorused the entire room but it was too late. In a flash of yellow light, the nameless boy was wearing the outfit of the Series Yellow.
The boy reached up, touching his head and his hands and chest before proclaiming, “COOOOOL!”
“THAT IS NOT A TOY!” yelled Doctor T, the speakers virtually vibrating from the force of the doctors shout. “It’ll take me WEEKS to reverse the genetic lock on the device!”
“Genetic… wot?” echoed the boy.
“Kid, you have a lot to learn, don’t you?” sighed Zuko. “Hey Doc, am I allowed to even use mine?”
“Go… just go… damnit…”
Zuko rolled his eyes, jacked in his own engine cell and bound it to himself.
“Man, I have NEVER seen Doctor T so hacked off before – and we’ve never seen em before!” proclaimed Sokka through a mouthful of pizza.
The boy was picking at the food, or rather pulling the meat off the slice before he nibbled at the end of it. Katara sighed. “Give it a rest Sokka, what’s done is done. And no, you’re not in trouble kid.”
“I’m not a kid, I’m 13,” said the nameless boy.
“That being said,” added Zuko through a mouthful of food, “We need to give you a name.”
“I vote Bob the Lucky,” said Sokka and everyone glared at him. “Hey, it’s better than anything else we could come up with.”
“Well lets see… you’re from Air Nomads right?” said Katara and the boy shrugged. “Well your tattoos say so. But um, lets see…”
“How about Aang?” said Zuko. “Sound good?”
“Aang it is,” proclaimed Sokka.
“Hey you can’t just go choosing his name without him agreeing to it first,” protested Katara but the boy touched her arm.
“I like it. Aang. All right, I’ll be Aang.” Said the boy, his expression faraway.
“Well then Aang, welcome to the Power Rangers,” said Sokka, raising a glass of chilled tea in salute.
“To the rangers, and to Aang,” echoed Katara and Zuko raised his glass as well.
Aang raised his glass. “To me. And to my new friends.”