Some of the additional characters i.e. Chelsea and Teddy Oliver, members of the De Santos family, Jamie Zedden, Larrie Zedden, Lillian O'Neil, Parker O'Neil and the IGPF belong to Ellen Brand. I have also borrowed the idea of Morphin Warriors and based my description of the Morphin Grid on her series. Thank you for allowing me to use them Ellen :-)
Now for what I do own. The idea for the Full Aspect Morphin Powers is mine, use it if you want. Minion is also my creation. Silvo, Bronzo, and Brasso are my creations named after tins of metal polish. Any likeness between these characters and anybody else's are purely coincidental.
Author's Note: Anything appearing like -this- is a conversation Sam is eavesdropping. *This* is a telepathic message. [This] is a computerised message.
Beetle Borgs are called -colour- Borg. Gem Coin Rangers are referred to as Zeo -Ninja Animal-. VR Troopers are referred to as -colour- Trooper.
Yes this is a short part, mainly because it was originally written for Aftermath, but never made it. This piece is set after immediately after Final Battle.
Conquest of Evil is now online at http://geocities.yahoo.com/shadow_ranger_2000
"Face it Josh, one way or another it ends here, today!"
Josh Baldwin, White Blaster Beetleborg knew that the Shadowborg spoke the truth for once. Ever since Drew, Jo and Roland had disappeared he knew there was trouble. But he had never expected Shadowborg to smash his way into Josh's house and start trying to kill him.
He had run from his house into the night, using his suddenly returned civilian powers to vanish from sight. But somehow Shadowborg had traced him and was closing the gap. Currently Josh was trapped behind a shelf in a shopping mart hoping he would not be seen.
"Come out Josh," Shadowborg called. "You helped kill me once, it's only fair I get to kill you."
Josh remained silent, wondering why his Beetle Bonder wasn't working. With Shadowborg active again his powers should have been restored. Then he figured that Shadowborg was no longer using his old powers so the White Blaster powers were useless.
_At least I have some of my powers, _ he thought.
He started running as soon as the shelf started to move and escaped just as the entire display crashed across the floor. For the first time he got a good luck at the Shadow Borg. The creature was larger than when Vexor had released him and glowed with an unearthly light.
"Hold it!" a voice called from the counter area.
Josh looked to see the storeowner aiming a shotgun at the Shadowborg. He heard the faint sound of the rifle being cocked.
"You go on a get," the man said to Josh.
Josh did not need telling twice. He ran from the store hoping Shadowborg could be contained. He heard the Shadowborg's evil laugh and knew that was not the case. A shot ranger out followed by a loud scream as the shopkeeper flew through a window.
"Don't you hate it when that happens?" Shadowborg asked as he emerged from the ruined mart the damage caused by the shopkeeper's rifle already repairing itself.
"One last try," Josh said more to himself than the Shadowborg. "Beetle Bonder, Beetle Blast!"
A wave of energy engulfed the former Beetleborg, reconnecting him to the Morphin Grid. True the Beetleborgs gained their power through the comic books, but all Flabber had done was unknowingly connected the three humans to the Morphin Grid. Jo, Drew and Roland's imagination had allowed them to see themselves in the armour and the Grid had done the rest.
Every time Flabber had created any new weapons he had unknowingly tapped the Morphin Grid. The weapons, Assault Vehicles and even Super Blue were merely creations of the Morphin Grid.
When Art Fortunes had created the White Blaster Beetleborg Flabber had likewise connected Josh to the Grid. Even though Josh had been overcome with confusion during his first transformation the drawing Art had made was wedged in his unconscious.
Now with Shadowborg reactivated Josh's powers were returned to him. Unfortunately just as the Ranger powers were designed to work as a team and the Super Blue and Super Gold could not function without the basic Masked Rider powers so Josh needed Drew, Jo and Roland to have their powers in order to Borg. Up until now though they had been prisoners of Minion.
The wave of white settled over Josh like a thick mist probing deep inside his mind to find a form for the Power to take. It found two designs; the original White Blaster and a newer design imagined by Josh himself.
For a moment the Power appeared to hesitate before deciding time was of the essence and restoring him to his original form.
"Yes!" Josh cried happily pumping his hand in the air. "I'm back!"
At that point in time Jo, Roland and Drew were released from Minion's Prison Sub-Dimension with only slight memories of what had happened. The crystal the Queen of the Crowns had used had drained part of their bodies' energy. Still they appeared in Flabber's house a point not lost on them.
"Flabber, what happened?" Drew asked.
"I wish I knew," the phasm replied. "You've been gone for days and poor Josh is being chased by the Shadowborg."
The name of their friend and worst enemy helped the three children to focus. It had been the Shadowborg who had levelled them, using surprise as his weapon.
"We need to help Josh," Jo said.
"Where are they Flabber?" Drew asked.
Instead of answering Flabber summoned a picture of what was happening. They saw Josh called for his Beetle Bonder and heard the Shadowborg's laughter as the image faded.
"It's payback time!" Drew shouted. "Beetle Bonders, Beetle Blast!"
A quick connection to the Morphin Grid and the youngest team of heroes inside the Freak Zone was on their way to do battle.
Shadowborg and Josh fought violently through Charterville, the latter trying to lead his opponent away from civilians.
"Data Blaster!"
The Beetle Borgs' signature hand blaster appeared in his hand and Josh quickly decided which function he needed.
"108 - FREEZE BEAM!" the Power told him.
Aiming at the Shadowborg's feet he fired a continuous blast, locking Shadowborg in place. Pushing in another combination he fired a second shot.
"305 - FLASH BULLETS!"
This time his blasts hit Shadowborg in the face, blinding him and allowing Josh to attack with a flying kick. Switching to his weapon's default beam mode he fired again somehow expecting the blast to cause damage.
"My turn," Shadowborg said. "Shadow Laser!"
A powerful blasted appeared in the Shadowborg's hand, which he wasted no time in firing. Josh was sent crashing to the ground with no where to take cover.
"Well Josh my boy," Shadowborg whispered as he prepared to finish his opponent. "I've gotta admit you were more fun than Drew. He just begged before I destroyed him."
Josh was not done yet though. Punching in a random combination he fired again hoping to hit something. A new weapon filled his mind, as Shadowborg's own armblade was moving towards his head.
"Pulsaber!"
A double bladed hand weapon appeared in Josh's hand allowing him to deflect the blow. As he got to his feet he saw Shadowborg had a similar weapon.
"Honestly Josh," Shadowborg said in a disappointed tone. "Don't you ever learn? Any power you can get I can get as well. We're Ying and Yang remember?"
"How about us?" he heard Drew say. With little sign of surprise the Shadowborg turned to look at the three new arrivals
"Well hail, hail, the gang's all here," he said coldly. "Let's finish this. I grow tired of playing with mere children. I do have a world to conquer you know."
"Stinger Blade!" Drew called.
"Stinger Claw!" Roland called as the powerful claw appeared on his arm.
"You're going down!"" Jo cried as she drew her own Data Laser and the three heroes charged.
Trapping the Shadowborg in his claw Roland lifted him into the air so Drew could make a diagonal slash and Jo could blast him with her weapon.
"Nice try," Shadowborg said. "Shadow Laser!"
The dark Borg fired at Roland knocking him away before blocking a blow from Drew and aiming for Jo with his own blade. A blur of white knocked him to one side as Josh drove his body into his nemesis.
"Thanks," Jo said picking herself up.
"Yeah," Drew said reluctantly, "Thanks."
"Let's finish this," Roland said as the four almost friends were reunited.
"Right!" Drew agreed. "Super Blue!"
As the power generator appeared on his back Drew underwent a fusion between Morphin Grid and mecha. Drill on one arm and rifle in the other the generator on his back started to work. A discharger on both ankles and right arm completed the transformation.
"You're going down Shadowborg!" Drew shouted as the four Borgs attacked. Green and Red Borg grabbed him by the arms as White Borg made an open slash with his Pulsaber. All this time Drew had lined himself up ready for a final blast.
"Not today kiddies!" Shadowborg said.
Before they knew what was happening he had found a shadow and disappeared from view.
"Is it over?" Jo asked as the Back Blasted.
Roland shook his head. "He escaped. I think we've yet to see the last of Shadowborg."
"Let's go home," Drew suggested after a few minutes of silence. "I think we need some rest."
Charterville Prison
sometime later
Les Fortunes sat in his cell listening to the idiots around him. Thanks to his no talent brother he was forced to enjoy life behind bars. He looked up suddenly aware that the idiots in the nearby cells were strangely silent.
From a distance he heard the guard approach and wondered what was going on.
"Uh, Mister Fortunes," the guard stuttered. "You have a visitor."
A figure stepped forward from behind the guard causing him to scamper away in terror.
"Ah, Les Fortunes," Shadowborg said walking through the bars without trouble. "You recognise me?"
It was a statement and not a comment. Shadowborg was one of Art's many masterpieces and one of the few he had not (according to Lester) stolen from his brother.
"I have a problem Mister Fortunes," Shadowborg said, "And you're going to help me solve it."
"M-me?" Les asked.
"Your brother created the Beetleborgs. Now you are going to help me destroy them."
The alarms sounded as one of Charterville's most dangerous criminals walked from his cell to the freedom of the world outside. He would destroy Art and the Beetleborgs and then he would finally get the recognition he deserved.
After avoiding Fangula's latest hunger pains four kids stood before Flabber and Art Fortunes. After telling their tale it was agreed not to put their adventures into a comic book.
"Shadowborg is stronger this time," Drew said.
"Don't worry," Flabber told him. "When the time is right you'll win."
The door blew open causing the house's occupants to look outside. For a moment they thought they could see the Shadowborg, but then he was gone.
The heroes shivered but knew they would have to wait. Things would be resolved in time, they always were.