Jungle Fury: Recap
Tommy Oliver tasked Adam Park with mentoring a new team of Rangers: The Jungle Fury Rangers. Adam recruited his team - Casey, Theo and Lilly - from his martial arts school called the Black Sash.
Adam's mission: Find and protect the Shaded, children born from parents possessed by demons. After Azmodai broke the Third Seal to the Dark One's prison, the Shaded could use their demon inherited powers to 'demon morph' into stronger forms.
The Rangers saved a Shaded named Evan, a young boy, and took him to the dojo. Shortly after, an evil group called the RinJuken attacked Angel Grove. A Shaded named Jarrod, a former student of Adam, led the RinJuken. Jarrod took the name of the demon who possessed his birth father: DaiShi.
Jarrod planned to summon three demons called the Kenma, trapped within mystical bracelets he wore around his wrist. The Kenma instructed him to attack the city, because suffering and despair strengthened the RinJuken.
The Jungle Fury Rangers stopped the attack. When they returned to the dojo, they found the inside in shambles, and Adam and Evan missing.
Chapter 06: Ultimate Jungle Fury
The Venom Fists
The Black Sash dojo
Three days ago
Adam stood with his arms across his chest and watched the news. The TV showed a distant image of the Jungle Pride Megazord battle Mantor.
"Hmph," Miki said from nearby. "I thought you'd have something better than the 10 o'clock news to keep track of your Ranger fights."
"I'm working on it," Adam said.
Young Evan walked up to Adam and tugged at his shirt. "Adam?" the boy said. "Someone's here..."
Adam knitted his brow. "What do you mean?"
"I mean...someone's coming."
A knock sounded on the door.
"Wait here," Adam said to Miki and Evan as he walked towards the door. He rolled his hands into fists and called on his Kiryoku, ready to strike if needed.
"We're closed," he said through the door.
"Adam Park," a voice said from the other side of the door. "You're in danger; I need to speak with you."
Miki walked closer to the door. "Adam...that voice," she said, her eyes wide with fear. "It sounds like the demon. The one who killed Master Mao."
Adam narrowed his eyes. "Take Evan and head to the basement."
The former ranger grabbed the door handle and held back his other hand, which flickered with pale-green light.
"What makes you think I'm going to let you in here?" Adam asked.
"What makes you think you have a choice?" the voice said. "I'd stand back, if I were you."
The door exploded with a blast that hurled Adam backward. He crashed against the sparring mat and skid across the floor.
An 18-year-old dressed in a priest's outfit stepped into the dojo. He carried two handguns and wore wire-rimmed glasses. He used a barrel to adjust his glasses.
"Where is she," the teen demanded.
"What?" Adam asked as he climbed to his feet.
"The demon," the priest said. "Where is she?"
"Demon?" Adam asked. "What are you-"
He narrowed his eyes. How did he miss it? "Miki..."
"Don't tell me she tricked you," Rick said.
Adam said nothing as he bolted out the door.
Miki pulled Evan by the arm as they ran down the nearest alleyway. Her eyes looked solid black - demon possessed.
Evan knitted his brow. "Where are we going? Adam said to hide in the basement."
"Did he now?" Miki asked. "He didn't say which basement."
"Let go of my arm," Evan said. "You're hurting me."
"I'll hurt you worse if you keep whining," Miki said. "Now be quiet and run."
They dashed to the other side of the block and stopped in their tracks. A gang waited, spread across the pavement and sidewalk. Their eyes looked solid black.
Miki narrowed her eyes and stepped into a defensive stance. "I don't know who your master is, but this boy is mine. I claim him in the name of DaiShi."
One of the gang members scoffed. "DaiShi? Don't you know who we are? We're the White Fang, and we work for one of the Forsaken. Graendal."
"Is that supposed to impress me?" Miki asked. "Because I don't impress easily."
The lead gang member narrowed his black eyes. "Kill her. And take the boy."
Miki stepped in front of Evan and pulled a pair of long knives from behind her back. She twirled the weapons into a fighting stance.
Evan bolted away as fast as he could. But one of the White Fang demons tackled him to the ground.
Miki moved to his defense. But a thug dashed in front of her. She twirled forward and slashed the demon's throat.
A demon kicked her side. A second demon punched her gut. And three more demons attacked her at once. They overwhelmed her and pommeled her against the pavement.
One of the demons lifted Evan by the arm. The boy kicked and struggled to break free, but the demon merely laughed - until a bullet blasted his shoulder.
The demon screamed and staggered, dropping Evan. The enchanted bullet throbbed in his shoulder and burnt the demon from the man's soul without killing him. He collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness.
Rick walked onto the street with his guns in hand. The demons turned their attention to the exorcist, who started whispering an incantation in Latin.
Nearby, Adam ran to Evan's side and helped him sit up. "Hey," Adam said. "It's going to be-"
The boy hugged Adam tightly and cried.
Meanwhile, Miki climbed to her feet. She smiled mockingly at the sight of Adam and Evan.
"Aw," she said. "How touching."
"You," Adam said as he set Evan aside and stood protectively in front of the boy. "What have you done with Miki?"
"Possessed her, you idiot," Miki said. "Months ago."
"Then it was you who killed Master Mao," Adam said. "If that story was even true."
"It's true, and I did," Miki said. "Slowly."
"Why?" Adam asked.
"Because I'm a demon," she said. "And demons kill."
"You were after something," Adam said.
Miki hurled a long knife at Adam, but he swatted the blade aside with ease. She hurled her second blade, and Adam shattered it with his Ki.
Nearby, Rick blasted a group of gang members that charged towards him. He kept the shots non-fatal, aiming for legs, arms and shoulders.
The demons closed in and nearly reached him. But he tossed his guns aside and reached for the Rosemary beads in his pocket. He wrapped the beads around his fist and shouted the final verse of his incantation.
"Ecce dabit voci suae, vocem virtutis, tribuite virtutem deo!"
The thugs collapsed to their knees and screamed. They tilted their heads back and howled with agony as demon smoke streaked from their jaws and slithered into the skies like serpents.
When the demons left, the thugs collapsed to the ground.
Rick looked to Miki, who remained standing, and possessed. "You're a strong one."
"That's because exorcists like you-"
Rick lifted his gun and blasted her shoulder, whipping her backward.
The present
Adam kept the demon-possessed Miki chained in the basement of the Black Sash dojo. Rick drew a devil's trap on the floor to keep her contained.
Adam met with his three rangers within the dojo.
"She's still down there?" Lilly asked. "Why don't you do your magick Green Ranger whammy and get rid of her."
"It's not that simple," Adam said.
"Why not?" Lilly asked.
"She came here for a reason," Theo said.
Adam nodded. "Right. And we need to learn what that reason is."
"It's Evan," Casey said. "She wanted Evan."
"But it's more than that," Adam said. "The RinJuken, the demons after the Shaded, whatever happened to Master Mao. It's all connected."
Rick walked upstairs from the basement, having finished another interrogation session with the demon.
"Well, she's not saying much of anything. Nothing we didn't already know," Rick said. "I should exorcise her. The longer she stays in Miki, the more danger she's in."
Adam narrowed his eyes. "Why didn't you say that earlier?"
"Well, you didn't really ask," Rick said.
"Do it," Adam said.
Rick nodded and headed back towards the basement.
Casey waited until Rick left before speaking. "Do you really trust that guy?"
"Not yet," Adam said. "But he was right about Miki and helped save Evan."
"And the fact he's a priest helps," Theo said.
Lilly nodded. "A priest with guns.Two guns. Did he care to explain that?"
Adam nodded. "Exorcists always existed. Now they've formed a new group under control of the Vatican. The Knights of the True Cross. Supposedly, they focus on demon possessions and try to help kids like Evan. The Shaded."
"You're not letting him take Evan?" Casey asked. "Are you?"
"No," Adam said.
"Does he know that yet?" Theo asked.
"No," Adam said.
"And how well do you think he's going to take that news, exactly?" Lilly asked.
"Not well..." Adam said.
The RinJuken Akugata palace contained a special room called the Chamber of Trials. Within the chamber, a single Rinshi would fight 100 of its fellow grunts. If the Rinshi survived, its power grew to the level of a RinRinshi, capable of transforming into a monster.
The chamber produced five particularly strong RinRinshi, called the Five Venom Fists, which Camille introduced to Jarrod.
"DaiShi," she said, addressing him by his preferred title, the name of the demon who possessed his birth father. "I present to you the Five Venom Fists. They've mastered a special, violent Ringi. The fever, pain, cold, paralysis and nausea venoms. They are the RinJuken Elite Five.
"RinJuken Centipede Fist, Rantipede. At the speed of light, in one second, he can deliver 100 blows. King of the hellish number of moves.
"RinJuken Snake Fist, Naja. He can freely control his movements. His cold, inhuman, hissatsu sniping.
"RinJuken Scorpion Fist, Stingerella. Her smile draws the enemy. A sweet death.The terrifying dancing girl.
"RinJuken Gecko Fist, Gakko. Unimaginable reaction and attack.Impossible to counter this trickster.
"RinJuken Toad Fist, Toadai. Lead nerves. Lead body. Slow wit. But with an impregnable defense."
Jarrod nodded, the slightest acknowledgement of approval. He stood to address the warriors.
"Venom Fists..." he said. "The RinJuken obeys the voices of the Kenma. Our path is to conquer this world. However, the Jungle Fury Rangers have already cost us one loss."
"Toadai will not lose," the monster said. "I cannot be harmed by any attack."
"Toadai, you're just dense," Stingerella said. "Why don't I strike you with all my might? Then we'll see how well you can protect yourself from harm."
"I'm quite jealous," Gakko said. "I heard your kick was effective..."
"Gakko, is 100 of my punches enough to shut your annoying mouth?" Rantipede asked.
"Hmph," Naja said. "I could make it 1,000. Or 10,000."
"Do not fight in my presence," Jarrod said. "RinJuken does not forgive failure."
"Clear us of our shame," Camille said.
"Deliver retribution to the GekiJuken," Jarrod said.
Adam switched the dojo's TV channel to the news.
"Seriously," Lilly said. "You need a better way to keep track of this stuff."
"I'm not engaged to a tech whiz," Adam said. "I do what I can."
The news showed an image of the RinJuken symbol emblazoned on a skyscraper in Angel Grove North.
"What does that mean?" Theo asked.
"It's a declaration," Adam said. "Of war."
Explosions tore through the streets of Angel Grove North. Naja stood on a skyscraper's ledge and watched. The terror and despair of the people below filled his dead heart with energy.
"Such power..." he said. "What a wonderful feeling..."
Suddenly, the three Jungle Fury Rangers somersaulted through the air and landed on the rooftop.
"Stop what you're doing!" Red Tiger shouted.
Naja turned and tilted his head, unimpressed by the Rangers.
"Really?" a feminine voice asked from behind.
The other four Venom Fists leapt onto the rooftop and surrounded the Rangers.
Yellow Cheetah shifted her stance. "Five of them?Seriously?"
Stingerella leaned forward and studied her enemy. "These children are our opponents?"
Gakko leaned on her shoulder. "DaiShi looks down on our power if he thinks this is a challenge."
Rantipede rolled his hands into fists. "All we have to do is take them down, right?"
The five Venom Fists regrouped and snapped into fighting stances. "JyuJin Jashin Hen!"
Their heads, arms and legs contorted and sunk into their chests - then their bodies exploded to reveal their monster forms. They snapped into their animal-like fighting stances.
"Hellish number of movement! RinJuken Centipede Fist, Rantipede!"
"One shot hissatsu sniper! RinJuken Snake Fist, Naja!"
"The terrifying dance!RinJuken Scorpion Fist, Stingerella!"
"The impossible to counter trickster!RinJuken Gecko Fist, Gakko!"
"The impenetrable defense.RinJuken Toad Fist, Toadai!"
"We are!" they shouted together. "The Five Venom Fists!"
"Kill them," Naja said.
The Venom Fists charged to attack, and the Rangers returned the charge.
Adam walked into the basement, where Miki sat confined to a chair. Rick stood near her.
"Well?" Adam asked.
"This demon rooted herself in pretty deep. I'm having a hard time with the exorcism," Rick said.
"Keep trying," Adam said as he looked to Miki. "Looks like you've bought yourself a little more time. Tell me what the RinJuken have planned."
Miki scoffed. "The RinJuken are toys."
Rick started his incantation and grasped his rosemary beads. He had two specializations as an exorcist: A Dragoon, who fought with ranged weapons, and an Aria, who fought with incantations.
Miki laughed. "What do you think will happen? If he actually rips me from this body? Do you think the girl will survive?"
Adam glanced at Rick, who simply shook his head and continued his chant. The former ranger narrowed his eyes and looked back to Miki.
Adam grasped her forehead, and she laughed harder.
"Go ahead! Do it! You'll have to burn so deep, you'll probably kill her! Is that what you're afraid of, Ranger of Light? Is that what you're-"
His hand pulsed with green energy, which burnt the demon from Miki's soul with fiery light that sizzled beneath her skin.
A blow hurled Blue Jaguar through the air, and he crashed against the street. The Blue Ranger climbed slowly to his feet, and Rantipede charged.
"Ringi! Hyaku Dan Suu!"
The monster attacked with blinding speed. He launched a flurry of lightning quick punches that bashed the Blue Ranger with bursts of spark. The final punch hurled him backward. Blue Jaguar smashed against a wall and crashed to the street.
Nearby, Yellow Cheetah armed her Geki Bo and swung the weapon towards Stingerella. The Ranger twirled through several arcs, but the monster blocked the blows.
Yellow Cheetah swung low. Stingerella leapt over the blow and snapped a kick the Yellow Ranger used her staff to block.
The monster advanced with a flurry of kicks the Yellow Ranger blocked, but each kick forced her several steps backward.
"Ringi!" Stingerella shouted. "Shueen Kyaku!"
The monster flipped forward with a scorpion kick that stabbed the back of the Ranger's neck with a burst of spark, knocking her to the ground.
Meanwhile, Red Tiger pounced at Gakko. The Red Ranger swung his Geki Nunchuk. But the monster leapt backward to avoid the blow.
The monster landed beneath a ledge, standing upside down. He laughed at the Red Ranger.
"Opposing me like that? With sticks on a chain?Too weak." He thrust his hands. "Shuriken Bobomber!"
The villain fired a volley of throwing stars that slashed the Red Ranger with bursts of spark. The attack hurled him backward, and he crashed against the street.
Red Tiger rolled into a crouched stance just as Toadai leapt through the air. The monster armed claws and slashed downward.
The Red Ranger rolled out of the way as the claws slashed the street with bursts of spark.
Red Tiger pounced and knife-hand chopped the monster's side, but the blow injured his hand, knocking him back.
"Ah! That-"
Toadai belly-slammed Red Tiger with enough force to hurl him off his feet. The monster lunged and swung his claw through a streak of purple energy, which slashed the Red Ranger with a burst of spark that whipped him through the air.
Red Tiger crashed and tumbled, and he rolled to a stop next to his teammates. They climbed to their feet and regrouped.
The Five Venom Fists regrouped, and Naja armed his twin scimitars. "Is that the limit of the GekiJuken's power?"
The villain crossed his blades. "Die."
He pounced forward, and his body sizzled with dark-purple Ki. "Ringi! Ouja Zan!"
The monster slashed outward through streaks of purple energy.
Suddenly, a blur of motion swept the Rangers away from the attack. The blur dashed into the neighboring woods, dropped the Rangers aside, and landed.
It was Adam.
"Adam!" Red Tiger shouted with relief. He and the other Rangers powered down their armor. "What about Miki?"
"She's safe," Adam said. "What were those things?"
"You're the mentor," Lilly said. "Aren't you supposed to tell us?"
"They're called the Five Venom Fists," Casey said.
"Whatever that means," Theo said.
Laughter echoed through the air. Suddenly, a tendril speared towards Adam and the rangers, and they dove aside to dodge the attack.
Camille shimmered into view. She appeared in her Shaded form, with chalk white skin and white hair, and solid black eyes except for green irises.
"This is the end for you, Rangers," Camille said. "The end of GekiJuken, and the beginning of RinJuken!"
Wind howled through the air. Purple lightning stabbed the ground with bursts of spark, tearing up dirt and splitting through trees.
Back in their RinRinshi forms, the Five Venom Fists somersaulted through the air and landed nearby.
Jarrod landed in a crouched stance with a thundering boom in front of them. He looked up at the rangers and smiled, his eyes solid black except for his golden irises, and his skin and hair chalk white.
"Jarrod..." Adam said. "You work for the RinJuken now?"
"Don't be a fool," Jarrod said. "I am the RinJuken. And my name, is DaiShi. The name of my father."
Lilly shook her head. "That's a stupid name, Jarrod. What do you think you're doing?"
Camille smiled with pride. "My Lord DaiShi is master of the Venom Fists. Leader of the RinJuken. He is its center. And he is magnificent."
Jarrod's body shimmered with the dark purple aura of his Rinki.
Miki shivered in her chair within the Black Sash dojo.
Rick brought her a cup of tea. "Here..." he said. "This should keep you warm."
She took the cup and sipped. "I've never felt this cold before."
"You were possessed," Rick said. "That kind of cold chills to your soul. It's hard to shake off."
She shook her head with disbelief. "I was so stupid..."
"What do you remember?" Rick asked.
"Demons," Miki said. "They killed Master Mao for the bracelets."
"What bracelets?" Rick asked.
"The Kenma bracelets," Miki said. "The Kenma served the Mogralord, just like the Gorma. The only difference is, the Gorma were human and could walk on the mortal world. The Kenma were demons, in Hell.
"They tried to take physical form, but Adam and Tommy stopped them. They've been trapped in the bracelets ever since. Master Mao tried to keep the bracelets safe. But then...he sent in his demons. They killed Master Mao, and one of them possessed me."
"Whose demons?" Rick asked.
"DaiShi," Miki said. "The real DaiShi. He wanted the bracelets…to destroy them."
Rick sighed. "This is all a bit over my head."
"That's why I should be talking to Adam," Miki said.
"He'll be back," Rick said.
Miki arced an eyebrow. "Are you so sure about that?"
Jarrod smiled wickedly at his former teacher. "Adam...I will use your head as the foundation stone for my new world, of RinJuken."
The teen tossed off his cloak and stepped into a fighting stance.
Adam stepped in front of his students. "You guys get back," he said. "You can't fight all seven of them."
"No," Lilly said. "You didn't drag us into this so we could 'stay back' and let you do the fun part."
Jarrod rolled his hands into fists, and his aura ignited like purple and black flame. "RinJyu. Lion-Ken Rinki. Rinki Gai Sou."
His aura took the shape of a lion and snapped around his body. The energy formed a suit of golden-trimmed, black armor with the head of the lion on the chest.
"With the ferocity of the lion," he said as he shifted into a fighting stance. "RinJuken, DaiShi."
DaiShi hurled a bolt of Rinki at Adam and the rangers. They dove aside as the blast exploded with massive bursts of spark that tore apart the ground.
Adam rolled to his feet just as DaiShi lunged with a flurry of punches and kicks. Adam blocked and dodged the blows with ease.
"Jarrod, this isn't you," Adam said. "There's a darkness in you, and you're letting it take control."
"The darkness doesn't control me," DaiShi said between blows. "I am the darkness!"
He side-kicked Adam with enough force to hurl him off his feet. Adam crashed and rolled into a crouched position.
He held back. Now older, he couldn't risk channeling as much power as he did during his time as a Ranger. Zordon, Kaku, and the other Masters recruited teenagers as Rangers for a reason. Their bodies could handle the strain, and their souls weren't as vulnerable to corruption by The Power. As an adult, Adam couldn't risk a Ranger-level battle.
DaiShi slapped his right fist against his left palm. "Ringi.Gouyuu Kou Ha."
His golden black aura took the shape of a lion that pounced at Adam.
Casey dashed in front of the blow, morphed, and slapped his right fist against his left palm.
"Geki Waza!Tiger spirit!"
His aura pulsed into the shape of a tiger that pounced at DaiShi's lion. The two beasts of energy clashed in midair. They clawed and snapped their jaws as they twisted around one another.
Red Tiger thrust his hand forward. His aura ignited like red flame, and he intensified the power of his tiger spirit.
The tiger spirit slashed through the lion with a massive burst of energy. The shockwave tore through the landscape with a burst of light and flame.
The impact knocked DaiShi from his armor and forced him back several steps. Drained, Casey's armor powered down with a flash of red light.
Casey leaned forward like a tiger. "You want a fight? You're fighting me."
Jarrod smirked. "Interesting..."
The villain lifted his hand.
A Venom Fist leapt forward, grabbed Casey in a chokehold, tightened, and tossed him aside.
"Casey!" Theo shouted as he and Lilly ran to their teammate's side.
Casey climbed to his knees and grasped his throat. A bruise formed like a spider's web on his neck. The mark throbbed with pain.
"You want to fight against me?" Jarrod asked. "First, win a match against that poison."
Casey narrowed his eyes. "Poison?"
The teen winced with pain and collapsed to all fours.
Camille smiled wickedly at the rangers as she walked towards her master. "In five minutes, that poison will spread through your body and kill you."
From behind, the Five Venom Fists shifted into their monster forms and grew giant.
Rantipede planted a massive banner into the ground. The banner carried a large vial of green liquid.
Camille looked to the banner and smiled. "The game is simple," she said. "Get the antidote, and you win."
Casey climbed to his feet and narrowed his eyes at the antidote.
"Casey..." Theo said. "You can barely stand."
"He's fine," Lilly said as she armed her morphers. "Let's get that antidote."
The teens slapped their right fists against their left palms. "Jungle Beast! Spirit unleash!"
Their animal spirits washed over them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.
"Geki Beasts, emerge!" They thrust their hands and fired waves of energy shaped like their animal spirits. The spirits expanded and grew giant. The Rangers leapt into the air and entered their Geki Beasts, which solidified into zords: The Geki Tiger, Geki Cheetah and Geki Jaguar.
"Geki Beasts unite!" the Rangers shouted. "Jungle Fury Fusion!"
The three zords shifted shape and combed to form a Megazord. "Jungle Pride Megazord!" the Rangers shouted. "Geki Touja!"
Red Tiger staggered within the cockpit. He felt the poison throb through his neck and streak down his upper chest, and then his arm.
Yellow Cheetah noticed. "We need to make this quick."
The Megazord stepped into a fighting stance and armed its three-section staff. "Geki SanSetsuKon!"
The Jungle Pride Megazord charged and bashed its weapons against Rantipede and Naja. Geki Touja tried to push past the monsters. But the villains stood their ground.
The Jungle Pride Megazord spin-kicked Naja's head, knocking him back several steps.
Rantipede moved in from the side. "Ringi! Hyaku Dan Suu!"
The monster's hyper-speed punches bashed the Megazord with bursts of spark that knocked the weapon from its hand.
Naja armed his scimitars. He slashed Geki Touja with bursts of spark, knocking the Megazord backward against a mountain.
Slowly, black smoke sizzled from the Megazord, and it collapsed to its knees.
Within the cockpit, the Rangers winced with pain and nearly collapsed.
"What..." Yellow Cheetah said.
"Our fusion," Blue Jaguar said. "It lets us share our will and senses. So we're all feeling the poison. It's mixing with us!"
"Casey, Theo," Yellow Cheetah said. "We need to use our spin attack."
Geki Touja climbed to its feet.
Gakko stood on the side of the mountain above. The villain snapped several throwing stars that pinned the Megazord's arms against the mountain.
Gakko climbed down the cliff side and clawed the Megazord with bursts of spark.
Stingerella moved in next.
"Ringi!" Stingerella shouted. "Shueen Kyaku!"
The monster flipped forward with a scorpion kick that stabbed the Megazord's chest with a massive burst of spark.
Toadai lumbered towards the Megazord and hurled a handful of organic bombs, which exploded against the Megazord with massive bursts of spark. The explosions tore Geki Touja from the mountain, and the Megazord collapsed.
Below, Jarrod smirked with satisfaction. "It doesn't look like your Rangers lived up to your legacy."
"They're not done yet, Jarrod," Adam said. "Those three have something you don't. Something you never did."
The Five Venom Fists surrounded the Megazord.
Pain seared through the Rangers' bodies. On the floor of their cockpit, they struggled to fight the pain of the poison.
"We have to get up..." Yellow Cheetah said. "We have to!"
"We will..." Blue Jaguar said. "Come on...Come on!"
"Three sides..." Red Tiger said as he started to push himself up. "Three sides of a triangle. We won't let these guys beat us. We won't!"
The Rangers climbed to their feet, willing Geki Touja to rise.
"Geki Touja!" the Rangers shouted. "Geki Waza..."
The Megazord leapt into the air and spun like a drill.
"...Dai Gan Gan Kyaku!"
The Megazord dashed past the monsters with a spinning spiral kick that bashed them aside one-by-one.
Geki Touja landed next to the banner, grabbed the antidote, and injected its arm. The antidote washed through the Megazord, and through the Rangers, removing the poison.
The Megazord's aura flared with orange Geki.
The Rangers leapt from their cockpit, and their armor powered down as they collapsed. Cured, they still felt exhausted.
"We did it..." Theo said between breaths. "And now I think I'm going to pass out."
The Five Venom Fists climbed to their feet and stomped towards the fallen tens.
Jarrod lifted his hand. "The match is over," he called to them. "Fall back."
The giants turned and retreated.
Jarrod glanced at Adam. "Will your disciples keep winning against my RinJuken?"
"That's the general idea," Adam said.
Jarrod smirked. "You really think so? Very well...I'll let you live long enough to see that belief turn sour."
Jarrod leapt into the distance, and Camille followed.
Adam and the rangers joined Miki and Rick in the dojo. Miki finished telling them everything she remembered about the demons who killed Master Mao, and the RinJuken. She retained some of the demon's memories.
"There used to be ten Kenma, demon warriors loyal to the Mogralord. DaiShi was one of them," Miki said. "Then, DaiShi and a few others rebelled. They no longer wished to serve, and wanted power of their own.
"The Three Kenma stood alone, but killed DaiShi's followers, and nearly killed him as well. But he fled deeper into Hell and hid," Miki said. "Not long after that, the Three Kenma tried to take physical form by manipulating the Hand and Ikkazuchi. Adam and Tommy stopped them, and Master Mao took the Kenma bracelets for safe keeping.
"Then the Third Seal broke, and the Shaded appeared," Miki said. "Like every other demon these days, DaiShi wanted to raise an army of Shaded. But he felt the power in the bracelets stir, and feared the Kenma would return and get in his way. So he sent some of his demons to destroy the bracelets. Master Mao wouldn't reveal their location, so the demons killed him. One of them...possessed me."
"So these Kenma..." Casey said. "They called out to Jarrod?"
"And Camille," Miki said. "Two Shaded born from different parents. But DaiShi had possessed both their fathers."
"So the Kenma reach out to the son and daughter of their enemy to form their army?" Theo asked.
"They have a twisted sense of humor," Miki said. "They're taking perverse pleasure in using Jarrod and Camille this way."
"I'm still not seeing the Gorma connection," Theo said.
"The Gorma learned their Rinki techniques from the Mogralord," Adam said. "So did the Kenma."
"So shouldn't they have Gorma third eyes?" Theo asked.
Adam shook his head. "No, the Mogralord gave the Gorma third eyes so he could see through them into the mortal world. He didn't need to do that with demons in hell."
Rick rubbed his forehead. "None of this makes any sense."
"DaiShi wants an army of Shaded, and he doesn't want the Kenma getting in his way," Miki said. "The Kenma want an army of their own, the RinJuken."
"Why didn't you just say it that way from the beginning?" Rick asked.
"I was possessed by a freaking demon," Miki said. "You'll forgive me if I'm having trouble sorting through all this Shaded crap."
"Speaking of Shaded...Where's Evan?" Rick asked.
"I think he's on the roof," Lilly said. "I'll go look for him."
Evan sat on the roof and dangled his legs over the ledge. Lilly took a seat next to him.
"Hey..." she said. "How you holding up?"
Evan shrugged. "OK. I heard you talking."
"Oh?" Lilly asked.
Evan nodded. "My hearing's been real good since...since that day."
"Well, there's nothing you need to be worried about," she said.
"There is..." Evan said. "The Kenma? I think I heard them too."
Lilly knitted her brow with concern. "When?"
"A while ago," he said. "I think DaiShi's my dad too."
Lilly sighed. "Oh, Christ."
The real DaiShi sat in his human host. His body and head wrapped in bandages, he felt too weak to move. He could barely breathe.
"The RinJuken..." he said, his voice a rasping whisper. "That school should be mine."
"And it will be again," the Dark Man said as he stepped from the shadows.
DaiShi growled with annoyance. "You have me trapped here...in this host...too weak to do...anything."
"Anything yet," the Dark Man said. "But be patient. Soon, not only will you have the power to move, you will have the power to wrest the RinJuken away from the Kenma, build your army, and crush your enemies."
"You have yet to tell me how, you fool," DaiShi said.
"I have yet to tell many people a great many things," the Dark Man said. "Patience. You will have your RinJuken. In the meantime, watch your son grow in power. He very well may destroy the Kenma for you."
To be continued...Chapter 07