Jungle Fury: Recap

 

Tommy Oliver tasked Adam Park with protecting the Shaded, children born from parents possessed by demons. Adam gained help from an unexpected ally, Rick Amantini, an exorcist with the Knights of the True Cross.

The Vatican formed the Knights of the True Cross recently, to organize exorcists into a formal group and stop the growing threat of demon possessions. However, Rick learned that demons infiltrated the True Cross Academy, where the Church trained exorcists. He didn't know how far the infiltration extended. But he knew he couldn't return to the school.

So Rick decided to help Adam by housing innocent Shaded in the Southern Cross Cathedral in Angel Grove. Rick took the Shaded Evan, Kyle, Enzo and Rika under his wing.

Rick's brother, a Shaded named Rin "R.J" Amantini, became the Violet Wolf Ranger, the fourth of Adam's Jungle Fury Rangers. Although R.J. accepted his powers, he didn't join team and preferred to stay alone.

Meanwhile, a Shaded named Jarrod awoke the Three Kenma, former students of the Mogralord before his death during the Second Countdown to Destruction.

He studied under the Kenma and their leader Maku to gain more power. However, a stranger named Long appeared to Jarrod's fellow Shaded, Camille. He told her that Jarrod would achieve an even higher form of Rinki, called DoRinki, and defeat Maku.

Long asked to keep his presence hidden from Jarrod and the others, and Camille agreed.

Elsewhere, the mysterious Dark Man found a host for the real DaiShi, the demon who possessed Jarrod's father. The Dark Man kept his plans for DaiShi to himself. 

Chapter 18: Ultimate Jungle Fury

Wrong Place, Right Time

INTERLUDE: Osu!

Three weeks ago

Dominic had the perfect life. Good looks.Girls.Friends.Girls.And girls. His parents loved him. They gave him a great home in Beverly Hills.

He left as soon as he turned 18. Why? The privileged life bored him.

Dominic wanted adventure. Excitement. So he went to the strangest place on the planet: Angel Grove.

The teen walked down the dark alleys of Angel Grove East with his book bag slung over his shoulder. He looked out of place, with khaki pants, a polo shirt and dress shoes.

A trio of gang bangers spotted him instantly. They dropped to the street. One unsheathed a knife, and his eyes flickered black for the briefest of moments.

"Well..." the demon said. "Look at you."

"Hey," the teen said with a smile. He extended his hand in a shake. "I'm Dom. Nice to meet you."

The demon arced an eyebrow. "Are you serious, kid? We're going to kill you."

"That's no way to make friends," Dom said. "Now come on. Let's shake hands and act civil. We're all civil people here? Right?"

The demon narrowed his eyes.

He and his gang bangers lunged to attack.

Dominic moved like lighting. He knife-hand chopped the back of the demon's neck, kicked the second gang banger upside the head, and reverse side-kicked the third gang banger.

The demon staggered to his feet. Dominic smiled and held out his hand for a shake. "Want to try that again?"

"You little shit..." the demon grumbled as he snarled and pounced.

Dom jump-kicked the demon upside the head, hook-kicked his head, and smashed a ridge-hand blow against the demon's face.

The demon staggered backward and collapsed.

Dom smiled at his fallen opponents. "Well, it was nice meeting you. Maybe we'll run into each other some other time."

He adjusted his bag and walked onto the streets.I think I'm going to like it here...


PART ONE: KaGeki

 

Adam led Casey, Theo and Lilly into the woods.

"Remind me why we're out here?" Lilly asked.

"Training," Adam said.

"Oh..." Lilly said. "Too bad we don't have a dojo for that. Oh wait. We do..."

"A little fresh air won't hurt," Adam said. "Besides. For this training...we need to connect with nature."

"What do you have in mind?" Casey asked.

"You've each come far with your Geki. But you can take it to a whole new level: KaGeki."

"KaGeki?" Theo asked.

"It's an even stronger form of your Geki," Adam said. "Tommy left behind tools you can use to harness its power. But first, you need to learn to tap into it."

"That sounds...fun?" Lilly said.

"Do you really think we can do this?" Casey asked. "I mean...we're still learning to master the power we have now..."

"Casey...you already tapped into your KaGeki. Briefly...but it was there," Adam said.

"When?" Casey asked.

"The last time you fought Jarrod," Adam said.

"Oh..." Casey said. He blushed at the memory. "Right before I passed out."

Adam nodded. "Right...We'll have to work on that."


Rick led Kyle, Enzo, Rika and Evan across a rooftop.

"OK, guys," Rick said. "Stay alert."

"For what?" Kyle asked. "We've been out here all night."

"When we should be napping," Enzo said. "Demon children need their beauty sleep too."

"You're not demon children," Rick said.

Enzo wrinkled his nose. "We kind of are..."

Evan smirked at the exchange.

Rika sighed. "You're all ridiculous."

"Thank you," Rick said. "Now stay alert."

"For what?" Rika asked. She didn't even try to hide her annoyance.

"Parasite demons," Rick said. "They're about as minor as minor demons get. They possess spores and bacteria, and grow just big enough to see."

"We already fought a Hellfire Knight," Kyle said. "Why go after something so small?"

"It's important to learn your basics," Rick said.

Suddenly, golden lightning blasted the rooftop. The shockwave hurled Rick and the Shaded off their feet, and they skid backward.

When the lightning cleared, the group faced Jarrod in his Shaded form. He smiled, his eyes maddened like a beast's.

Rick rolled into a crouched stance, pulled out his guns, and fired rune-tipped bullets.

Jarrod fired a Ki blast that knocked the bullets aside and bashed the guns from Rick's hands.

Rika shot to her feet and thrust her hands. "Kitsu-"

Camille shimmered into view behind Rika and grabbed her arms.

"Hey!" Kyle shouted as he and Enzo ran towards her.

Camille side-kicked Kyle's gut and hook-kicked Enzo's head, knocking them backward.

Evan scrambled backward and collapsed onto his tail bone.

Jarrod looked down at him and smiled. "I remember you. And now...I sense the power of DaiShi in your veins, the same as me. You will make perfect bait."

Jarrod lifted the boy over his shoulder. The Shaded looked to Rick.

"Tell Adam Park I took the boy," Jarrod said. "And unless his Rangers face me in battle, the boy dies. Slowly and painfully."

Jarrod leapt into the distance, and Camille followed.

Enzo sighed as he climbed to his feet. "So much for learning the basics..."


Jarrod leapt across the rooftops while carrying Evan. The Shaded recently witnessed the power of Maku's first monster. The power of DoRinki.

Jarrod wanted that power for himself.

He knew he needed to push himself to obtain that power. And for that, he needed the Rangers.

Boy...Jarrod thought. You will make perfect bait.


The rangers barely trained for 12 hours before they heard the news: Jarrod kidnapped Evan.

The teens ran to the mountains outside the city and faced Jarrod, who stood on a cliff along with Camille and the Rinki Sentinels Butoka and Wagataku.

"Jarrod!" Casey shouted. "We're here. Now let Evan go...and leave him out of this."

Jarrod leapt to the ground to face off with the rangers. His body glowed with black and golden light as he transformed into his armor.

"First...show me this power you have. This KaGeki," DaiShi said.

"We'll give you a fight," Lilly said. "Just let Evan go."

"Morph, Rangers," DaiShi said. "Don't believe for a moment that I won't attack you as you are now..."

The teens armed their gauntlets.

"Jungle Beast! Spirit, unleash!" Their auras wrapped around them as they morphed into their armor.

Jarrod wasted no time.

The villain charged with a flurry of kicks and jump-kicks the Rangers blocked and dodged. Although they held off the attacks, they couldn't keep the pace. DaiShi moved with fierce speed and savagery, each strike relentless.

He kicked Red Tiger with a burst of spark that hurled him backward.

Yellow Cheetah moved in from behind with a volley of rapid punches.

Without turning, DaiShi blocked each punch, and his body rippled as if coated with gel. "RinJuken, Jellyfish-Fist..."

He turned with a palm-heel strike that smacked Yellow Cheetah's chest and whipped her backward.

Blue Jaguar leapt through the air. DaiShi knocked him to the ground with a flying sidekick. The villain landed and armed fistfuls of feather daggers.

"Hishou Ken!" He snapped the feathers like darts, which sparked against the Blue Ranger and hurled him backward.

Red Tiger lunged and tackled DaiShi to the ground. They rolled to their feet and stepped into animal-like fighting stances.

The Red Ranger slapped his right fist against his left palm. "Shark Sabers!"

He armed his swords and charged with a flurry of swings.

DaiShi dodged and kicked a sword from the Ranger's left hand.

Red Tiger chopped his second blade. But DaiShi caught the weapon, ripped it from the Ranger's hand, and flipped him to the ground.

DaiShi kicked the fallen Ranger with enough force to send him skidding across the dirt.

The villain stalked towards the Rangers. "Have you surpassed your limits? Then show me your KaGeki."

Red Tiger climbed to his feet and rolled his hands into fists. He screamed with rage and dashed towards DaiShi.

DaiShi swung a punch. But Red Tiger leapt upward to avoid the blow.

The Red Ranger ignited his aura as he angled his decent towards DaiShi.

"Hou Hou Dan!" The Red Ranger swung a punch that fired an energy wave shaped like a tiger.

DaiShi swatted the tiger aside.

The villain leapt upward, passed Red Tiger with a punch that sparked on impact, and turned while in midair.

"Ringi.Shishi HouKou Ha." He ignited his aura and fired an energy wave shaped like a lion.

The lion tackled Red Tiger to the ground with massive bursts of flame and spark. The impact knocked him from his armor with a flash of red light.

"Casey!" Evan shouted.

Camille clasped her hands with delight. "That's it, my DaiShi. You're doing it..."

"It looks like your KaGeki was just a myth..." DaiShi said. The villain challenged the Rangers in hopes their KaGeki would push him into channeling his DoRinki for the first time.

"Jarrod!" Evan shouted as he struggled against his bindings. Anger boiled through his veins. "You coward!"

DaiShi looked over his shoulder. "Coward?"

"I can feel you shaking, even from here, coward! Coward!" the boy shouted. "You have power, and this is how you use it?! It's because you're lonely! And afraid!"

DaiShi remembered himself as a boy, standing in the rain, his family dead at his feet. The villain brushed the memory aside.

"You're young and naïve," DaiShi said as he turned towards the fallen Rangers.

The villain walked to the fallen Yellow Ranger and stomped on her back repeatedly. Each stomp sparked on impact, and the attacks knocked her from her armor with a burst of yellow light.

He grabbed her by the hair and tossed her aside.

"Lilly!" Blue Jaguar shouted as he climbed to his feet and pounced.

DaiShi kicked him backward with enough force to knock him from his armor.

The villain lifted Theo by the neck, upper-cut punched his gut, and tossed him aside.

Casey struggled to rise as he watched. "Stop...stop!" The teen climbed slowly to his feet. "I won't...I won't let you hurt them."

"I won't just hurt them," DaiShi said. "They will die. Pathetically, and without any resistance, they will die. As will all of humanity. Because they are weak. You...are weak."

Jarrod walked to Theo and placed foot on the fallen ranger's head. "Why even bother to fight?"

Casey narrowed his eyes. "Why...fight?" Casey said between heavy breaths. "Why?"

The teen rolled his hands into fists. "To protect my friends...everyone...To stand up to bullies like you...That's why...That's why I fight!"

His body flared with Geki that raged like flames. He morphed into his armor with a flash of red light, and his Geki intensified, blazing with power.

He thrust his fist to his side. "Claw Booster!"

His Claw Booster shimmered onto his right hand. The Ranger stepped into a fighting stance and snapped the device open.

"Jungle Master Mode!"

His KaGeki flared and powered up his armor, to mostly white with red trimming.

The Ranger grasped his Claw Booster like a fist weapon. His back thrusters ignited with KaGeki that shot him forward.

He swung his Claw Booster and punched Jarrod's gut with massive bursts of spark that hurled him backward.

Red Tiger ran to his teammates and helped them to their feet.

"Casey...." Lilly said. "Not bad."

DaiShi climbed to his feet and staggered forward. "You...You bastard!"

Red Tiger stepped into a defensive stance. "What good is strength if you use it to bully the weak? What good is strength if it's not used to protect? What good are you, Jarrod?!"

The Rinki Sentinels leapt downward and landed beside Jarrod.

Theo and Lilly stepped forward. They rolled their hands into fists and looked to Evan. They thought of only one thing: Protecting him.

Their KaGeki flared as they morphed into their Ranger forms and armed their Claw Boosters.

"Jungle Master Mode!"

Their auras flared as their armor powered up.

The three Rangers snapped into fighting stances.

"With the strength of the tiger...Jungle Master, Red Ranger!"

"With the stealth of the jaguar...Jungle Master, Blue Ranger!"

"With the speed of the Cheetah...Jungle Master, Yellow Ranger!"

"Savage Task Force!" Red Tiger shouted. Together, they called out: "Jungle Fury Rangers!"

Blue Jaguar and Yellow Cheetah's back thrusters flared with KaGeki, which shot them forward. They slammed into the Rinki Sentinels and forced them backward.

The monsters staggered and nearly fell, but kept their balance. But Blue Jaguar and Yellow Cheetah didn't give them a chance to counterattack.

The Rangers pounced and slashed their Claw Boosters, striking the minsters with bursts of spark that kept them off guard.

The Sentinels tried to strike back with swings from their staffs. But the Rangers countered with quick, fierce blows that thrashed the Sentinels' armor.

Blue Jaguar punched his claw through Butoka's chest. The Ranger pulled free, energized his claw, and slashed through a streak of orange energy. The strike tore through the monster with massive bursts of spark.

Secondary explosions ripped through Butoka. The Sentinel collapsed to his knees and fell backward; he exploded into a ball of ash.

Nearby, Yellow Cheetah shot at Wagataku like a comet. She launched rapid-fire punches that forced him backward with each strike.

She energized her Claw Booster for a final swing, which shattered the Sentinel's staff and ripped his body in half. Secondary explosions ripped through the monster as he fell backward and burst into flame and ash.

Red Tiger lunged at DaiShi with a flurry of slashes, punches and kicks. Jarrod struggled to block and dodge each blow, which forced him backward.

The villain dove beneath a kick and rolled into a crouched stance. He turned just in time to grab the Red Ranger's punch.

"Is this your KaGeki?" DaiShi asked as he stood. "I will crush this useless power and-"

Red Tiger pulled his arm free and punched his Claw Booster against DaiShi with a massive burst of spark that sent him staggering backward.

The Red Ranger's back thrusters flared with KaGeki that spun him forward. He spin-kicked Jarrod's head, whipping him through the air.

While Jarrod hurled through the air, Red Tiger fired his thrusters and shot towards the villain. He dashed back and forth past Jarrod, slashing and punching his armor with massive bursts of spark.

Red Tiger dove at the villain, punched his chest and smashed him against the ground with a shockwave that scattered dirt through the air.

The Red Ranger breathed heavily. He turned and walked away from his fallen opponent.

DaiShi stood slowly. But secondary explosions thrashed his body. The final blast whipped him to the ground and knocked him from his armor.

He started to rise, but slipped from consciousness. 

"Jarrod!" Camille shouted as she ran to his side.

The three Rangers ignited their KaGeki and blasted towards Evan. They landed beside him and slashed him free.

Evan smiled and immediately hugged the Red Ranger. Red Tiger felt taken aback, surprised by the display of affection.

But he hugged the boy back.


The real DaiShi watched. He possessed a broken body, wrapped head-to-toe in bandages. He saw Jarrod, the boy who took his name. And he saw Evan.

Evan...he whispered. He still remembered the day he possessed the boy's father and impregnated his mother. Jarrod...Camille...my three children.

He thought of the Three Kenma and rolled his hands into fists. The demon hated the thought of his former comrades controlling his kin.

They were his to control.

"It's time..." he said, his voice like gravel. "It's time to step onto the stage. And take back the RinJuken for my own."


PART TWO: Predator

R.J. stood across the street from an abandoned apartment tower. A single light flickered in one of the windows.

The teen narrowed his eyes. That's her...

He armed his bracer. "Jungle Beast! Spirit, unleash!"

His aura washed over him as he morphed into his armor.

Violet Wolf pounced through the air and crashed through the apartment window. The Ranger landed on the floor of a dimly lit room, decorated with skulls and bones.

A single witch sat in the center of the room. Loyal to Azmodai, she glared at the Ranger.

"You..." she spat through crooked teeth. "A traitor to your father..."

She snapped her fingers and summoned a wave of Demunio, white-masked demons dressed in black robes, who wielded katana.

The demons shot at the Violet Wolf through blurs of motion.

The Ranger lunged, bashed his knee upside a demon's head, and landed while smashing his elbow against another demon's skull.

Demunio swarmed and swung their blades at the Ranger. Violet Wolf dodged and parried, but a blade slashed his armor with a burst of spark that whipped him through a wall.

The Violet Wolf Ranger crashed into an empty room and tumbled across the floor.

He rolled into a crouched fighting stance and flipped a switch on his bracer. "Geki Waza! Gon Gon Ken!"

 

He channeled his ShiGeki through his bracer, which pulsed with violet energy. The energy enveloped his fist with an aura like amethyst flame.

 

The Violet Wolf Ranger lunged with an energized punch that hurled a bolt of power. The blast incinerated the Demunio with bursts of spark and flame.

Violet Wolf walked through the ashes of the Demunio. He glared at the witch, who hissed with contempt.

"Stupid brat," she said. "Don't you have monsters to deal with?"

"You are a monster," Violet Wolf said. "You've been luring Shaded, and..."

He couldn't bear to say it.

But she could.

"Eating their hearts. Yes..." She licked her lips. "Such power..."

The witch hissed and lunged, her hands cackling with power.

The Violet Wolf Ranger pounced with a knee blow upside her head. The impact hurled her backward; she fell from the window, plummeted, and smashed against the ground, dying on impact.


Later that night, R.J. walked into the Black Sash dojo. He found Adam and Miki inside the office near the rear of the building.

"R.J...." Adam said. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Been busy," R.J. said. "We need to talk..."

"I'm listening..." Adam said.

R.J. explained his encounter with the witch, the latest supernatural threat to target the Shaded.

"There are more...things...like her popping up every day," R.J. said.

"That's why we should be a team," Adam said. "You don't have to work alone."

"I get that," R.J. said. "I've helped your Rangers quite a few times. But even if we all became bffs, that wouldn't change the fact we're outnumbered."

"We're working on that," Adam said.

"Are you?" R.J. asked skeptically. "Last time I checked, you couldn't even keep track of your own students.

"I don't need a lecture," Adam said. "Things are bad. I get that. But we're doing what we can."

Suddenly, the alarm beeped. 

"RinJuken..." Adam said.

"If it isn't one thing, it's another," R.J. said as he headed for the door. "Your Rangers can't keep up this pace for long."


A RinRinshi attacked a plaza in Angel Grove East. The villain wore a crocodile-shaped headpiece. He called himself Croc.

"Ringi!" he shouted. "Ban Kou Seki!"

Croc chopped the ground with a massive shockwave that tore through pavement and concrete.

The RinRinshi laughed as he watched civilians run and scream with panic.

"Stop!" a voice shouted.

Red Tiger leapt through the air and kicked Croc off his feet. The villain crashed and skid across the pavement.

The Red Ranger landed, and his teammates, Blue Jaguar and Yellow Cheetah, leapt to the ground beside him.

Croc stood and rolled his shoulders. "There you are...whelps. I have been waiting to challenge your power."

"Ringi!" He swung his arms and legs through fighting movements.

"JyuJin Jashin Hen!" His headpiece glowed with purple energy. His head, arms and legs contorted and sunk into his chest - then his body exploded to reveal his crocodile-like monster form.

 

The monster rolled his hands into fists. "RinJuken Crocodile-Fist is about mastering the reckless! Let me show you!"

Croc leapt and landed with a chop that knocked Red Tiger backward. The other two Rangers surrounded him. But he chopped them back with massive bursts of spark.

The Red Ranger climbed back to his feet and snapped a kick towards the monster. But Croc blocked and chopped the ranger backward with a burst of spark.

Suddenly, the Violet Wolf Ranger leapt to the scene. He pounced and slammed his knee against the monster's face, knocking him backward.

"R.J..." Red Tiger said.

"You're welcome," Violet Wolf said.

The Wolf Ranger lunged with a round-kick and elbow strike. But Croc blocked and chopped the Violet Wolf Ranger to the ground.

Violet Wolf sprang to his feet with a knee strike. But the monster grabbed his leg and neck.

"Ringi! Desu Douoki!"

The monster and Wolf Ranger spun like a drill.

Croc released his hold, hurling Violet Wolf across the street. The Wolf Ranger smashed against a wall and crashed to the ground.

Blue Jaguar moved in with a round-kick and fist strikes. But Croc blocked and chopped the Blue Ranger's chest with a burst of spark that whipped him backward.

The Blue Ranger rolled across the ground and rolled into a crouched fighting stance. Red Tiger and Yellow Jaguar regrouped around him.

Croc swung his arms through fighting movements. "Desu Duooki Tsuu!"

He dove at the Rangers like a drill that smashed them aside with massive bursts of spark.

Croc landed with his back towards the Rangers. He turned to face the four Rangers as they regrouped.

"My Crocodile-Fist is-"

 A horn honked around the corner. A truck swerved onto the street, throttled towards the monster, and bashed it backward.

The truck swerved to a halt, and Dominic stepped out.

"So what?" he asked. "These monsters come out, and everyone in the city hides?"

Violet Wolf cursed beneath his breath. "You idiot! Stay back!"

"You'll get yourself killed!" Blue Jaguar shouted.

"Maybe," Dom said with a smirk. "That's what makes it exciting."

"What, you like adventures?" Yellow Cheetah asked. "There's a different team for that. Call the Titans."

Croc grumbled. "A distraction. Very well...We will continue this fight, Rangers."

The monster leapt to the rooftops.

 Red Tiger walked towards Dom. "Thanks...but you shouldn't have come."

Dom shook his head. "I didn't come to Angel Grove to hide in minster shelters."

"Did you come here to die?" Violet Wolf asked. "Because that's what will happen if you keep acting like an-"

"Idiot. I heard you the first time," Dom said. 

Dominic walked to the demolished car, grabbed his bag, and started walking off.

"We'll have to do this again sometime," he said over his shoulder. "It was fun. Really."

Yellow Cheetah sighed. She looked to Violet Wolf. "Suddenly you seem a lot less mental."


Maku and Jarrod sparred in the RinJuken Akugata dojo. In his Shaded form, Jarrod launched flurries of punches and kicks. But Maku blocked each blow with brute force.

The Kenma palm-heel struck the Shaded's chest with enough force to hurl him across the dojo.

Maku laughed mockingly. "Still no closer to DoRinki? You will never have that power. It is mine to control. And mine to give."

Camille walked into the chamber. "My lord DaiShi doesn't need your power."

"Is that why you sent Croc into the city, girl?" Maku asked. "To prove a point?"

"There is strength other than DoRinki," she said. She didn't want Maku to know she wanted Jarrod to obtain DoRinki, more than anything. "My master has such strength."

"Does he, now?" Maku asked mockingly. "Do you have such strength, boy? Enough strength to defy me?To fight me?!"

Jarrod bowed his head, despite the urge to lash out with all of his strength. "I am your servant, Maku. I have only the strength you grant me."

Maku grunted a laugh. "Stand up, boy. Continue your lesson..."

An explosion blasted through the doors of the dojo.

The real DaiShi stepped inside, his body and face wrapped in bandages.

"Maku..." DaiShi said. "Leave my heir alone. And return the RinJuken to me."

Maku tilted his head. "Can it really be...DaiShi?"

DaiShi bellowed with laughter. "You reek of death! What...have you possessed a corpse?"

"Yes," DaiShi said. "A powerful one..."

DaiShiunwrapped his bandages. He revealed a pale face, with chalk-white hair buzzed short, and solid black eyes.

The face meant nothing to the RinJuken. But others would recognize the face as that of Simon Kaden.

To be continued...Chapter 19



 

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