Streaks of Purple Saga Volume Three by Heather Ray (books for students to read txt) 📖

extended. Craniums and chest plates split apart, revealing clamps, hooks, and new anatomy.

Nimrod and her partners watched in mute surprise as five Zords reshaped and reformed, floating towards each other and snapping together at joints.

The Unicorn and Griffin morphed into two legs, that then snapped into the shortened legs of the Tigerzord in Battle Mode. The Lion split apart, its legs connecting to the Tigerzord's shoulders, while the body transformed into the Mega Tigerzord's chest. The Firebird folded around the right arm, it's ornate gold tail creating a sharp, jagged blade.

Within the cockpit of the Zord, the Rangers all assembled at their stations, with the White Ranger settled in the center.

"Nice," Zack commented, nodding his approval, "Thunder Megazord 2.0!"

"What kind of offensive capabilities does this have?" Billy wondered.
Kimberly grinned widely beneath her helmet, eyes dancing across the control screen fed to her from the Firebird component. "Leave that to me! Just try and get the Sentinels lined up for one shot."
Chapter Forty-Two

Nimrod nodded her head, and the two other Sentinels hurried forward, each targeting an opposite side of the new Megazord.

Impossibly, the bulky Zord managed to stay toe to toe with both monsters at once, swift arms blocking and assaulting with force even greater than the clones could muster.

Nimrod gawked in naked surprise as the Zord's right hand clenched around the forearm of the yellow Sentinel. With apparently no effort, Mega Tigerzord tossed the wiry monster into the pink Sentinel, sending both crashing to the ground with a resounding *thud*.

"Get up!" Nimrod snarled, "I won't be humiliated by a pack of-"

She never finished her sentence. Instead, a building aura of red light turned her attention to the Megazord.

Its left arm was held out, the Firebird Zord catching fire. Suddenly, the Zord leapt from its position wrapped around the Megazord's forearm, radiant heat cloaking the hull as it tore through the sky.

It ripped right through both clones, atomizing them on impact.

Nimrod blinked, realization slowly dawning that the Rangers were far more formidable than they had been earlier that afternoon. Far

more formidable than they should have been, given the absence of the Red Ranger.

Biting back an infuriated growl, the limber Scarlet Sentinel pivoted, and dashed away from the football field.

Chapter Forty-Three

Alexis laughed as her view screen displayed the Mega Tigerzord's victory pose, the Firebird sliding back into place amidst the smoldering fire of the Rangers' newest finishing attack.

Then, she noticed one opponent remained.

"Oh hell

no!" she declared, the Eaglezord taking off from its perch atop the high school, "You're gonna sit and take your medicine, Nimrod!"

The Eaglezord tore through the sky, angling to cut off Nimrod before it could reach the school, and any other more populated areas. A cruel smirk on her lips, her right hand descended to the primary weapon controls.

"Wing Blades... fire!"

Chapter Forty-Four

Nimrod dove for the ground as the Eaglezord seemed to appear out of nowhere, angling right for her. She hit the ground with a loud crash, scrambling to her feet to swat the pesky Zord from the skies.

However, rather than turn around for a second swoop, Eaglezord rose slightly, flattening its wings until they lay perfectly perpendicular with the Scarlet Sentinel's towering form.

Flames emitted from beneath the wings, and suddenly, a dozen or so of the silver "feathers" that lined the bottom of the wing zipped towards Nimrod like missiles.

Only these projectiles were only feather like in appearance... for in truth they were thin, eight-foot long double edged swords, every edge sharpened to such a fine point that they could slice through nearly any surface.

Half the Wing Blades made contact, despite Nimrod's desperate attempt to destroy them with her rod. Nimrod screeched, staggering backwards to make as much room as she could between herself and the surprisingly deadly aerial Zord.

In her confused state, Nimrod didn't even notice the Mega Tigerzord until its iron fist landed directly into the creature's granite nose.

Chapter Forty-Five

Nimrod dove for the ground as the Eaglezord seemed to appear out of nowhere, angling right for her. She hit the ground with a loud crash, scrambling to her feet to swat the pesky Zord from the skies.

However, rather than turn around for a second swoop, Eaglezord rose slightly, flattening its wings until they lay perfectly perpendicular with the Scarlet Sentinel's towering form.

Flames emitted from beneath the wings, and suddenly, a dozen or so of the silver "feathers" that lined the bottom of the wing zipped towards Nimrod like missiles.

Only these projectiles were only feather like in appearance... for in truth they were thin, eight-foot long double edged swords, every edge sharpened to such a fine point that they could slice through nearly any surface.

Half the Wing Blades made contact, despite Nimrod's desperate attempt to destroy them with her rod. Nimrod screeched, staggering backwards to make as much room as she could between herself and the surprisingly deadly aerial Zord.

In her confused state, Nimrod didn't even notice the Mega Tigerzord until its iron fist landed directly into the creature's granite nose.

Chapter Forty-Six

"Yesss!" Jason bellowed, pumping his mighty fist in the air. Every fiber of his being was focused exclusively on the battle that took place within the sloped sphere of the Viewing Globe.

He smirked gleefully when the Mega Tigerzord landed a second expert punch, sending the struggling Scarlet Sentinel reeling.

His smirk softened into a genuine smile. A smile of joy... a smile of pride. For the White Ranger was simply awe-inspiring... and knowing it was Tommy behind the white and gold helmet made the coming victory all the sweeter.

"Zordon," the Red Ranger spoke, his eyes never leaving the Viewing Globe, "Thanks for giving Tommy this second chance. Being a Ranger means so much to him."

Zordon nodded from within his crystal cylinder. "TOMMY HAS PROVEN HIMSELF TO BE AN EXCELLENT YOUNG MAN," the sage agreed. "HE HAS MASTERED THE FIGHTING ABILITIES OF THE POWER RANGERS VERY WELL." Zordon fell silent for a moment, before he completed his thought. "I FEEL HE WILL MAKE AN EXCELLENT LEADER."

It took a long moment before Jason actually registered what his mentor had said. No... not "would" make an excellent leader... "will."

Suddenly, the leader of the Power Rangers found it very difficult to breathe.

"Jason?" Alpha murmured.

"ALPHA, I BELIEVE I MAY HAVE LEFT THE PHASE-CAPACITANCE PROGRAM RUNNING," Zordon suddenly announced. "I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD ENTER THE HIDDEN CHAMBER AND DEACTIVATE IT."

After ten thousand years in Zordon's service, Alpha was able to recognize a dismissal when he heard it. "Aye yi yi..." he sighed, scuttling to the control panel.

Jason barely registered the flash of light through which the robot departed. Instead, he found himself staring at his hands, clenched into tight fists in front of him.

"Y... you're right, Zordon," Jason decided, his voice painfully toneless. "He's much stronger than I am. And he

never messed up. It was my fault he lost his powers in the first place... it's only fair I step down..." he paused, taking a long, steady breath. "He deserves it."

"MY DECISION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR RELATIVE STRENGTH, OR YOUR PERCEIVED MISTAKES," Zordon assured him, his booming voice uncharacteristically soft. "LOOK AT THE VIEWING GLOBE, AND TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE."

Jason inclined his head, glassy eyes drinking in the sight of flames as Nimrod exploded. "They've destroyed the monster. Without me..."

At first, Jason felt a dull pain in the core of his being. They don't need me...they don't even need my Zord!

But then, another thought came to him. He watched quietly as the Viewing Globe's screen entered the cockpit of the Mega Tigerzord once again.

Despite the questions swimming in his mind, or the devastating wound his pride had just endured, a