Sagittarius: Missing Blue

Missing Blue is the first episode of the Sagittarius arc, and the twenty-eighth overall of Power Rangers: Neo Zeo.

Synopsis
Recovering from the loss of their friend and teammate, the Rangers are faced with a new monster created by Sagittarius. They respond with a new weapon.

Plot
It was just before dawn. Sagittarius was walking through Angel Grove Cemetery, looking around at the tombstones and monuments. The day was going to be a gloomy one, appropriate for winter even in this California city. He stopped before an empty, marked-off plot.

"These people work quickly," he commented. "Though they'll have to wait for the ground to thaw before they can get any real work done. Shameful, really; one of this planet's saviors cannot even get a monument to honor her passing."

He glanced around, and his gaze fell on an enormous, rather ostentatious stone marker standing nearby. He snorted and drew an arrow from the quiver on his back. It has a white tip and feathers, as well as a back shaft. Drawing it to the string, he let fly. With a whistle of air the arrow embedded itself halfway into the rock with a crack, and began to glow. The granite ran together like hot wax, reshaping itself into a stone statue. It was a humanoid shape, but blocky and angular like a chesspiece.

Sagittarius lowered his bow, and nodded once in approval. "Monstele, then. I believe you are sufficient to serve as a monument for the entire team. Go collect them."

Monstele inclined its head slightly, turned and began stomping away through the cemetery.

oZo

"Dad, is that one ours? Is that one ours? Is that one ours? Is that one ours?" Casey asked, as houses rolled by the car.

The Wildmans' old house had been totaled in the explosion, but Ezra had called in a few favors, and the insurance money had come in with surprising speed. This would be the first time Casey would see the house; she'd asked the rest of her teammates to leave it a surprise for her. Now she was finally out of the hospital, and Lidian had volunteered to help during the trip. He was starting to regret that offer just a bit.

"Is that one ours? Lidian, is that one ours?" She looked up at the older teen sitting beside her in the back. "Is this one ours? Dad, Dad, is this one ours? How about that one?"

"No, it's this one," Mr. Wildman interrupted at last, turning into a driveway.

Casey sat up straight to get a better look. It was a single-story home with pale green siding, a porch that ran along most of its front, and a large three-panel window next to the door. The yard was pretty small and bare, but a tree grew around the back. Casey squealed.

"It's so cute and tiny! It's a little baby house!" Her face fell. "Where are we going to put all my inventions?"

"There's a shed in the back," Mr. Wildman replied.

"You might need another one," Lidian said.

"Is it one of those sheds that looks like a mini house? Our baby house has a baby!"

They parked, and Lidian unbuckled Casey while Mr. Wildman got the wheelchair ready. She was still chattering about the house as they lifted her out of the car and deposited her in the chair. She managed to do a wheelie and help get her chair up the steps.

"Which one's my room?" She asked, looking around eagerly. Her father pointed, and off she zoomed. As she vanished around the corner, he turned back to Lidian.

"There's something I want to do for Casey, but I'll need your help," he said.

"Really? Well, sure, what is it?"

"I can see the lake from here! I have a VIEW!"

Mr. Wildman glanced towards Casey's room. "This might not be the best place to talk. You know the animal shelter near the park?"

"Sure."

"I'll meet you there this afternoon. Don't say anything to Casey."

"I won't." Lidian grinned a little.

"Thanks. If you don't mind I'm going to go start unpacking."

Mr. Wildman headed for the living room. Lidian, no longer hearing any noise from Casey's room, decided to go check on her. When he walked in, he found her sitting by the window, crying. He rushed over to her.

"Casey, what's wrong?"

She swiped at her nose with the back of one sleeve. "I-I always wanted a room by myself . . . but not this way."

Lidian pulled her into a hug, which she returned. He stroked her hair as she cried into his shoulder. "It's okay, you didn't make this happen."

"I'm sorry." She gulped and looked up at him. "I shouldn't be complaining to you. I still have my Dad, and a house, and all of my friends—"

"No," Lidian said firmly. "I may have had a bad childhood, but that doesn't make this okay. Not that I want you to be miserable," he caught himself, and paused, searching for the right words. "But I can tell you that I've been there and it gets better. Takes time, though."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Lidian brushed her hair out of her face with a finger.

Wiping her nose on her sleeve again, Casey looked up at him for a moment. Planting a hand on his shoulder, she leaned up and planted a light kiss right on his mouth. It was salty and startling, and he flinched in surprise. Casey looked pretty surprised herself, even a little nervous. He smiled back at her, feeling the blood go to his face.

"So, got any plans for staying sane while you're on bedrest?"

Casey managed a real, almost mischievous smile. "Oh yeah, Alpha let me in on a little project he's been struggling with for a while, so I've got that to do."

"Really? What is it?"

Casey just smirked up at him. "A potato gun. With lasers."

Lidian shook his head. His communicator watch went off, and both teens looked down at it. With a sigh, Lidian untwined himself from Casey and held it to his mouth.

"Yes, Alpha?"

"Sorry to interrupt," Alpha 5 said, "But a monster is attacking, and the other Rangers need your help."

Lidian glanced at Casey. "I thought we were going to be keeping an eye on—"

"Yes, I know, but the Rangers are in trouble. I'll monitor Casey to make sure no monsters show up."

"You can go," Casey said. "The sooner you finish the guy off the sooner you can come back—plus I'm not totally helpless. I've got a few toys I've been saving for a rainy day."

Reluctantly, Lidian nodded. "I'll be right back."

oZo

Smoke rolled through Angel Grove Cemetery as Lidian arrived, and for a minute he couldn't see the monster. However, the explosion to his left got his attention, and he ran towards it. Soon he made out a pink shape on the ground, then the darker figure of the Hex Rider beside it. Standing over them was a bulky grey figure. Seeming to hear Lidian it turned towards him.

"Duck!" Sabrina yelled from the ground.

Lidian threw himself behind a tall monument. Rocky projectiles thudded against the back of the pillar, cracking the stone. Catching his breath, Lidian tried to think. This probably wasn't a fight he could win with his bare hands. He needed weapons, and good ones.

"Zeo Power Hatchets!"

Whirling he threw one at the monster. Honestly he didn't think it was going to work, but he could at least try to buy himself and his teammates some time. Sure enough the hatchet bounced off the monster, barely even scratching the rock.

By now the Pink Ranger was starting to get up, summoning her Zeo Power Disc. Wheeling on her, the monster raised an arm. Black chains shot out of its palm, winding around the Pink Ranger before she could throw the disc. Yanking her into the air, the monster swung her around into the monument Lidian was sheltering behind. It shattered, raining chunks of rock down on the Green Ranger.

Scrambling out of the way, Lidian threw his other hatchet, this time at the chains. One link popped with a clang, but the others only shot forward to hold the apparently stunned Pink Ranger. As Lidian scrambled for another weapon, a second chain wound around his leg. It jerked his feet out from under him, and he hit the pavement with a grunt. The Green Ranger crawled forward, and the winding chains pinned one arm to his chest.

"Zeo Laser Blade!" As it began to drag him backwards, he stabbed the sword into the ground, holding on with all his might.

All his might turned out to be not quite enough. His fingers slipped until he was only holding on by the upper two knuckles. With a whoosh he slipped free and shot back towards the monster. From behind Monstele the Hex Rider shot up, sword raised over his head. Wheeling on him, the monster drove a fist into his chest, punching him back across the grass. One final uppercut knocked him out, and the monster caught him as he crumpled.

oZo

"David?" Sam Trueheart opened the hotel bedroom door to see his adoptive son fumbling with a bottle of painkillers. The TV was on nearby, showing blurry, distant footage of a monster in what looked like the cemetery.

"They're in trouble," David said, not looking up.

"And you want to help them," Sam replied.

"I have to. I'm the Red Ranger."

"But is this the best way to help them?" Sam asked, as David gulped down a couple of the pills. "Going in unprepared and injured."

"I have to do something."

"Yes, you do. But perhaps there is another, more effective way."

David finally made eye contact. "I'm open for suggestions."

Sam walked into the room and took up the communicator watch lying on the nightstand. He held it out to David.

"Call your Yellow friend. I think she can help—and she may need a chance to help her friends even more than you."

oZo

Ezra's first waking sensation was a killer pain in his jaw. He groaned and tried to reach up, but something stopped his hands with a jingle. When he opened his eyes, he had to blink a few times to make sure they were actually open, it was so dark.

"Ezra?" The voice was Lidian's.

"Where are we?" Ezra asked.

"I think . . . a crypt."

"A what?" Ezra sat up too quickly and hit his head on rock. He flopped back with a moan. The chains wrapping around his body dug into his back. "Stupid theme monsters. Where did that thing even come from, anyway? I thought we finished off all the Windjammers."

"Some of the Zodiac Emperors," Sabrina spoke up from Ezra's right, "Can make their own monsters. Sagittarius happens to be one of them. I assume they only didn't do it before because they're low on the required equipment or magic."

"Any weaknesses?" Ezra asked.

"Monstele seemed well-armored. Maybe if we took a Zord to him . . ."

"That would be overkill," Lidian said. "Plus we might cause collateral damage."

"How much more collateral damage would the monster do if unchecked?" Sabrina retorted.

"Guys, unless we can actually access the Zords, this is pointless." Ezra paused. "I'm still transformed. Are you?"

He heard the other two moving, and their chains clanking, for a moment. His eyes were finally starting to adjust to the darkness, and he could make out their shapes, and what he guessed were the walls of the crypt. It was starting to feel stifling, and he wondered just how much air they had.

"Yes, but it's not helping," Sabrina said at last.

"Same. Any ideas, Ezra?"

The Hex Rider sighed. "My head is killing me, I'm not in a strategizing mood."

"You two are Edenoite, haven't you got any powers that could get us out of this mess?" Sabrina asked.

"I don't think projecting our memories would do much good, and whatever else you've heard takes years of discipline for most people."

"Guys, we're wasting air," Lidian said.

Ezra began feeling around the walls, as well as he could with his arms pinned. The space was walled with granite, and though he found a seam, it was too narrow to even fit a fingernail. Getting his legs beneath himself, he pushed upwards, trying to lift the lid, but it wouldn't budge. Seeing what he was doing, Sabrina joined in, lifting with her feet instead.

"On my count," Ezra said. "Two, six, push!"

Both of them did, as hard as they could. The stone didn't move. After a minute they stopped to rest. Next time Lidian joined them, with just as much success as the first time. Their breathing sounded harsh in the dark, increasingly hot chamber.

oZo

Monstele stood outside the mausoleum he had created, in the middle of the woods outside Angel Grove. The building behind him was almost a story high, its walls covered in murals depicting the Rangers' previous battles. The monster himself was so still he almost looked like a statue, part of the monument.

Someone was coming through the trees. The monster didn't stir from its spot. Through the grey-and-greenness of the wood came a reddish figure, moving slowly but steadily. Finally David emerged from the trees, morphed and carrying himself stiffly. He stopped five yards from the creature, in a fighting stance.

"Is it ready?" He asked in a low voice.

"Not quite—give me a few more minutes to calibrate it," Alpha 5 replied.

"Right."

The monster continued to stand, statuelike, looking on in silence at this conversation. At least, it might have been looking; its eyes were hard to pick out of the carvings. David turned his attention to it.

"I'm going to give you one chance to get away. Where are my teammates?"

No reply.

"All right. Zeo Power Sword!" David charged at the monster. It didn't even attempt to avoid his sword stroke. With a screech and shower of sparks, the blade bounced off. The blow left a white gash in the stone. Staggering back, arms burning from the jolt, David swung again, this time low. The monster's feet were just as invulnerable as its head.

Finally, it seemed to get tired of letting David hit it. One arm rose, and a chain shot out of its wrist. David saw it coming and somersaulted. However, he was slower than usual, and the chain caught his leg. No sooner did he land than the creature yanked him off his feet.

David hit the ground with a grunt. The monster's chains began to wind up, around his body. Twisting around he slashed it with his sword. With a clang the chain snapped, and he scrambled free. More chains advanced to ensnare him, and he hacked at any that got too close. His strikes were wild and spastic, and he favored his left side.

At last, the monster took a step towards him. The ground trembled at the footstep. Backing away, the Red Ranger addressed his distant mentor again.

"Now would be a really good time."

"Teleporting now," Alpha 5 replied.

David straightened. With a scarlet flash, a red-and-gold belt buckle materialized around his waist. He looked down at it. The device was shaped like a star, with red edging and a gold face. The center was a raised molding of a phoenix in flight. David raised and crossed his arms, fists clenched.

"Red Battle Ranger, activate!"

His arms shot out and down, fingers splayed, and the buckle flashed gold. Monstele, ignoring the usual custom of waiting for him to finish transforming, launched a swarm of chains at him. They sparked and bounced off the energy field as it enveloped his body.

A golden energy grid covers David's body. Two golden greaves materialize on his shins. His belt becomes solid gold, and two golden vambraces materialize on his forearms, connected to a pair of Gatling Guns with handles just below his hands. Over the white shoulders of his suit materializes a golden version of the Dragon Shield, but smooth, red and edged with gold circuitry patterns. A black star flashes at its center.

The Red Ranger struck a fighting stance. His new strength was clear in the way he held himself. Withdrawing its chains, Monstele began to advance on him.

"Let's see if these can get through your armor." The Red Ranger raised the two Gatling Guns, and pulled the triggers. They began to spin, spitting golden lasers at the monster. Each left a blazing white mark on the creature, and it staggered back under the barrage. David advanced, slowly and steadily as he continued to fire.

White cracks began to appear on Monstele's stony body, popping with the heat. They spiderwebbed across his body. Losing his balance, he fell against the mausoleum and shattered. David had to stop and twist away to avoid the shrapnel.

When the blast died down, David turned back to the mausoleum. It still stood, looking as solid as ever. The Red Ranger advanced towards it, still holding the Gatling Guns at the ready. For all he knew the monster might revive and grow giant-sized at any minute.

"Alpha, are the other Rangers in here?"

"As far as I can tell, but the structure's interfering with my scanners—not to mention the Communicator Watch frequencies. I don't know if you can destroy it even with your new Battlizer."

"I can try," David said.

"I don't think that's a good idea. The weapons are already hotter than they should be; if you strain the systems any more something might go wrong. We haven't finished testing, after all."

David raised the Gatling Guns. "I'll take my chances."

"No, you won't!" Alpha 5 protested, with surprising firmness. "David, when I say 'something might go wrong,' I mean in the range of of 'you get your arms blown off'! We aren't going to lose ANYONE else on this team!"

Reluctantly, David released the guns, and put a hand on his belt. One push and the battlizer vanished. He stumbled slightly, catching himself on the wall of the mausoleum.

"You're right" he said, "Any other suggestions?"

"I'm already sending you Super Zeozord, Vthat should do the trick. Just try not to knock any of the rubble inwards—if they are inside we don't want to hurt them."

"Got it." The Red Ranger looked up through the trees. In the distance, a red shape was moving towards him. He waited until it hovered overhead, then leaped, teleporting inside its cockpit with a flash. Carefully, he brought the Zord down, landing beside the mausoleum.

The Red Ranger drew in a deep breath, letting it out again slowly. Super ZeoZord V reached down, grasped either end of the mausoleum's roof, and pulled. The stone rumbled, and began to crack. It split beneath the Zord's fingers, letting the tips push inside. With a rending boom, the mausoleum fell apart, revealing a smooth stone tomb in its center.

With two fingers, the Super Zeozord jabbed the tomb's side, splitting it open. As the rock dust cleared, a gloved hand appeared in the hole, clutching the side. Sabrina crawled out, still wound in chains and dragging herself with one hand. She flopped to the floor. Super Zeozord V straightened, and David ejected, heading out to meet his recovering teammates.

oZo

Casey was flopped back in bed, flipping through a sketchbook when her communicator watch went off. Tossing the notebook aside she snatched up the watch.

"Hello?"

"Casey, it's David. Just wanted to let you know that your invention worked."

Casey let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you! It's really cool, isn't it?"

David made a sound that could have been interpreted as a chuckle. "Yeah, it is. Are you still okay back there? The first thing Lidian wanted to know was that you were safe."

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. A couple of times I thought a monster was outside, but they never showed." Casey glanced towards the window. The sky outside was strangely distorted, as if reflecting around a cloaked, humanoid shape. "Can't imagine why."

"Okay. Let me know if anything does come up."

"Yessir. Over and out."

"Bye."

Casey hung up, and punched the air. "Yessss!" She was distracted by a knock on the door, and she sat up. "Come in?"

The door opened, and Lidian slipped inside. He had an oddly secretive smile on his face.

"Feeling okay?"

"Great!" Smile falling, Casey folded her arms. "The fight ended like an hour ago. What took you so long?"

"Sorry, I had something to take care of. By the way, how do you take your surprises?"

"Huh?"

Lidian had reached her side by now, and he took her hands and placed them over her eyes. "Let's just do it this way. No peeking."

Casey giggled for the first time in weeks. The door opened, and her father walked inside, carrying something small, dark and fluffy in his hands. Carefully, he deposited it on Casey's lap; she flinched at the sudden weight.

"Okay, look."

Casey took her hands, looked down, and her eyes went wide. A calico kitten sat there, fuzzy and dark-furred and looking around. Letting out a soft squeal, Casey touched it with one finger. It backed up, then let her rub under its chin.

"I thought it was time again. Lidian helped pick her out," her father said.

Casey seemed incapable of human speech, but her expression was pure rapture. The kitten let out a tiny mew, which drew more squeaky dolphin noises from Casey in response. Lidian cracked up, partly at her reaction, and partly from relief.

"Any name ideas?" Her father asked, as she started petting the kitten.

"Not yet," Casey replied, not looking up from the animal. "You said it was a she, right?"

"That's what the lady at the shelter said," Lidian said.

Casey held an arm out towards her Dad for a hug, which he gave. She kissed him on the cheek, let go and turned to Lidian. This kiss was more lingering, and she gave him a mischievous look as she released him. Her father seemed to notice, and his eyebrows rose. Lidian tried, badly, not to flush.

Allies

 * Alpha 5
 * Mr. Wildman
 * Sam Trueheart

Villains

 * Fire Emperor Sagittarius
 * Monstele

Continuity

 * First appearance of the Red Battle Ranger armor.