Changing Seasons

Changing Seasons is the fourth episode of Power Rangers: Lost Ninjas.

Synopsis
Sienna Lacy flees the Season Academy, pursued by Spider Drones, and meets fellow student Tyler Thorne. Meanwhile, the Terra Academy is faced with a choice.

Scrimshaw, New Zealand, February 2nd, 8:22 pm
Sienna pedaled the bike as fast as she could, wishing she'd forgotten her uniform today. If she'd just gone with a T-shirt and pants like normal, she wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb. As it was, her best chance was to just get away from the Academy as fast as she could. She was very aware of the Summer Season Morpher, a metal-and-wood belt buckle with a sun inset in the center, belted at her waist.

It didn't look like she was being followed. Sienna cruised to a stop, ran a hand through her auburn hair, and let out a whooshing breath. She looked down at the belt buckle. It was pretty enough, gold on light brown wood, but didn't seem all that powerful. Not worth the big hullabaloo everyone was making. Some of the other students were fighting the bad guys with one-time-use decoys while the real four were snuck out. Sensei O'Hara had said something about Sienna being "unlikely," and she still wasn't sure if that was an insult or not.

Sienna, going much more slowly, rode the bike around a street corner and up a quiet hill. The sun was going down. Turning back, Sienna looked back over the rooftops of Scrimshaw, and saw, of all things, a bunch of blue bubbles flying into the sky. Were those people inside? Hard to see from here. Okay, that was kind of weird.

"Looks like we're stuck with each other for a while," she said to the bike. It was a streamlined bicycle, purple and shiny silver, a little girlier than Sienna liked but still fast. Whoever owned it was pretty careless, leaving it unchained and just leaning against a tree like that. Sienna tsked again, shaking her head. That was when she heard screaming, and looked around. People were running towards her, away from—

"Ohmigodspiders!" Two more of those giant silver spiders from before, shooting blue lasers at people. With a shriek, Sienna swung the bike around and zoomed down the hill, as fast as she could.

The lasers and metallic noises got louder. Bent low over the bike, Sienna's eyes widened as she saw the spider drones clatter into the road ahead of her. Okay, okay, think fast…she swerved as they started shooting. No side roads, no ramps.

Just as she reached them, Sienna swung the bike around on the front wheel with a yell. The back slammed into one of the spider robots, knocking it sideways into its fellow. As the two stumbled, Sienna pedaled backwards between them, zooming down the road. She managed a quick laugh.

Then a laser struck the front wheel of the bike, and it vanished. The front dropped abruptly, sparking as it scratched the road. Sienna turned the fall into a somersault, scraping her hands, and came up. Now she was in a road lined with shops, with a few little trees lining the sidewalks. Running to one, Sienna climbed up and kicked out as one of the spider things got closer. Her foot clanged off it, and she gaped silently in pain, clinging to the tree.

Just as the spider robots got her in their sights, there was a yell from behind them. Out of nowhere appeared a fair-haired boy, also in ninja uniform, who tackled the nearest one. Swinging around the tree, Sienna slammed her shins into another, sending it off balance. With a yell, Sienna let go and tackled it flat, twisting its guns aside. Blue lasers shot past her: she felt the bursts of heat. It's not a real spider, it's not a real spider, it's metal, it's not furry or shelly…

"Nice—but can you take a little heat?" She cried, raising her hands and gesturing towards the robot. White smoke began creeping out from under its armor, and it struggled. The air between Sienna's hands and the robot rippled with heat, and she grinned. The boy had grabbed what was left of Sienna's bike and was bashing the other robot with it.

Then Sienna's robo-spider exploded, sparks flying everywhere. Shielding her eyes, Sienna scrambled back. The boy gave the heap of metal that had been a robot one final smash, and then threw the twisted metal bike frame aside. His headband, and the swirly patterns on his vesty tunic and vambraces, were orange, meaning he was an Autumn ninja.

"Sorry about your bike."

"It wasn't mine," Sienna said, shrugging. She grinned at him. "That was awesome!"

"Oh. Thanks, I guess." The boy rubbed his hands, looking sheepish. He glanced up at her, and did a double take. For a second, he stared, and then he grinned and held out a hand. "Tyler Thorne."

"Sienna Lacy." Sienna shook it vigorously, ignoring the stinging from her raw palms. "You've got an accent—British?"

"Australian," Tyler replied. He looked around, but there weren't any more robots. His blond hair was falling out of its short ponytail, and absently, he fixed it.

"We should hide," Sienna said, giving the heap of junk metal a kick. "Before any more of those things show up."

"Okay…hey, you're a guardian?" Tyler pointed to the Season Morpher around Sienna's waist. Now she realized that he was wearing one too, with an orange leaf in the center.

"Yeah! You too? Cool—oh. Should we split up?" Sienna asked, face falling. "Sensei said it'd be safer that way."

"Well…going by just now, I think we're better off together." Tyler gave her a wry half-smile.

"Good point. We can go to my foster family's place and get out of these ninja suits; they're used to a crowd," Sienna said, and sized Tyler up. "I think some of Jude's clothes might just fit you."

"…Okay," Tyler said, with a shrug. "My uncle's expecting me at home by nine."

Sienna caught his arm. "We'd better hurry up, then!" She dragged him down the street and around an alley.

Terra Ninja Academy, Appalachians, February 2nd, 2:30 pm
Dean Rider sat in a corner of the training field, hugging his knees to his chest. The brown Haitian-born teen kept glancing around at the other students, a few feet away from him. Every few minutes, a few monsters would shove a few more people into the group, and they'd join their friends. A few mutinous mutters rippled through the group, but nobody went against Sensei Blackfeather's orders. Surrender. It rankled.

"Your Sensei is wise beyond his years," the invader, Korassil, called. He stood on a platform on one end of the field, Xumara on one side and Sensei Blackfeather on the other. The teacher didn't say anything or even look up. His face was carefully blank. "Fighting us would only have meant pain or death for you, and a minor loss to my troops. Because of this, I will make you an offer."

He held up a black lacquered box, lid open. Inside it sat two morphers, red and black, with two empty spaces for other morphers beside them. At the sight of them, everyone started whispering fiercely around Dean.

"One of your fellow students stole the Stone Morpher, and another foolishly tried to fight me with the Jewel one, destroying it when she was defeated. She has been punished." Dean's hands clenched into fists. One of the Jewel ninjas sprang to his feet, looking furious, but his friends dragged him back down before the monsters could react. "So I wouldn't recommend volunteering just to try and stab us in the back."

Now a Metal ninja stood up. He was olive-skinned, with dark hair and a disturbing smirk on his face. Nobody tried to stop him as he went forward, only slid out of his path. Sensei Blackfeather looked up slowly as he climbed onto the stage.

"Reggie Anvil. I'm ze best, and I vant to be on ze vinning team," he said, his German accent sharpening his words. Korassil gave Blackfeather a questioning look, and earned a small nod. Dean barely knew Reggie, but he was right: he was the best of the Metal ninjas, far and away. He received the morpher with a triumphant grin.

Silence fell as Korassil turned back to the crowd. Strapping the morpher on his wrist, Reggie stepped back behind the monster and clasped his hands behind his back. Everyone was looking at the Mineral Springs ninjas now, waiting for someone to stand. They were nervous, whispering, looking around, shuffling in place. Nobody wanted to join, and nobody wanted to fight back.

Then a few more ninjas from various disciplines came forward. Some avoided eye contact, some just looked straight ahead, and a few looked smug. They came up beside Reggie, and Korassil eyed them. Reggie himself moved away a little, giving the other Metal ninjas a warning look.

Dean clambered to his feet, feeling all eyes on him. They made way for him, and he heard them trying to remember his name. Of course. The monsters were taller up close, but Dean just shoved past them and ran up on stage.

"Dean," Sensei Blackfeather said, as he stopped in front of Korassil. Maybe he'd spoken to the others, too; his voice was barely above a whisper.

"This is the school's decision, I'll stand with it," Dean said, loudly enough so everyone could hear him. Korassil looked up and down the row of ninjas. Then he glanced at Sensei Blackfeather.

"Which is the best fighter?" He asked.

"...Dean Rider," the Sensei admitted, after a moment. Korassil handed him the Mineral Springs morpher, which Dean accepted with grim satisfaction. The monster's metallic gauntlet clinked a little with the movement. Standing beside Reggie, Dean strapped it on. The rest of the school stared at them like they'd done something wrong. Morons.

"Thank you. For your cooperation, you will all be allowed to remain here, as you were before," Korassil announced. Several humanoid creatures, white with red stitching dotting their bodies, black scorpions for faces, wandered into the crowd. They were carrying what looked like silver bracelets, which they began strapping to the ninjas' ankles. "However, I wouldn't go more than twenty miles away from the school if I were you. Those who have volunteered to join me will make sure you don't cause any trouble—and will look for the thief."

Turning, he faced the two newly-chosen Rangers, and then the Academy vanished. The three of them materialized in a dark room, ringed with silvery walls. Crossing to a computer panel near the doorway, Korassil typed in a few commands. All of the walls went blinding white, and Dean winced.

The nearest wall-screen changed, showing a woman in purple armor standing in a room like theirs, looking battered and stone-faced. Then another, showing an angry blue-haired woman and a smug bald Asian in fiery robes. Directly in front of the two teens materialized an image of a human-looking Caucasian man in a suit, leaning slightly on a cane. He looked like he was on his way to a business meeting, completely out of place next to the others.

"Well?" The final screen lit up, revealing what looked like a man in a black robe, covered with patterns and doodads, wearing a full face mask that exposed his nose, mouth and eyes. He folded his arms and looked around.

"I have the Ethereal Academy, but none of the morphers," the woman in purple said, bowing her head slightly.

"What do you mean, none of them? You had one already, what happened?"

"It was taken from me by a student. We are searching the caves for him."

"Great," the man muttered. He turned to the blue-haired woman. "Xumara, what's the matter? You look sour."

"This—" she gave the man with her an angry shake "—fool annihilated the Earthlight Academy!" He only chuckled. "Almost a third of the students and staff are either dead or unaccounted for, and the only morphers we were able to retrieve were ruined!" The masked man tsked disapprovingly, but the bald man didn't seem to care.

"The Season ninjas are in my custody, but all four Season Morphers are missing," business suit guy said, "But two students who I believe were acting as couriers for the morphers have escaped. Temporarily, of course."

"Who are these people, Korassil?" The masked man demanded, gesturing at Reggie and Dean. Korassil came forward.

"Lothor, these are two of the volunteers from the Terra Academy, which surrendered to us within the first half-hour. With your permission, I have put the school under house arrest. One student has escaped with the Stone Morpher."

"Volunteers?" Lothor scrutinized the pair, and grinned. "Smart boys." Reggie bristled a little, but didn't say anything. "Good job. Stay where you are, clean up those messes you've got left."

"Sir—" the woman in purple began, but Lothor cut her off.

"No, I've already taken care of the Wind Ninja Academy, I don't need any help! Besides, fat lot of good you'd do, you can't even handle one school each." Tauza nodded curtly. "Korassil, sort all this out. I've got a little personal business to attend to." With a dark chuckle, Lothor turned off his screen.

"I don't need help," Xumara said, still looking cranky. "I'll be sorting out if any of the students even escaped. My Kelzak Berserks can handle that on their own. You," she turned to the bald man, "Are confined to quarters." He sulked, starting to smoke a little, but Xumara reached for the headband around her forehead, and he stopped. Their screen went dark.

"Anvil, you'll go to Tauza and help her find the thief. Rider, you'll track down the Thinker's runaways," Korassil said. "I will find my missing Blue morpher."

"Gladly," Reggie said, smirking. Dean just nodded. He glanced towards the Thinker. The brown-haired man was eyeing him with a look of disdain, but shrugged.

"Fine," he said. "Send him directly to Scrimshaw, I'll find something useful for him to do." Both screens deactivated at once, leaving Korassil and the two teenagers alone in the room. It felt very dark after all that light.

"Come, we have no time to waste," Korassil said, turning and walking out the door. Reggie and Dean followed him.

Allies

 * Sensei Blackfeather

Villains

 * Korassil
 * Kelzak Berserks
 * Spider Drones
 * The Thinker
 * Tauza
 * Lothor
 * Xumara
 * Zart