The Dark Side of the Moon

Trading Places

"He's at the market. Mike and Emily are already there!"

"What about Antonio?"

"He's not responding."

Rune rolled her eyes as she followed Jayden across town. They morphed three quarters of the way there, and just turned the corner in time to see a Nighlok extend its tentacle arm at Mike and Emily.

Tracing her Samuraizer through the air, Rune yelled "SHIELD!" and a sparkling silver shield erected itself between her friends and their attacker.

"What?!" the Nighlok gasped. He whipped around and growled as he spotted the rest of the Samurai Rangers.

"Make sure the others are okay," said Jayden.

Mia and Kevin nodded and, as they raced off to check on Mia and Mike, Rune turned and spotted Antonio laying behind his table. "I got him," she said, taking off before Jayden could stop her.

"What's wrong with him?" Mia called.

"I don't know," said Rune, shaking her head. "He's awake, but not responding. Antonio!" she shook him, but he just flapped around like a dead fish.

"Jayden!"

Scrambling to her knees, Rune turned and saw the Nighlok strike Jayden into the chest with one tentacle and hit another into a garden gnome. What is he doing? She thought, watching as Jayden tensed up, glowed a bright golden and then demorphed, taking the exact shape of the Gnome on the table next to her.

"Is he okay?" Kevin asked, as the others crowded around their leader.

Mia shook his shoulders, just as Rune had done Antonio, but he didn't respond nor drop the pose he was now in.

"Jayden, wake up!" said Mike, desperately.

Brow furrowed, Rune tore her gaze away from Jayden and onto the Nighlok. He was standing before the Gnome, sword raised. "Now I'll destroy the Red Ranger for good," he said.

"Oh no, you don't!" said Rune, jumping over the table and slamming her foot into the Nighlok's face. He stumbled back, howling in rage and cupping his snout. His eyes narrowed at the Silver Ranger, and he raised his arms.

"Switchblast!"

"Shield!"

The tentacle hit the shield and stopped.

"Annoying pest!" the Nighlok growled.

"Like that's original," said Rune, rolling her eyes and raising her sword. "You want the Gnome? Go through me!"

"Fine. I'll make the both of you history!"

Rune raised her sword above her head, blocking the downward strike. Drawing her legs together, she jumped, shoving upwards and slamming both her feet into the Nighlok's chest. "I have had enough History for one lifetime," she said.

"Rune!" Kevin and Mia called. They rushed over, cutting between Rune and the Nighlok, and raising their swords. The three blades crashed, and Rune staggered backward into the table; while Mia and Kevin directed the Nighlok's attention away from her.

"Here's one more lesson, Silver Ranger," said the Nighlok. "In 1492 I took out the pink and blue." He deflected each other their swords, before blasting them with his Switchblast.

Rune gasped as Kevin and Mia disappeared behind three towers of boxes, all of which collapsed down up on them.

"Switch blast!" the Nighlok called, extending both his tentacles. Through the debris broke two glows, followed consecutively by another two, and then the Nighlok withdrew. His attention skimmed over Emily, as she rushed to help her friends, over Mike as he stood protecting Jayden, and onto Rune as she protected the Gnome.