PokéRangers: New World

What Doesn't Kill Us

"Slow down!" Houndoom Ranger shouted as he and the others gave chase to the Infernape Ranger. "What's up?"

The Infernape Ranger was so lost in thought, he couldn't hear his friends' calling after him; but even if he did, he wouldn't have known how to explain it to them. It was like a memory he had hidden away ages ago, not for his sake – but hers.

It all came flowing back to him. That day at the beach all those years ago – long before they were a unified team – when he was first trying to figure out his own powers. How he bumped into that girl he used to go to school with and how she also had powers. He remembered how quickly they began to reconnect and... how quickly that day ended.

In many ways, she had always been the strongest of them. Maybe that's why he could never bring himself to tell the others about that day. Maybe it was because it wasn't really his story to tell. Either way, he could never forget the look of fear in her eyes – fear of herself and what she might do to others – when she tripped and accidentally discharged so much electricity that she crystalized the entire beach around her into fulgurite.

It was almost a year before he'd ever see that girl again...

"INFERNAPE!!!!!" the Greninja Ranger screamed before another crash of thunder echoed throughout the cavern. It was so loud the ground actually shook. Though it was the scream that echoed afterward that made the Rangers stop in their tracks.

"That sounded like Bewear..." the Mandibuzz Ranger exclaimed concerned.

"New plan guys" the Infernape Ranger instructed. "Summon the Zords!"

------

Whether it was the speed of Xaikrou's attack or past traumas resurfacing, Macho barely had time to react. All he could do was cower and shield his eyes from the blinding light. Seconds felt like hours. He felt the intense heat from the shockwave; but was still awaiting the impact. The anxiety was tearing him to pieces as he kept his eyes closed. He could have stayed like that for hours, if it wasn't for Bewear's scream snapping him out of it.

As he opened his eyes, he saw the Bewear Ranger standing in front of him – arms in an X-shape. Not only was this girl fast enough to intercept the entire attack; but block it as well. Though at what cost?

"Why?" Macho whimpered.

"Nicely done!" Xaikrou applauded. "You've still got it girl! But that attitude though...." it shook its finger with a toothy grin. "You've got an overdeveloped sense of heroism; and that's going to get you in trouble someday."

Macho was overwhelmed by everything before him. But it wasn't just the Bewear Ranger's cracked helmet or how singed her suit was – smoke still rising off of it in spots. He could see how heavily she was breathing. She was giving it her all just to remain standing.

"Please... no more." Macho begged as he fell to his knees. "Leave me and save yourself..."

"....Like hell." the Bewear Ranger replied defiantly between breaths.

"Well would you look at that!" Xaikrou exclaimed malevolently. "Yet another person just got hurt because of you Macho. I guess some things don't change after all."

Macho's spirit was completely broken. "Please, no more." He pleaded. "Just save yourself. My life isn't worth-"

"LIKE HELL!" the Bewear Ranger shouted before he could finish. "You think you can just help me through a tough time and then sacrifice yourself? Were you not listening when I said I was tired of losing friends?"

Macho was at a loss for words. Despite all of her injuries, the Bewear Ranger's spirit was as strong as ever.

"So for the love of Arceus", she continued before pausing to take a deep breath, "enough with your pity party macho! Jeez, you were less annoying when you were a loud-mouthed narcissist!!" she groaned. "What happened to all that 'if you spend too much time living in the past you won't have a future at all' stuff?"