The Coming of Scourge

By: Claymation

Chapter Six

Silver  

Chapter 6

           There was a time when Ebony Ranger had no strength. Two hundred years ago on her home planet, Sypha, she stood in a round metallic gray room. The Council of  Eel-Darnans of the Syphian Tribes of the Together Planets for One Unionized Universe sat in front of her. There were eight of them, dressed in black robes. On that day, Ebony Ranger was no longer called by her training name, 147689. She was given the name of Ebony Ranger and her mission to report and defeat all kinds of evil encountered on the Planet Earth.

            But that memory had always stirred up memories of the countless hours of running, weightlifting and fighting. There were eight other women in the same program, each becoming rangers as well and they were sent to eight other planets. Each of the women had become best of friends but that was all Ebony Ranger remembered.

Before the training, she knew nothing and she wondered if she ever had a life similar to Human’s life. Too often she wondered how it felt to be a daughter and she wondered if she saw an image of her mother in the armchair, which she held on to. The image vanished and all she could hear was the police sirens outside the church and Mrs. Flurry’s and Boomgirl’s crying.

“Flurr, Boom, my super strength is gone!”

Boomgirl and Mrs. Flurry held each other in their arms, still crying and not paying attention to Mrs. Flurry. From outside, a monophonic voice echoed.

“Come out with your hands up!”

Boomgirl and Mrs. Flurry turned toward the sound in shock, their faces red from crying with mascara running down their cheeks. Mrs. Flurry broke her hold from Boomgirl, pushing herself to a rocky stance. Boomgirl looked a worried eye to her. As she straightened her long black dress, although covered in a little blood with some dust from the her fight with Deathblink, Boom girl stood quickly, grabbing Mrs. Flurry’s arm.

“What are you doing? They’re going to arrest us and they’ll find out that we are super heroines!”

“We’re surrounded, India, and I have no powers either.”

Boomgirl shared a long stare with Mrs. Flurry before biting her lip before turning away and walking a couple steps toward the church door.

“Energy!” She swung her arms, twirling and stopping with her hands toward the door. “Blast!”

Nothing flew out of her hands, her eyes widened and the realization she had no powers sunk in. She felt her heart sink as the moisture in her mouth disappeared. She gulped.

In a quiet voice, barely hearable, she said, “I got no powers.”

Boom girl crumbled back to her knees, placing her hands together, closing her eyes and silently praying to Jesus.

Ebony Ranger said, “That’s ok, we can still get away!”

“How?” Mrs. Flurry replied.

“I don’t know but I think I seen something like this happen in a movie,” Ebony Ranger said, “They were all in this bank and they asked for a bus. The police gave them the bus in exchange for a hostage. Then they surrounded themselves with hostages and walked out of the bank but just before they got on the bus snipers shot them.”

Mrs. Flurry stood and stared blankly at Ebony Ranger.

“Eb, what was your mission on earth supposed to be?”

“Defeat and report evil.”

Ebony Ranger wondered why Mrs. Flurry looked at her strange. Was it maybe for the idea she had about the bus or is there something more sinister about Mrs. Flurry? She had always been told never to disclose her mission statement but she thought humans could be so stupid that it wouldn’t hurt. Though, Mrs. Flurry wasn’t a normal human. She was a super heroine, after all, or maybe the super heroine look was more of a guise. Ebony Ranger squinted her eyes back at Mrs. Flurry.

“Eb, if you’re going to be in our gang, maybe you should just keep quiet and do what I tell you.”

“Ok, got it. Flur.”

“India, get up we’re walking outside.”

Ten police cars surrounded the church. Men in blue, some wearing black coats, stood behind the cars, aiming their weapons toward the door. Snipers took places on surrounding buildings and a team of S.W.A.T. stood on top of the church, aiming their M-16s over ledge at the front and back door. Three police helicopters flew over the area, circling the church.

Another helicopter flew around them, the words channel nine posted on its side. Inside the helicopter, the attractive newswoman in her early twenties, with her red hair tied back and her bangs combed over her dark black glasses, spoke into a microphone. She was the same woman who reported the death of Roxanne Dandey.

“This is Kelli Capelli, reporting for Channel Nine News. Here we’re at a standoff between the police of April Flowers Village and an unknown number of terrorists inside this church. Oh look! The doors are opening. The doors are opening and someone is walking out.”

The monophonic voice echoed so the helicopter could here it.

“Stand down, Stand down. Do not fire!” said the Police Chief.

Kelli continued, “A blonde woman dressed in what appears to be a black dress is exiting the church,” She paused and ducked her head, holding her hand up to her ear, “What's that. I have just heard reports that the red spots on the woman are blood. Maybe she’s a victim or hostage and she’s being released. Oh wait, there’s a second woman behind her, smaller with short red hair, wearing a black jacket, blouse and pants. She too is covered in red spots that may be blood. And there’s a third woman walking out now, African American in appearance, with long, golden brown curly hair. She’s wearing a red jacket over a black blouse and she’s also wearing black pants. Wait, it is a white jacket. The jacket is supposed to be red but it too is covered in blood.”

A strong wind gushed west, picking up dust and litter, and some of the police had difficulty keeping their weapons aimed at the church. Ebony Ranger, Mrs. Flurry and Boom Girl kept their hands raised but looked toward the direction the wind was blowing from.

Nine harriers appeared over the tops of the buildings to the east. Police scrambled to point their weapons at the harriers instead of the church. The police chief panicked and ran toward half of his men, slapping at their arms, pointing toward the church and telling them to keep aim. He ran back to his megaphone, picking it up.

“Attention! The April Flowers Village has jurisdiction of this arrest!”

Mrs. Flurry spotted a small T and a small L, both circled by a green ring of leaves.

“Cassius! Quick run back in the church! He’s creating a diversion for us to escape out the back!” Mrs. Flurry said.

Kelli continued, “Certainly a day to be remembered here for the rest of the world. Somehow, there is a clash of jurisdiction between the local police and military authorities. Exactly what is inside that church? Wait! The three women are running back into the church! Seems like they might be more than hostages in this matter.”

As the three women ran into the church, splinters of wood flew from the back of the church. They jumped, seeing ten sword-like shapes, all metallic and reflective with super smooth surfaces, and splintering out and around the edges of the entire wall.

Mrs. Flurry smiled and she said, “Cassius!”

CRASH!

As the smoke and debris cleared from the wall flying back, Mrs. Flurry ran toward the back but she stopped as soon as she seen the eight foot tall shape of a metallic and reflective skinned bald man.

“Omni Supreme!” Mrs. Flurry said.

“Omni Supreme!” Boom girl said, tears welling up at from the bottom of her eyes as she grabbed a hold of Ebony Ranger.

In the center of the new hole in the wall, Omni Supreme stood like a modern day goliath, glaring down on Mrs. Flurry. As more of his form appeared as the dust settled, the girls could see that his entire body was covered in a reflective metal skin. His head was wider than thirty-six inch television and the muscles on his body were ten times larger than an Olympian weight lifter or wrestler.

Omni Supreme said, “Hello again, Mrs. Flurry. Are you going to introduce me to your friends?”

Mrs. Flurry turned around and ran toward Ebony Ranger and Boom Girl. Another reflective metallic form dropped from the ceiling, landing between Mrs. Flurry and the two other women, and they all screamed. Ticking sounds echoed as shiny, metallic, reflective eight legs of a spider stood between Ebony Ranger, Boom Girl and Mrs. Flurry.

“Run!”

“Flur? Now would be a good time for us to get our powers back!”

“We’re not leaving you, Mrs. Flurry!”

Mrs. Flurry jumped toward the spider, clutching her arms around one of the legs.

“Go! Get out of here now!”

The gigantic spider clicked sounds from its mandibles as it raised its front four legs off the ground. Mrs. Flurry went into the air with one of the legs. Ebony Ranger jumped into the air, grasping onto Mrs. Flurry’s foot with both her hands.

“Ebony! Stop!”

FWATWOOM!!! Echoed from the other wall, debris of splinters and wood from the churches walls blew inward, and Ebony Ranger, Mrs. Flurry and Boom Girl hit the ground from the concussion. Incoming laser blasts erupted from the smoke.

“Get up! Quick!” Mrs. Flurry said, pulling Ebony Ranger to her feet. They dodged the flailing spider. Ebony Ranger looked up and she seen laser blasts hit the body of the spider, keeping the spider in its stance. She stopped, even though Mrs. Flurry pulled her more. She looked over toward Omni Supreme, and the laser blasts kept him and his cronies busy too.

“Eb! Let’s go!” Mrs. Flurry said.

“Flur, Look!” Ebony Ranger said.

In the direction of the laser blasts, Ebony Ranger pointed Mrs. Flurry to realize her brother had emerged from the smoke and debris. Fully clothed in a suit of armor, similar to something out of a sci-fi movie, Cassius’s face barely exposed itself through visor on his helmet.

The door erupted abruptly, sending debris flying over Boom girl’s head. Three soldiers rushed into the newly created hole. One fired at the spider, one fired at Cassius and the other grabbed Boom Girl by the shoulders. Mrs. Flurry jumped toward Boom Girl, able to catch Boom Girl’s feet.

“Eb, help! These aren’t Cassius’s men!”

Hearing Mrs. Flurry state she’s been grabbed by someone other than Cassius’s men, Boom Girl screamed, and then she kicked her feet, giving Mrs. Flurry an even harder time.

“Stop kicking, damn it!”

Ebony Ranger may have had her strength taken away, but not her skills. However, a long time has passed since she used them. She threw a flying kick toward the soldier pulling at Boom Girl’s shoulders, and she missed the soldier by a couple feet overhead. Ebony Ranger flew the door, landing back outside, only to witness the horror of warfare.

The police have been caught in crossfire between Cassius’s men, the National Guard and another privately owned military unit. Harriers and jets chased each other in the sky. Tanks on either side echoed their blasts overhead the police, and military troops fired their bullets overhead too.

One of the soldiers grabbed Ebony Rangers shoulders too, but she was skilled enough to kick her leg far enough back to crack his skull. He fell down with a soft thud. She scrambled to her knees, grabbed the soldiers laser rifle. At that moment, a clenching sensation wrapped around her throat, immobilizing her and pulling her off the ground. She turned to face a feminine face, with reflective metallic skin.

“Hello, hello deary.”

            “Omni Priss!”

            “Ah, she knows me!”

            Omni Priss’s metallic hair fell in waves beyond her shoulders, stopping at her neckline. Her face was thin, with thin lips and eyes made evil by twisted eyebrows. Without shame, she stood completely naked, reflective metal curving over her c-cup sized breasts, small waist and hips. Even though her form seemed petite, Omni Priss’s strength was ten times that of a man’s; and for the first time, Ebony Ranger felt what it was like for someone else to have greater strength than her.

            Omni Priss wasted no time running toward the other privately owned military unit, clutching Ebony Ranger in her arms. Ebony Ranger struggled frantically, but it was no use. Worse, for the first time she thought her immortal life would end by a stray bullet. Unfortunately, she secretly wished a bullet hit her so she may not have to endure any later torture.

            A mechanical voice echoed above Omni Priss, “Put her down.”

            Ebony Ranger looked up to see a fiery jets emit from the bottom of a golden foot as the foot smashed down into Omni Priss’s face. She fell free from Omni Priss’s grasp, looking up into a golden female android. Not the best or curviest of female androids, but this one had features similar to a female. Unlike Omni Priss, the hair wasn’t wavy: it was blocky or all in one. Feminine features of the face were edges and not curves. The body, shoulders, arms, breasts, hips and legs were all very boxy, cubic in some areas.

            Omni Priss lunged from her fallen stance almost like magic into the android’s abdomen. The two hit the ground with a force that crumbled the street under their weight. Blow by blow exchanged between the two.

            Seeing that her captor was busy now, Ebony Ranger had to get back into the church to help her friends. She stood up halfway to dodge the fire overhead, and made a beeline toward the church.

            In a sudden explosion, the church erupted, and Ebony Ranger felt immense heat as felt the ground fall from her feet. The explosion threw her, anyone and all objects around the church back one hundred feet. Her clothes ripped free in over her chest, revealing her black brazier. The blast formed frayed the edges around her garments, even making holes down her sleeves. She fell to the ground with a hard thud.

            Wishing the nightmare were over, she could only hear a ringing. She opened her eyes and blurriness washed over into accurate detail. She could see soldiers running back and forth still. She could see bullets and shells fly through the air. But she could only hear a ringing sound. She looked toward the church, up in flames now. She will never forgive herself for not getting back to the church. If only she could have connected that kick. The thoughts started racing through her head, and tears began to swell up in her eyes. Then a black foot stepped in front of her.

            She looked up in horror to see another crazy invention, a cyborg sort-of. This time it had a masculine form, but the body was extremely bulky, like a trash can on top of two legs. One arm was tipped with only two claws that snapped together. The other arm was a hose, which bent up, down, sideways by rudimentary hydraulics. To top this beast off, a dome shaped helmet sat on its trashcan-like body with plenty of bubbles encircling a skull floating in green clear liquid.

            “No! Get away from me!” She cried, backing up.

            The creature sprayed a green liquid from the hose arm over top Ebony Ranger. She ducked, but heard a sizzling sound behind her. She turned to see the golden android falling down, half of its body melted way from the green liquid. Screaming followed, and Ebony Ranger wondered who it was, Omni Priss! The green liquid flew through the golden android and hit Omni Priss! Omni Priss squirmed on the ground, frantically rubbing herself over and over until her movements slowed. She rolled over and Ebony Ranger saw much of the long portions of Omni Priss’s hair were gone and half her back was missing. Redness emanated from the hole in her back.

            The creature reached down with it’s clawed hand and grabbed a hold of Ebony Ranger’s neck. She thought it just wasn’t her day for being strangled; but as clawy the hand was, the creature was gentle with her.

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