Battle Of Planets

Chapter 6: Blue
The blue-haired guy slid his bike to a stop by the gate of the makeshift settlement, nodding at the few rogues hanging around.Few acknowledged him with grins. A small group of them, sitting near a rusted barrel fire, raised their fists in greeting.

”Hey, Blue,” one of them called out, a young woman with a scar running down her cheek. ”Got any good stories from the last raid?”

He smirked, pulling the helmet off and tucking it under his arm. ”Stories don’t get the job done. You know that, Raine.”

”Yeah, but they sure keep the night interesting,” she shot back, her voice full of sarcasm. ”Anyway, Coco’s been locked up in the back, Maybe he found good stuff.”

The Guy with blue hair chuckled and waved, making his way through the haphazard tents and piles of scrap metal that littered the area.

He passed by others who offered a nod, and a few of the kids playing in the dirt even stopped to watch him. They’d always been in awe of him.

He stopped momentarily when a lanky man wearing a patched-up vest waved him down.

”Blue, you coming by later for the usual?” he asked, eyes gleaming with a mix of mischief.

”Maybe,” Blue answered with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. ”Got a few things to check on first,”

The lanky man grinned, ”Don’t take too long. We’ll be ready.”

With a last look at the scattered settlement, Blue made his way toward the heart of the warehouse, where the real action was.

Inside, the noise of machines and the occasional clink of tools echoed. He pushed open the heavy door, the familiar sounds and scents of the underground world greeting him.

Inside the warehouse, the hum of machines and the sharp smell of chemicals filled the air.

Blue made his way past rows of tables cluttered with metal scraps, blue colured stones, wires, and glowing screens. In the back corner, Coco stood hunched over a workbench, the soft light of a welding torch flickering over his hands as he worked with delicate nano-particles, adjusting a containment unit.

Coco looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly before a slow grin crept across his face.

”Ah, Blue. You always show up when I’m doing something important.”

Blue set the helmet on a nearby table and walked over, his eyes scanning the table full of vials and intricate devices and diffremt coloured stone.

”Heard you were getting your hands on something interesting. Nano-particles, huh?” He raised an eyebrow, tapping one of the vials. ”Stealing from the Rangers again?”

Coco chuckled, the sound low and amused. ”Well, when the Rangers aren’t looking, it’s hard to resist. But these... these are more than just a petty theft. They’re key to our future, Blue.”

He motioned to the particles, which shimmered faintly inside their containment units. ”You know as well as I do, these are the building blocks of our victory.”

Blue crossed his arms, leaning against the table. ”I know. The nano-particles are what keep the our suits operational, right? If they lose too many of them in a fight, they start to lose functionality.”

”Exactly.” Coco nodded, leaning over to adjust a setting on a nearby machine. ”The our suits are designed to be self-sustaining, but Rangers rely on a steady supply of nano-particles unlike us. We have no source beside stealing from them”

”You see, once our suits get damaged—like in a battle or an assault—they start losing them. Without a recharge, ours suits become vulnerable. And without those suits, everyone lose their edge. So we better be prepared in advance” he added,

He paused for a moment, eyes flickering toward the vials. ”That’s why we have to reinforce our tech. These nano-particles don’t just repair the suits—they enhance them, make them more adaptable...These will keep them going as long as we have enough reserves”

Blue gave a small, approving nod. ”So we’re making sure the next time we face them, we will have equality... Like we always dreamt of”

”Right” Coco said, ”We are making playing field even for everyone...just Imagine the meta-bots fully charged and ready to go—against Edward or any of the other Rangers”

”yeah that sounds epic”

”but for that I need more. More nano-particles, more resources.” Coco urged.

”I’ll get you what you need,” Blue responded with a smirk. ”You know I don’t back down from a challenge. But don’t get too eager first I need to know your plans”

Coco grinned,”don’t worry I’ll take you with me when I’ll start moving for now You take care of getting us the goods.”

”Fine, see you” Blue turned to leave, but Coco’s voice stopped him.

”Hold up.” Coco wiped his hands on a rag. ”How’s your little playmates doing? Alex and Tyson right? Edwards pups... I heard you gave them quite the beating?”

Blue paused, a smirk tugging at his lips as he faced Coco. ”We had fun at least I did, I feel good when I deal with kids around my age” His voice carried a playful tone, though there was an underlying darkness to his words. ”I like to break their bubbles”

Coco’s grin faded slightly, a hint of curiosity flickering in his eyes. ”You’re a strange one, Blue. You always refuse to take it to extremes and I hope they do too”

”Chill we are not real enemies, right?” asked Blue,

”Nope, we just want peace” Coco hesitated, ”Now go... I am working here”

”Yeah yeah,” Blue said before turning and making his way to the exit.

Coco leaned back, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the workbench, watching Blue’s retreating figure ”There is a blurred line between Friends and Enemies, it better if you learn that fast...Blue”

---

Back at the Rangers Association headquarters, the atmosphere buzzed with the usual flurry of activity.

Tyson sat in front of a wide screen displaying his stats, his fingers lightly tapping the edge of the table as he stared at the numbers.

Age: 25

Gender: Male

Power Points: 15

The screen flickered for a moment and then solidified. Tyson’s mind wandered briefly as he observed the data. Fifteen power points.

He had reached it after weeks of intense training, but even with his progress, he couldn’t help but feel like it wasn’t enoug.

Tyson couldn’t deny the little satisfaction of seeing those numbers. He had worked tirelessly, pushing himself harder than ever before.

Alex and the other hand already reached 22 power points, where areas he only grew two points but for Tyson his growth felt natural unlike his own but Tyson wasn’t discouraged.

Each point was hard-earned, and he knew that with time and persistence, he’d bridge the gap.

Tyson cracked his neck and leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful look on his face.

Nancy’s words had certainly left an impression on him. What started as a simple crush had grown into something more. He found himself admiring the way she spoke, the way her presence made him feel. It was clear now—she had carved a place in his heart.

”White Ranger!” Tyson exclaimed, his fingers flying over the display screen in a frantic search. The advanced AI provided instant results, but he wasn’t satisfied. He kept scrolling, diving deeper into the internet, until his eyes landed on a familiar face—her father, the previous White Ranger, standing in his uniform.

”There he is, General Victor Winters”

Tyson’s eyes lingered on the screen, transfixed by the footage of the White Ranger in action. The video showed him single-handedly taking down a group of rogues, each strike deliberate and precise. Despite the overwhelming victory, what caught Tyson’s attention was the White Ranger’s restraint. Instead of arresting them and doing his duty, he offered them mercy and extended an olive branch, later recruiting them into his battalion.

Tyson couldn’t help but admire the calm strength and wisdom behind such a decision.

The scene made Tyson pause. There was something about that act of mercy, that leadership made him think about his journey and the kind of person he wanted to become.

The screen flickered, and a new set of details appeared. Tyson’s heart skipped a beat as he read the text

The Ice World: Humanity’s Nightmare.

The photo showed a desolate, frozen landscape, an environment so hostile that no human had ever returned alive after entering. It was a place feared by every Ranger and the stuff of legends—one where many had attempted and failed, their lives claimed by the unforgiving environment and its deadly inhabitants.

What made the Ice World so notorious was the fact that it was ruled by two powerful bosses, each more ruthless than the other. This unique and brutal dynamic meant that anyone who ventured there was at risk not only from the harsh elements but from the constant battles with these forces.

No ranger had ever managed to conquer the Ice World, and the place had effectively stalled humanity’s advancement, holding them back from progressing to the next stage.

Tyson’s thoughts raced. This place—this deadly, impossible world—was where the White Ranger had met his demise. The very thought made Tyson shiver. He had heard stories, but seeing the harsh truth on the screen was another thing entirely.

”its not just place—it is a graveyard for those who dared to defy its rule”

Tyson jumped slightly, startled by Edward’s voice behind him. He quickly turned in his chair, his gaze meeting Edward’s.

The older ranger’s tone was calm, almost detached, but there was an undeniable edge.

”Quite a fascinating place, isn’t it?” Edward chuckled. He stepped forward, placing his hands on the back of Tyson’s chair. ”I was around forty-five power points when we had to see the horrors of that place. I watched from the screen when my friends got slaughtered by those beasts.”

Tyson’s eyes widened, his mind racing. ”You... you were there?” His voice trembled.

Edward’s gaze darkened as old memories surfaced. He folded his arms as though the weight of those moments pressed down on him.

”I was in the battle room, waiting to get drafted into that hellhole,” he began, his voice heavy. ”We couldn’t go in unless the rangers inside chose us. They could use the points they earned during the battle to call for reinforcements... but they never did.”

”Why?” Tyson asked, barely above a whisper.

”They knew what awaited us.” Edward’s eyes clouded with haunted recollection.

”They chose death, Tyson. They knew the beasts, the endless slaughter—calling us it would’ve been a death sentence. We were nothing more than... toys to them.”

Tyson swallowed hard, unease tightening his chest. ”Are they really that powerful?”

Edward nodded grimly. ”That particular dungeon? Yeah. I’ve seen rangers with over eighty power points torn apart in those fields. The moment you step in, you’re dead. Even your own team in the battle room can’t help you. They have no choice but to abandon you. It’s a one-way ticket, Tyson. Only the unlucky make it inside.”

Tyson hesitated the weight of Edward’s words pressing on him. ”Who... who would ever choose to go in there”

”Only those with hearts bigger than the rest... like your parents.”

The words hit Tyson like a blow. He stared at Edward, stunned, as the silence between them deepened.

”I had parents?” he asked, his voice breaking. ”Then why... why was I in the orphanage? Why did they abandon me?”

Edward exhaled slowly, his face etched with regret. ”They didn’t abandon you, Tyson. They were rangers. They wanted you to have a normal life, away from all this. They knew what lay ahead and made the hardest decision of their lives to protect you. But... destiny had other plans. The meta-bot chose you, and I... I had to make you part of this fight.”

Tyson let out a bitter laugh, his voice trembling with emotion.

”Right. I should be grateful, shouldn’t I? For being chosen? For growing up without them because they were too busy saving others to think about me?”

Edward flinched but stood his ground. ”They did think about you. They were there, Tyson. They came to your birthdays every year. They watched from afar, until—”

”Until what?” Tyson interrupted, his voice rising. ”Until they were gone? And you—what about you, Master? You only took me in because you felt guilty, didn’t you?”

Edward’s face tightened. ”No, Tyson. I took you in because I wanted to. The moment I saw the meta-bot choose you, I knew it was time. But...” His voice softened. ”I’ve never been a great father. I know that.”

Tyson stared at him, his emotions swirling—anger, sadness, confusion—all battling for dominance. ”No, you haven’t,” he muttered, his voice thick with pain.

Tyson stared at Edward, his emotions a storm threatening to break free. He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as if holding back the words that wanted to spill out.

”I can’t do this right now,” Tyson muttered, his voice low but strained. He turned abruptly, heading for the door.

”Tyson—” Edward called, stepping forward, but the younger man stopped him with a sharp look over his shoulder.

”Don’t,” Tyson said, his voice cold and distant. ”You’ve told me enough.”

Edward watched as Tyson walked away, his footsteps heavy, yet filled with purpose. The door closed behind him with a soft click, leaving Edward alone in the room.

The silence was deafening. Edward exhaled shakily, running a hand down his face as if the weight of their shared history had doubled. He sank into a nearby chair, the guilt and regret etched deeply into his features.