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They've been hunting this stupid Sporix beast since before he sun went down and Javi really just wants to call it for the night. This monster is unusually stealthy and since the first panicked hotline call, no one has seen it again. Normally these damn things are loud and aggressive, but not this one, oh no. This one wants to play hide-n-seak.
So the team is split into pairs. He's with his sister of course because Team Garcia is a force to be reckoned with. Even if Izzy has the stamina of a fucking race horse and hasn't slowed down a bit and she's not shy about giving him a hard time for lagging a little. Give him a break, it's been hours of searching.
"Shouldn't we just pick this up in the morning?" Javi asks, and no he's NOT whining thank you very much. It's a resonable suggestiion.
Izzy doesn't even pause. "Don't tell me you're still scared of the dark, bro."
"Hey, I've never been scared of the dark."
"Sure bro, that nightlight was for your teddy bear, right?"
"I—"
Before they can get on a roll of quips and comebacks, their in-helmet commms chirp. Izzy does stop then and Javi almost stumbles of a root as he moves to her side. He doesn't need to see her face to know she's smirking at him.
"Teams check in," Zayto orders.
Javi lifts his comm to answer. "Team Garcia here, not a sign. The flashlights only help so much."
"Team Ollyon here—"
"Absolutely not," Ollie protests before Aiyon can say anything more. Javi has to stiffle his laughter. Whoever taught their alien friend about portmanteaus is no doubt at the top of their blue ranger's hitlist.
"We got nothin'," Aiyon goes on, the shit eating grin he's no doubt wearing clear in his voice.
"Keep looking," Zayto commands, somehow not reacting to their teammates' antics. "We have to get a sample of that venom for Solon."
It's a sobering reminder of just why they haven't given up the hunt for the night. One of the campers that had called in the report had gotten stung by the sporix beast, which was by the other camper's description some kind twisted scorpion looking thing. The afflicted camper was in dire straits, not to mention agony from whatever the venom was doing to him inside.
Solon is doing what she can for the victim but they're on a ticking clock.
Izzy starts hiking again and Javi follows her with renewed determination. They have to find this sporix beast—failure is absolutely not an option. He's pretty sure his ranger instincts wouldn't even let him sleep no matter how much he wants to, not with a life hanging in the balance.
He'll never know what prompts him to look up. There's no sound, no hint of danger. Maybe it's some brotherly instinct.
Whatever it is, Javi looks up into the trees and spots the dark for just before it drops. There's no time for a warning. He throws himself at his sister's back, hearing her startled shout just before a heavy weight slams down on him.
Zayto had once warned them about the weakness of their suits and the protection the Power provides. He'd stressed that extreme electric current can demorph them. And to avoid piercing attacks at all cost.
Something sharp drills through his suit and buries just under his right shoulder blade. The only reason he doesn't scream at the white-hot agony is because the sporix beast's weight knocked all the breath out of him and is keeping him from drawing any back in. It's worse than when he'd broken his arm falling out of the tree is dad had very specifically told him and Izzy not to climb.
There's fire burning through in his blood, spreading with each pump of his heart. His mind is nothing but oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck. He's only vaguely aware of the weight lifting off of him or of being dragged up, a crushing bearhug the only thing keeping him vertical.
"Let him go!"
Javi's big brother instincts react again to Izzy's fury and he finds the strength to lift his head. He hasn't heard her sound that angry since he accidentally broke her hockey stick.
"Move and I'll ssssting him again," the sporix beast hisses in the most stereotypical movie insect voice.
Everything is agony, but he's pretty sure his sister is vibrating with rage. It's almost palpable, like ionic chaged atmosphere before a lightning strike. Someone is going to suffer and he has just enough state of mind to be glad it's not him this time.
"I said. Let. Him. Go."
Javi's body vibrates with the monster's mocking laughter. "You're in no position to make demands, Green Ranger. If he doesn't get the anti-venom in the next 24 hours your Black Ranger will die the most painful death you can imagine."
Considering the fire burning through Javi's body, he doesn't doubt the sporix beast's words. He's had shots that hurt, that he could swear he felt the vacine going in, but he'll absolutely never complain about them ever again. This, this is what it's like to feel something sear through his blood, his muscle, every inch of his skin.
It's not until the monster shakes him roughly and tells him to "sssshut up or I'll really give you ssssomething to cry about" that he even realizes his been keening and whimpering. His body reacts by succumbing the blackness that's been growing at the corner of his vision.
"—ssssporix chesssst to me," the monster is saying as Javi becomes aware of the world again.
"And if I give you our sporix, you swear you'll give me the anit-venom and let him go?" Izzy questions, sounding rightly dubious.
"Almossst, I can give you a ssssample of my venom."
"You don't have the anti-venom?"
Javi has never heard that low, deadly tone from his sister before. He's heard her scream (at him), shriek (also at him), and other expressions of anger, but this—this gives him chills. It's more terrifying than if she was being loud.
"Why would I?"
Izzy literally growls as if she's channeling the tiger spirit. "If my brother dies because you don't have an anti-venom, I will destory you—and then I'll find a way to destory your sporix form, do you understand me?"
"You—"
"Snooze key, ready!"
"Wh—" the monster starts, its body in the process of twisting towards the new voice.
"Snooze time!"
The sporix beast's bearhug immediately goes loose and Javi wills his legs to hold him, but they give out at the same time the monster tips backwards. Izzy must dive for him because the next thing he knows she's cradling him gently in her arms. She's being as careful as she can, he can tell she is, but she must not know where the stinger got him because she accidentally touches it.
This time Javi does scream and the world goes out.