All Fear the Pharaoh Read online

  Ms. Gertrude wrote notes on her clipboard. “I must admit the first-aid demonstration is a clever idea to boost interest in the bake sale, though I’m not keen on the amount of sugary snacks being offered for sale.”

  “Not to worry about that,” Ernie said assuredly. “My juice bar is fully stocked with all the healthy choices anyone could ask for.”

  “Be that as it may, next time I expect to see healthier options, Ms. Kwan,” said Ms. Gertrude.

  Trini held back a frustrated sigh and instead nodded in agreement.

  Ms. Gertrude wrote more notes on her clipboard and walked away.

  Trini noticed Silvia sitting at a table on the far end of the room. She was working on a laptop and was gritting her teeth in irritation. A little concerned, Trini walked over to check on her.

  “Everything okay, Silvia?” Trini asked.

  “Not even close. I’m doing research on the Griffin Pharaoh, but I can’t find anything useful on the Internet,” Silvia grumbled.

  Trini sat down next to her cousin. “I’m glad you’re taking this project so seriously, but I think you’d have more fun helping out with the bake sale or wrapping Ernie up like a mummy with the other scouts.”

  “I guess so,” Silvia said, closing her laptop. “Anyway, I’ll have to go to a library to finish my research, if libraries even exist anymore.”

  Trini giggled. “I’m pretty sure there are a few left. And if you want, I’ll even go with you.”

  “You’re the best cousin ever,” Silvia said, hugging Trini. “Now let’s go sell some cookies.”

  Trini and Silvia made their way back over to join the other scouts.

  “Angel Scouts, you’re all doing great work here,” said Trini. “We’ve already raised more than enough money to pay for our big road trip this summer.”

  The Scouts cheered and applauded.

  At the front door, a dimwitted pair of punks named Bulk and Skull strutted into the room. Skull was lanky, while Bulk was tall and pudgy. Both wore ripped jeans with leather jackets over grungy T-shirts.

  Bulk salivated like a hungry dog when he saw there was a bake sale going on. “Do you see what I see?”

  “You bet your double-wide rump I do,” Skull said, licking his chops. “We gotta get us some of that yumminess.”

  Bulk and Skull raced over toward the table, pushing past the line to get to the front.

  “Give us two of everything, and make it quick,” Bulk demanded.

  “We’re hankering for some sugary treats, and we want ’em now,” Skull said.

  The scouts looked at one another, uncertain what to do.

  “Don’t worry, scouts. I’ve got this,” Trini said, grinning a little. She picked up two large brownies. “These sure smell good. I bet you guys could eat a whole plateful.”

  “You know we could, so give me, give me,” Skull said.

  Bulk and Skull grabbed for the brownies, but Trini stepped away.

  “Hey, what gives, Trini?” Bulk asked.

  “Funny you should say ‘gives,’ because everyone here is giving donations to the Angel Scouts in exchange for the treats,” Trini said.

  Bulk crinkled his nose. “As in, like, give you money?”

  “We’ve never given anyone anything in our lives,” Skull protested.

  “There’s never a better time to start than right now,” Trini said. “Your generous donations will help to pay for the scouts to go on camping trips like the one we’re going on tomorrow.”

  “Why should we care about a bunch of goody-goody scouts going on a camping trip?” Bulk asked.

  Trini shook her head in disbelief. “If I have to explain it to you, then you’ll never get it, so I have another idea. We need some more volunteers for the first-aid demonstration. If you two agree to help out, you can each have two free items.”

  Bulk and Skull looked at her skeptically.

  “And what would we have to volunteer to do?” Bulk asked.

  “All you have to do is just sit in the chairs. The scouts will do the rest,” said Trini.

  “Heck, I’ll do that,” said Skull. “We just sit around doing nothing for free all the time.”

  Bulk and Skull strutted over to the first-aid demonstration area and sat down in two chairs. The scouts got right to work, wrapping Bulk’s and Skull’s limbs in bandages and splints. It took only a brief moment before Bulk and Skull began to fidget around impatiently.

  “How long is this going to take?” Bulk grumbled. “We’re hungry and we want some sugary goodness.”

  “Yeah, let’s put this demonstration into overdrive,” Skull demanded.

  The scouts shrugged and began to work faster, passing the rolls of bandages to one another as quickly as they could. Bulk and Skull continued demanding that the girls speed up.

  The scouts began to get annoyed and started to wrap the bandages around Bulk’s and Skull’s eyes. Finally, the scouts turned Bulk’s and Skull’s chairs back-to-back and used the bandages to bind the duo together so they were unable to move.

  “Bulk, what’s happening? I can’t see anything,” Skull squealed in a panic.

  “All I want to know is when we’re getting our brownies,” Bulk said.

  The girls giggled and exchanged high fives.

  Trini turned around and did her best to hold back a giggle when she saw what had happened. “Scouts, I think you might have gone a little too far there.”

  Ms. Gertrude, furious, came stomping over. “What in tarnation is going on here?”

  Trini tried to hide her smirking grin. “Ms. Gertrude, please don’t be angry. The scouts were just having a little fun with Bulk and Skull.”

  “Angel Scouts do not engage in unruly mischief. Unwrap these boys this instant,” Ms. Gertrude demanded.

  The scouts quickly unraveled the bandages, freeing Bulk and Skull. The two leaped up and looked around in anger and confusion.

  “You think that’s funny?” Bulk asked. “You just wait. We’ll show you what’s funny.”

  “Yeah, we’ll learn you what’s funny, real good,” said Skull.

  They each grabbed a plate of brownies and then stomped away.

  Ms. Gertrude shook her head in disappointment. “Ms. Kwan, you’ve set a poor example for the scouts. A poor example, indeed.”

  Trini considered this and nodded. “You’re right. It won’t happen again.”

  Ms. Gertrude wrote notes on her clipboard and walked away.

  A familiar chime sounded from the communicator strapped to Trini’s wrist. Jason, the Red Ranger and leader of the Power Rangers, was calling her. This usually meant trouble was brewing in Angel Grove.

  Trini hurried out of the front door of the Youth Center. She looked around to assure herself that nobody was watching, then spoke into her communicator. “What’s up, Jason?”

  “Rita’s no-good Putty Patrollers are terrorizing the security guards at the Angel Grove History Museum.”

  “What could they possibly be up to at the museum?” Trini asked.

  “I don’t know, but the other Rangers and I are already on the way. We need you to meet us there right away,” Jason said urgently.

  Trini looked around to make sure nobody was watching. “It’s Morphin Time!” she said, then reached behind her back and pulled out her Power Morpher. “Sabertooth Tiger Dinozord!” she shouted.

  In a flickering flash, she morphed into the mighty Yellow Ranger and then teleported to the museum.

  Chapter 5

  The instant the Yellow Ranger teleported into the Angel Grove History Museum, the fight was on. Dozens of gray-skinned monstrous brutes called Putty Patrollers were swarming all around. The other Rangers were already engaged in battle and were greatly outnumbered.

  A Putty with fists raised and ready to strike raced toward the Yellow Ranger. She unleashed a flurry of kick
s, knocking the clay creature into a wall. The impact caused a priceless porcelain vase to fall from a display and plummet toward the marble floor. Jason, the Red Ranger, raced over and caught the vase a second before impact.

  “Thanks for the assist,” the Yellow Ranger said, letting out a sigh of relief. “We’ve gotta get these clowns out of here before they trash the place.”

  “It would help if we knew what they’re doing here to begin with,” said the Red Ranger. He then turned to face off with another pair of Putty Patrollers.

  “A little help, please,” Zack, the Black Ranger, called out from nearby. He was being restrained by a half dozen Putty Patrollers.

  The Yellow Ranger dashed his way to help, but a Putty leaped into her path. Another Putty Patroller grabbed her from behind and locked its arms around her waist. The Yellow Ranger jammed her elbow into the Putty Patroller’s gut, forcing it to release her. She grabbed its arm and thrust it with all her might into the Putty blocking her path. The force of the impact caused both Putties to burst into a thousand bits of clay.

  The Yellow Ranger noticed that Kimberly, the Pink Ranger, was surrounded by more Putty Patrollers than she could handle on her own. She then looked over and saw that Billy, the Blue Ranger, was in the same predicament. Things weren’t looking good for the Red Ranger, either, as he tried to take on a dozen of the gray brutes.

  The Yellow Ranger knew that there was no way to help them all. She needed a plan of attack, and she needed one quickly. “Alpha 5, do you hear me?” the Yellow Ranger shouted into her helmet’s communicator.

  “Aye-yi-yi, are you okay, Trini?” Alpha 5 replied.

  “I am for now, but I don’t know what to do,” the Yellow Ranger said, gasping to catch her breath. “There are way too many Putties for us to handle.”

  The voice of the Rangers’ mentor, Zordon, came through on the communicator. “Trini, I know you want to help the other Rangers, but there is another pressing matter that needs your attention. We have spotted Squatt and Baboo heading toward the museum hall called the Tomb of the Griffin Pharaoh.”

  “Whatever those two are up to, it can only add up to bad news for Angel Grove,” said Alpha 5.

  The Red Ranger looked at the Yellow Ranger. “Stopping Squatt and Baboo is more important,” he shouted. “Don’t worry about us. We’ve got this.”

  The Yellow Ranger nodded reluctantly and then took off running.

  For the next few minutes, the Yellow Ranger raced through the museum. She looked back and was startled to see several Putty Patrollers chasing after her, and they were gaining quickly. She dashed down a staircase and then rounded a tight corner, nearly slipping on the smooth marble floor. Many of the Putty Patrollers slipped and then crashed head-on into a wall.

  The Yellow Ranger reached the towering archway leading into the Tomb of the Griffin Pharaoh. Despite her best effort, several of the Putty Patrollers were hot on her heels. When she entered the hall, she saw Squatt and Baboo standing near the statue of the Griffin Pharaoh.

  Squatt was struggling to pry open the lid on the bottle of Nanosand.

  “Hurry up, you dunce, that meddlesome Yellow Ranger is coming,” Baboo said.

  “I’m trying, but the top is stuck,” said a frustrated Squatt.

  The Yellow Ranger had no idea what was inside the bottle, but she was certain that she had to stop them from opening it. Taking a mighty leap through the air, she soared toward the dimwitted duo. She extended her arm forward, hoping against hope that she could snatch the bottle away from them before it was too late.

  “Just give it to me,” Squatt said, grabbing the bottle from Baboo. He flung the bottle with all his might at the Griffin Pharaoh statue. The brittle glass shattered into shards on impact. The Nanosand scattered all around the base of the statue.

  The Yellow Ranger soared past Squatt and Baboo. She hit the floor and dive-rolled to her feet. Her effort to foil their evil plan had failed.

  Chapter 6

  The Yellow Ranger watched in terror as the grains of Nanosand rapidly multiplied and swarmed over the statue of the Griffin Pharaoh. In mere seconds, the tiny organisms covered every inch of the statue from its head to its toes. An ominous glowing white light ignited as the grains began to burrow into its golden surface.

  “What have you two done?” the Yellow Ranger asked.

  Squatt and Baboo broke into triumphant laughter.

  Putty Patrollers swarmed into the hall and surrounded the Yellow Ranger. Before she could react, they grabbed her arms and held her tight. She flailed and kicked with all her might, trying to break their grip, but it was hopeless.

  The Nanosand started to transform the golden surface of the Griffin Pharaoh statue into living flesh. The statue’s arms began to sway around slowly, followed by the legs. The chest expanded and contracted as air flowed in and out of its massive lungs. The statue was coming to life, and the Yellow Ranger couldn’t do anything to stop it.

  The Griffin Pharaoh’s eyes snapped open. He looked around the hall in dazed confusion. “After five thousand years of darkness, I live. But how can this be?”

  Squatt waved at him. “You can thank us for that.”

  “We brought you to life to destroy the Power Rangers,” said Baboo.

  The Griffin Pharaoh glared at them. “I have no foes called the Power Rangers.”

  “You do now,” Squatt said, pointing at the Yellow Ranger, who was still struggling to break free from the clutches of the Putty Patrollers.

  The Griffin Pharaoh wailed with thunderous laughter. “Your power is nothing compared to mine. I will prove that to you now,” he said, extending an arm and holding out his cyclone staff.

  The golden rod began to spin around and around in the Griffin Pharaoh’s hand like a huge fan, blasting gusts of wind toward the Yellow Ranger. The Putty Patrollers lost their grip on her and were sent soaring away. One after another, they slammed into the walls and pillars, so hard that they were destroyed on impact.

  Squatt and Baboo held on to a pillar to save themselves from being blown away.

  “We better get out of here, or we’ll be the next to get splattered,” said Squatt.

  “What about the Yellow Ranger?” Baboo asked.

  “The Griffin Pharaoh can handle her,” Squatt replied.

  In a flash, they teleported away.

  The wind now blasted so hard, the Yellow Ranger’s feet began to slide backward on the marble floor.

  “And now, Yellow Ranger, you will be destroyed.” The Griffin Pharaoh thrust his staff forward and hurtled a burst of glowing energy at the Yellow Ranger. The shock wave sent her flailing through the air, head-on into the far wall. She toppled to the ground and collapsed. The force of the impact caused her to de-morph and turn back into her normal form.

  Spinning with dizziness, Trini looked up and saw the other Rangers were racing into the hall. She tried to call out and warn them about the dangerous power of the Griffin Pharaoh’s cyclone staff, but she was too disoriented to speak. She could only watch as her fellow Rangers prepared to engage him in battle.

  The Griffin Pharaoh glared at the Rangers. “You don’t look so mighty to me.”

  The Red Ranger raised a fist. “I was just going to say the same thing about you.”

  All at once, the four Rangers attacked the Griffin Pharaoh, unleashing a dazzling assault of kicks and punches. The Griffin Pharaoh proved to be much too tough and easily blocked each of their valiant strikes. He then counterattacked with a ruthless barrage of his blows.

  “You pathetic weaklings don’t deserve to do battle against my greatness,” the Griffin Pharaoh said mockingly. “For such insolence, you must now pay the price.”

  Trini knew exactly what the Griffin Pharaoh was planning to do. She tried to warn the Rangers, but her voice was still stifled and weak.

  The Griffin Pharaoh pointed his staff at the urns sitting n
earby. The tops of four of the five urns hinged open. A cloudy black shadow, in the form of a hand, arose from inside each of the urns. The shadow-hands swarmed toward the Rangers and snatched them up.

  “Zordon, we have to help them,” Trini muttered into her communicator.

  “I’m afraid there is nothing we can do,” Zordon replied. “You must escape before you fall to the same fate.”

  The mystical shadow-hands dragged the Rangers toward the urns. The four valiant heroes desperately tried to break free, but there would be no escape for them. The shadow-hands caused the Rangers to shrink and then shoved them into the urns.

  Finally, the urns changed colors to match the Rangers now trapped within.

  “Trini, you can delay no longer. You must teleport out of there now,” Zordon insisted.

  Trini nodded reluctantly. “I hate to leave them, but I know you’re right,” she said, then tapped her communicator. A distorted yellow light flickered around her then faded away. She tapped the communicator again, with the same result. “Zordon, something is wrong with my communicator,” she said.

  “Aye-yi-yi! There’s some sort of interference,” Alpha 5 yelped. “Hold on, Trini, I’ll get you out of there.”

  Nearby, the Griffin Pharaoh laughed wickedly. “Now to send you Rangers so far away nobody will ever be able to find you,” he said. His cyclone staff began to spin rapidly. Tornado-like gusts of wind picked up the four urns and carried them toward the ceiling. Trini watched in hopeless terror as the urns crashed through a skylight and soared off in four different directions.

  “Now to deal with that Yellow Ranger,” the Griffin Pharaoh said. He turned and saw Trini standing on the far end of the room. “Peasant girl, where did the Yellow Ranger go?”

  Trini was relieved that he hadn’t seen her de-morph, so he didn’t know that she was the Yellow Ranger. A yellow light began to flicker around her. Alpha 5 had come through. “Figure it out yourself, freak face,” she said and then teleported away.