"Stop right there, Krampus!" Tyler shouted, arriving at the quarry with the others in tow. He grounded to a halt a fair distance away and looked around, hoping to find a sign of Adelaide or Shelby, but neither girl was present.
Krampus scoffed as he looked up from his sleigh. "So, you're the Power Rangers, eh?" he asked. "You're the colourful annoyances that my brother talks about constantly."
"Where are our friends?" Riley asked.
"You've been awfully naughty this year, Rangers," Krampus continued, acting as if he hadn't heard Riley. "Destroying innocents, stealing my elves."
"Destroying innocents?" Chase repeated. "He can't be talking about Sledge."
"How would he know?"
"Krampus will be around for as long as there is someone to believe in him," said Kendall. "It's the same as Santa Clause. As long as children believe he is real, then he will be."
"That still doesn't answer my question," said Chase, shaking his head.
"Krampus must've known Sledge long before we destroyed him," said Kendall. "I mean, how else would he know about Vivix?"
Krampus laughed joyfully. "You think it was Sledge that told me about Vivix?" he asked. "You're not the only ones that remember a time where monsters run amok. My brother isn't the only sentinel that can meddle with time, you know?"
He held up an hourglass with fine green sand inside. It was bottom side heavy, which meant he hadn't used it yet.
"Once I overturn this," said Krampus, "time will stop and I'll be able to deliver all my presents in time for tomorrow morning."
"We won't let that happen!" Chase said, clenching his fists.
Krampus chuckled. "Oh, yes, you will," he said, clapping his hands, "And I have another present for you!"
From behind the truck came Shelby.
"Merry Christmas, Rangers!" Shelby sneered, glaring at her teammates.
"Shelby!" Tyler gasped.
"But where's Adelaide?" Philip asked.
Jessie shook his head. "I don't know, mate," he said. "She can't be far."
"ATTACK!" Krampus ordered.
Led by Shelby, the Vivix charged into battle.
"I'll take care of Shelby," said Tyler, catching his girlfriend by the wrists and tugging her out of the throng of fighters.
The two struggled back and forth as Shelby tried to loosen his grip.
"Really? This is his plan?" Riley asked, fending off a couple of Vivix.
"It took him this long to come up with this?" Chase grunted, tossing a Vivix over his shoulder.
"Krampus always was a bad planner!" said Jessie, double-kicking another vivix in the side.
Catching a glimmer of colour, Philip looked up and dived aside just as a Dino Sabre struck the ground at his feet.
"You okay, mate?" Chase asked, helping Philip back to his feet.
Philip nodded and looked around. There was only one other ranger left that could have attacked him.
"There!" said Jessie, pointing to the top of the truck.
Running from the cab of the truck, across the roof and throwing herself off the edge, was Adelaide. She tucked herself into a mid-air roll before landing and rolling across the gravel. She snatched her dino-sabre out of the ground and swung it at the Rangers nearest her.
"Whoa!" Riley shouted, jumping back.
"Adelaide, stop!" Jessie yelled. He grabbed his sister around her shoulders, but she stomped on his foot and struggled free.
Falling back, Jessie called on his dino sabre as Adelaide raised hers above her head and swung it down at him.
"Adelaide, what are you doing?!" Jessie asked, shoving her back. He didn't want to her hurt her, but she didn't seem to care about hurting him.
"Must help Krampus!" Adelaide said, swinging her sabre around all the more. "Must deliver coal to naughty children."
"If you don't stop right now," said Jessie, blocking another attack. "Then the only person getting coal is you!"
Adelaide laughed. Jessie noted that it didn't sound like her own. Normally Adelaide's laugh sounded fun and bubbly, but this was cold and lifeless.
Shaking his head, Jessie flipped over his sister and caught her, once again, around the shoulders. She struggled but this time he held firm.
"Let... me... go!" Adelaide yelled.
"Whatever you're going to do," Jessie said, looking at Chase. "Do it fast! She's a lot stronger than she looks."
Chase nodded and rushed forward. He stopped just out of reach of Adelaide's kicking legs and demorphed. "Ade, it's me, Chase!" he said. "You're my best friend. Tell me you recognise me."
"My name isn't Adelaide or Ade," said Adelaide. "It's Jingle! I am Krampus's helper. I will deliver coal to naughty children."
"No! Your name is Adelaide!" Chase argued. "Adelaide Sophie McMillan. You're the Scarlet Power Ranger, my best friend!"
Adelaide shook her head.
"Think, Adelaide!" Chase said. "Think back to when we first met! We hadn't even found Koda or knew about being Power Rangers, all we knew was that we were important because we had found and bonded to an Energem. The more we worked together, the more we realised we were just alike. We both liked the same music, we both liked to skateboard."
Adelaide shook her head more vigorously, trying desperately to rid herself of the memories surfacing from her subconscious. "No!" she wailed. "My name is Jingle! I am Krampus' helper!"
"Then this appeared!" Chase continued, pulling back his sleeve to reveal his parabatai rune. "We didn't know what it was, but the fact that we both had one didn't make us question it. We didn't even bother asking Keeper or Kendall, we just accepted that it was there for a reason and that reason included the both of us."
Adelaide stopped struggling, her body limp in Jessie's arms.
"You're not just my best friend, Ade," Chase continued. "You're practically my sister. But you're also more than that. Dammit, Ade, you're my partner! I cannot go on without you! Remember what Heckyl said, about losing your partner? It's not a feeling he'd wish on any Parabatai defenders, and Avae backed that up when she snapped me out of Krampus' spell."
Jessie looked up at Chase, unsure of how to proceed. What was happening? Did he let his sister go? Was she back?
"I can't lose you, Ade," said Chase, shaking his head. Now that Adelaide has stopped kicking, he was able to step closer. "Come back to us, Ade," he prompted, holding out a hand. "Come back to me."
Jessie held his breath.
Chase hesitated as Adelaide looked up and met his gaze. She didn't look any different. She then launched herself forward, startling the black ranger and knocking him off his feet.
"Chase!" Riley yelped. He rushed forward to help but stopped as Kendall caught his arm.
Adelaide clung to Chase. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry!" she cried.
"It's not your fault," Chase said, hugging her back. Her clothes and even returned to normal, a clear sign that she was back to her old self. "It was Krampus. He made you do those things."
Pulling away, Adelaide looked up into Chase's face and offered a weak smile. "Thanks for bringing me back," she said.
"Hey, if I didn't do it then one of this lot would have figured it out, eventually," said Chase, chuckling. He nodded at the Rangers around him, indicating that Adelaide had more than one thank you to give out.
Adelaide smiled and stood, hugging her brother first, then Kendall and Riley, and finally Philip. She held onto Philip the longest, burying her face into his chest and closing her eyes with a content smile.
"I hate to break up the reunion, but -" Kendall started.
"IVAN!" Adelaide squealed, spotting the Knight behind Philip. She pulled away from her boyfriend and rushed towards the Gold Ranger, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.
The Knight chuckled and patted her back. "It's a pleasure to see you, too, Lady Adelaide," he said.
"Ade!"
Adelaide giggled as Koda grabbed her in a hug, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around. "Koda, I've missed you!" she said, hugging him as he set her back down. She then spotted Zenowing and James nearby and rushed off to hug them too.
Both Zenowing and James chuckled.
"You're all here!" Adelaide grinned, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Yes, m'lady," said Ivan. "And we couldn't be gladder to have you and Lady Shelby back."
The others nodded as Adelaide and Shelby exchanged sheepish smiles.
"Guys, Krampus is about to launch!" said Kendall, pointing at the sleigh as it hovered a few metres off the ground.
"We have to stop that sleigh!" said Tyler, looking around at the others. They nodded and followed him back towards Krampus.
"Hold it right there, you living-breathing-nightmare!" Adelaide shouted, bringing Krampus' attention to her.
Krampus sighed and cocked his head to the side. "You've abandoned me too, Jingle?" he asked. "You were always my good little helper."
"You know, little Adelaide always wanted to be an elf called Jingle, but you ruined that now," Adelaide said, angrily. "I'm not going to let you ruin anyone else's Christmas dreams."
Chase held up his hand, showing Adelaide the glittering scarlet gem in his palm. "If you're going to put a stop to his yuletide ghoul, you're going to need this."
"My Energem!" Adelaide squealed, excitedly. She snatched it up and watched as it glittered brightly in her hand.
"Looks like Christmas is over for you, Krampus!" said Tyler, stepping forward. "Dino Charger -"
"Ready!" shouted, Shelby, Chase, and Adelaide.
"Unleash the Power!"
"Let's go, little Rexy!" Tyler called, summoning his mini Zord. "Victory charger..." he added, holding up a silver dino charger.
"Dino X Charger..." Ivan said, taking a gold charger from his belt.
"Ready! Combine!"
"Together!" the Rangers chorused, each one taking a stand behind the other, their hands overlapping on top of the Victory X Chargers. "Dinosaur Might, ready to fight!"
Krampus cried out as eleven dinosaur spirits slammed into him and the sleigh, ripping through the vessel and causing it to explode.
With a crunch, Krampus landed on the gravel just beyond the sleigh. He was smoking and dizzy, but otherwise uninjured.
"Nice try, Rangers," Krampus laughed, standing up and facing the team. "But as you said, I'll always exist as long as there is someone who believes in me.
Taking a dino charger from her belt, Adelaide loaded it into her morpher and run it down her arm. "Dino Steel, armour on!" she called, summoning her Dimetro Bow and Arrows.
"You can't hurt me, Jingle," Krampus laughed, mockingly. "The reason I made sure to make you my elf was because you always believed in me. You're the reason I'm still here. You're fear of me is what keeps me alive."
Adelaide shook her head and took aim with her arrow. "You're right, I do believe in you," she agreed. "I always have, and I probably always will. But you're wrong when you say that I am afraid of you," she said, shaking her head. "Because I'm a Power Ranger! I have fought monsters every day for two years! I'm not afraid of you!"
She released her arrow, striking Krampus in the chest and causing him to disappear in a puff of black smoke