Fuck technology
Kimberly had spent the last couple of minutes fighting with the navigation system on their new car. The stupid picture on the screen kept rerouting them, making their trip just that much longer. Her fingers pushed on the screen a little harder, a frustrated growl escaping her when it rerouted them yet again. She was done. With the navigation system winning the battle, she crossed her arms and pushed herself into the passenger seat.
Next time she'd go with a map.
Tommy watched from the driver side. He'd stayed quiet while she tried her hand at battle. They were having some technical difficulties, but they were also in the middle of nowhere, miles and miles of farmland all around them.
Kimberly's anger was only projected on the navigation system, when in reality, she was angry at him.
"I said I was sorry, Kim."
Nearly four hours of dead silence was beginning to feel like an eternity. It wasn't his choice, he'd rather make the 5 hour drive to Angel Grove seem faster by actually having a good conversation, but not when it came to his lovely wife.
To say Kimberly was pissed was putting it lightly. She hadn't spoken to him in 5 days. Marriages had their ups and downs, and Tommy and Kimberly were no exception. However, Tommy seemed to think their marriage had been having too many downs recently and he knew he may be partially to blame.
"Yeah, well, I seem to hear that a lot from you these days that it's kind of lost its meaning," she refused to look at him, her eyes trained to the window on her right, watching the fog outside the moving vehicle thicken.
The back of his head lightly smacked against the headrest. He'd apologized a million and one times before but she was right. Maybe there's more to it than just saying you're sorry.
"I'm sorry that I'm late, that I can't come to dinner after all, that I forgot our anniversary, that I can't pick up Maddie after school; when does it all end," her voice came out heated and then softer, "Your daughter needs you too, it's not just me."
His grip on the steering wheel of his black 2017 Rubicon tightened as he continued to drive straight ahead. He'd said all of those more than once in the last few months. They'd been distant, she was busy expanding her booming flower shop and he was pouring himself into his new job as Curator of the Mercer Museum, but unlike her, he wasn't making time for them.
His job at Reefside High was great but after so many years he needed a change and that's when Anton came in. With new responsibilities came less time with the family. He hadn't meant to be so busy...
"That's not fair, Kim. You know I want to be there."
"When you took this job you promised me things wouldn't change... and yet, here we are," she said nothing more, couldn't even look at him because he was turning into someone she didn't know. Someone who was putting business before them. Someone she didn't marry.
He honestly just felt like a piece of shit. Nothing was more important to him than his wife and daughter. When once no one could pry him away from his darling baby girl for more than a few hours, now he would allow work to make him miss some of the most important events in her life. They were feeling neglected, he needed to make up for it, and he was going to start with his wife.
Truthfully, this was a spontaneous trip he dropped on Kimberly. He forgot their anniversary, hence the no speaking. Typically she would have laughed it off, he'd forgotten once before a couple of years ago, but with the tension between the two of them in the recent months, she just couldn't brush it off. He'd come home late from the museum after telling Kimberly he wouldn't be able to make their daughters dance recital and fell asleep watching football.
When Kimberly wasn't speaking to him the next morning, he simply assumed it was because he missed the recital. It wasn't until Hayley congratulated him on his anniversary the next day that it truly hit him why she was upset.
They had to get out of Reefside. The adults needed time for themselves. That's where Uncle Jason and Auntie Trini came in. They loved their 12-year-old daughter deeply but they needed a getaway, a time to reconnect and rebuild what was crumbling right in front of them.
Which is how the brilliant idea to revisit Angel Grove was born. To be honest, they hadn't gone to Angel Grove in years. Kimberly no longer had family there, Tommy's parents were enjoying retirement and traveling across the states, and all of their friends had settled into other towns. Nothing was tying them to Angel Grove besides memories. A nostalgia that Tommy was hoping to tap into, which is why he decided on his lucky green t-shirt and had just gifted Kimberly a pale-pink jacket for the trip. He was a sucker for their original colors, so what. The memory of happier times in Angel Grove when she was his and he was hers and nothing else mattered. That's what she needed to remember.
He had a whole itinerary planned out: Ernie's, Angel Grove High, the park, a hike near the ruins of the Command Center, and finish it off with a weekend stay at his uncles renovated cabin where they would enjoy the lake and some peace and quiet. It would be a fun, easy trip... what could possibly go wrong?
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Well, that's a start.
Shit.
"What is it?" Kimberly groaned, sitting up to look over the steering wheel.
She glanced to Tommy who appeared just as annoyed as she was at the moment. The vehicle came to a slow stop on the side of the deserted highway.
His eyes were trained on the dashboard and he let out a low growl upon seeing a bright yellow light.
"Low tire pressure," he sighed. He turned to Kimberly who had her arms sitting across her chest, looking more unamused by this sudden inconvenience. "Let me check it out."
He unbuckled his seatbelt and hesitated leaving the vehicle for only a moment. The fog was beginning to thicken up substantially and it was getting difficult to see even outside the windshield, but Kimberly was clearly not in the mood to speak to him for another moment, so he decided to head out and see what the damage was.
Flat. Flat. Flat. There were no if's, and's, or but's about it. The back passenger side tire was done and the quarter size hole was further proof.
There was nothing more he could do but kick a few rocks on the asphalt to release some frustration. The need to scream was there but Kimberly was already looking at him like he was insane, no need to prove her right. He pulled out his cell phone. Maybe AAA was around.
No signal. Figures.
Of course that would be his luck.
Maybe what was worse than a flat tire was having to break the news to the wife.
Kimberly rolled down the window upon seeing the blurry outline of his body come to her door.
"It's a flat," he informed. "I'm just gonna be a minute, but we can hit the road as soon as I'm done."
"Great," she muttered under her breath, "let's just add another hour to this amazing trip."
It's not like the weather was getting any better. In fact, there seemed to be a storm coming, and a nasty one at that. From what she could see and hear in the distance, through the mist, was a flash of lightening and the growl from the clouds.
Eerie to say the least.
"Hurry, okay," she told him, softly. Her eyes remained ahead, pinned to the distance. Something was off... and making her increasingly more uncomfortable.
He nodded and headed to the back to take out his spare, shuffling his feet as he did so.
This trip was already starting to fall apart.
Where had life taken him? Tommy had never once thought of himself as someone that had to be in a relationship to be happy. He'd achieved it with Kimberly once before, but after her brutal break up, what did he really have left? He was torn into pieces and pushed himself harder into his academics and his hobbies. He'd found a romance once again with ranger replacement, Katherine, but that's all she was, a replacement. A woman that helped him heal his wounds but would never come close to what he felt for Kimberly.
Even 20 years later he still wondered how he got to this moment in his life. Things with Katherine didn't work out for obvious reasons, mostly because he never felt for her what she deserved. He'd continued to date until his early twenties when he met the woman he thought he would spend the rest of his life with. Her name was Robyn and like a bird, she was beautiful.
Their relationship was good— amazing, actually, he hadn't been so happy in a while. She understood him in a way that only one other person had before, they enjoyed the same activities, and all around spending time together. All their friends welcomed her too. It didn't take long until he had found himself on his knees, begging for her hand in marriage. She gladly accepted, but when he looked down at the woman he had hoped to marry, there was a flicker of change in him.
He learned things the hard way when he and a few other red rangers banded together on a moon mission. He disappeared for a few days and she was at a panic. The other wives and girlfriends knew because they were all former rangers, but Robyn didn't. He loved her, truly, but when the realization hit him that he could never be one hundred percent honest with her about his past, that's when reality hit him. How the hell was he going to be explain to her about him being a ranger? He couldn't. She would forever be kept from his secret, and he would have to deal with the consequences of that and it wasn't fair to her. She deserved someone who was all in, and as the days to their wedding got closer, he knew she deserved more than he was willing to offer her.
Many grooms get cold feet, right? But that wasn't cold feet. That was a realization that he wasn't in love with her, but more in love with the idea of having someone to share a life with. Again, he was an independent man that didn't need a woman to make him feel worthy, but yet he was about to go through with a marriage he didn't want so he could feel like he was. Kimberly had left a hole in him that was nearly irreparable. Which is why he found himself as a runaway groom on his wedding day, leaving behind a broken bride to be and a church full of guests. He couldn't and wouldn't go through with it when his heart was never with her to begin.
Fate had stepped in that day when he walked into a bar, his tux disheveled and hair matted down by the rain that had possibly been conjured by his pissed off ex-fiancé. Or maybe it was Gods tears of joy that he hadn't gone through with what would have been a miserable relationship and life with the wrong woman. Either way, his eyes locked in disbelief with a petite brunette that had been verbally fighting off a drunk imbecile trying to hit on her. Her tongue was still as sharp as ever, tearing a new one into the visibly drunken fool.
Never in his life did he think he would run into his old high school sweetheart, least of all on his wedding day. He greeted her happily, shocked to find her in Reefside of all places. She's been living in Florida and they hadn't kept in touch, so finding her in Reefside was a pleasant surprise. The two old loves had moved past the dreaded letter years before, but they were never able to get close again. They both had simply moved on.
What started off as a rekindled friendship soon brewed into a romance that would withstand the test of time. He was there for her when she was opening up her shop and she was there for him when he joined the Dino Rangers, in spirit mostly. They were in the early stages of their relationship and he didn't want her involved. It wasn't safe for her and that was part of Kimberly's past. She watched from the sidelines and offered her love and support when he came home after a battle. Not even a year had gone by when he had realized where his heart has truly belonged. When his wedding day with Kimberly arrived, he didn't run away. He waited patiently for her to make her way down the alter and joyfully kissed her when the time came. They'd had their ups and downs as most couples do, but his love for her never once wavered... it still hadn't, even 14 years later.
Seeing her now still made his heart hum. She was still as beautiful as ever. They had both grown. Maybe there were lines where there wasn't before, she was tired and he was tired, the years of war and death weighing on their subconscious, but he loved her. It was that simple.
With the new tire on, Tommy jumped in the vehicle and sped off into the storm. He'd been working on what he was going to say while changing the tire. He wasn't exactly the best when it came to communicating, but he was working on it. He had to.
"Look," he cleared his throat, "I know I've been putting my work ahead of everything these last few months and I'm really sorry."
The storm released a series of barks, outwardly projecting how displeased Kimberly was with his apology.
"I should be home with you guys a lot more," he continued. "I'm going to talk to Anton and see if I can set a firmer schedule. Nothing is more important to me than you and Maddie."
He took her left hand in his and he winced when she nearly pulled away. Brushing his thumb over her gold wedding band, he spoke his hearts truth. "I love you, okay? Work isn't going to keep me from you guys anymore."
She didn't reply immediately, her frustration overpowering her inability to do anything besides sulk.
She wished and hoped he would have said that, but she didn't expect it. The fact that he did, however, mattered.
"I know you do." That wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear coming from his wife, but his worries were forgotten at her next sentence. "I love you, too. I just miss you."
That brought out a smile from him.
"Forgive me?"
How could she say no when he was giving her the eyes?
She gave him a nod and a small smile, but that didn't suffice his hunger.
"Come on," he leaned over the middle console just long enough to steal a kiss.
As much as she was upset with him the last few days, she just couldn't for much longer. In fact, she'd been more sad than anything else and all of the frustration manifested into her not speaking to him. It was torture.
"Eyes on the road, buddy," she regretfully pushed him away.
Kimberly managed to hide her creeping blush by turning back to the window and was greeted by clear skies as they approached Angel Grove city limits.
"I guess we made it through the storm," Kimberly smiled.
"In more ways than one," he returned.
A witty comment was on the tip of her tongue but the unfamiliar buildings as they went deeper into town caught her attention. Something was different and not just the fact that Angel Grove was rebuilt about a million times. The streets— she didn't recognize, the atmosphere— was something else, the feeling she got from the town— this wasn't her Angel Grove.
She turned to her husband, "Tommy... did we— are we in the right place?"
Tommy was feeling the same. It was cold, uninviting, different.
"I mean, I think so." He leaned forward over his steering wheel, stealing a better view of the outside over the large window. "Welcome to Angel Grove," he read the battered sign on the side of the road.
"California?" She asked, still puzzled.
"I— um, I guess." He continued to drive down the main road, now at a suspiciously slow pace. "Angel Grove Public Library, Angel Grove City Hall, Angel Grove Auto," he scratched his head.
"This town sure has had an overhaul since we left," Kimberly tried to find any familiarity but found none.
They continued deeper into town, still finding nothing of resemblance to the place they used to call home.
"Smoothie Shack... I think that rings a bell," Tommy offered.
"No... that doesn't sound familiar to me," Kimberly frowned. "Krispy Kreme—"
"—okay, now that I recognize," Tommy laughed, "Can we go?"
Kimberly shot him an incredulous look, "Are you serious?"
"Yes, I'm starving and there's nothing better than a chain restaurant where I'll know they'll have something I like."
"But... donuts?" She pressed, "That's what you're craving?"
His cheeky smile said it all. "The heart wants what it wants."
Kimberly met Tommy's grin and threw her hands up in defeat. She could never really turn him down.
"Fine."
She was barely able to get that out before he u-turned into the nearest parking spot and came to a screeching halt. He was just that hungry.
His seatbelt was already off and he was practically halfway out the door when a few little words stopped him.
"Just keep in mind that one too many donuts and you won't be able to fit back into spandex," she had to wink and giggle at him at the last bit.
He sat back down, huge grin on his face. Oh, she was baiting him. God, he loved every little comment she made.
"You know I've long since retired," he smirked.
Twenty-five years of fighting monsters left him with an aching back, creaking knees, and too many broken bones to count. He needed this retirement.
"You keep saying that, but didn't you just lead us into battle about three years ago?"
How could he say no to the Megaforce Rangers?
"Okay, that was a one-time thing," he had to laugh, he did always say that. "And don't go acting all high and mighty, you were by my side the entire time."
Her toe dip back into battle was solely to benefit the greater good, and although she thought more about the dangers of the war, she wouldn't let Tommy go back into action without her. They were a team.
"Always," she told him.
Words wouldn't do justice to how he was feeling. Things were starting to look good again. He was back into good standing with his wife, the storm passed... he was getting donuts. Nothing could bring him down from this high.
He leaned over the middle console once more to finish what he had started earlier. No dangers now. They were parked this time...
She closed the distance, sealing their lips in an overdue kiss. Although he'd kissed her many times before, this time, just like the town, was different. It was like he had been deprived from her for a century and he was finally getting his fill. Her arms encircling his neck left him confined and wanting. Fuck donuts. He wanted Kimberly.
This Angel Grove may not be the one he remembered when he was a teenager but he was feeling more like an adolescent than he ever had before. Sure he was now 40 but the thrill of just having her in the car, where no one would recognize him had him grinning like a mad man. The thoughts going through his head... his mind was made— he just wished he wouldn't have given her that stupid jacket. He couldn't get her out of it fast enough. Their kissing was coming at a frenzy now, the windows tinting further from the condensation building up. All he had to do was get her in the back seat and then this vacation would really begin.
And then they felt it.
They broke apart as their car rattled, Kimberly nearly spilling out of her seat by the shaking of the ground.
And then they heard it.
They jumped, startled by a series of sounds in the distance. Screams, maybe?
"What the hell is that?" Kimberly held onto Tommy as the ground beneath them continued to rumble, causing their vehicle to slide back and forth aggressively.
"I don't know." Tommy shouted. He held onto Kimberly's hand, pulling her towards him, "We have to get out of here. Come on."
They slipped out of the drivers side door, running out of the parking lot to see what the hell was going on.
The screams that were once in the distance had now arrived, following with it an army of rock-like creatures that were destroying everything in their path.
"We have to do something," Kimberly was frantic but Tommy was thinking more logically.
"We can't! We don't have our morphers!" He managed to get out over the screams of the crowd.
"We can't just do nothing!" She squealed at the incoming glass and scraps of metal, while Tommy grabbed her by the waist and pinned her between himself and a sturdy wall, saving her from the incoming debris.
Not two seconds went by when the building they used to find safety began rattling, succeeded by an abnormally large arm dripping molten gold crashing right into it, burning everything it touch.
Tommy and Kimberly flew back into a wired fence, saved by sheer luck.
The large animated being easily stood over 300 feet, and marveled in the fact that it destroyed everything it could get its hands on.
Kimberly touched the ache on her head but pushed through it. Tommy was doing the same, shaking the pain away and finding the strength to come to his feet.
He turned to his wife while offering a hand, "Are you okay?"
She began to nod but a zoom overhead garnered her attention. And then again, another zoom. She recognized it immediately.
"Is that..." she began out loud, but never finished her thought. She was pacing towards the main road before she could even talk herself out of it.
"Kim," Tommy bolted right behind her, "what are you doing?"
All she could do was run, follow the flying bird.
"That's my Zord!" She bellowed, tears pricking her eyes. Her legs were at a full on sprint now.
"Kim!" He shouted, struggling to catch up with her quick legs.
"That's my zord!" She screamed, again. Her arm was high, index finger pointing at the bird.
She paused when she got to the main road, watching the pterodactyl zip right past her.
She hadn't seen it since she was a teenager. Not since it was destroyed all those years ago.
Her legs quivered seeing her zord arise from the dead or was it even hers?
She waved her arms in the air frantically, trying to seek its attention, but the attention she did capture was from a series of the rock-like creatures ascending from the ground.
Tommy looked at her like she had sprouted an extra head.
"Do you have a death wish or something?" Tommy didn't mean to yell at her but he was petrified she almost got herself killed.
"Crush them," came from a green figure in the middle of the road, waving a gold staff.
The rock creatures narrowed in on Kimberly who was whisked away by Tommy into an alley, the creatures still on their tail.
"Go!" He ordered, "just keep going. Don't stop."
And Kimberly did just that, pushing herself until her legs couldn't move faster. She stole glances over her shoulder, seeing Tommy fall behind little by little.
Tommy couldn't keep up anymore, his knees wouldn't allow him. Sometimes it was better to face the challenge head on rather than run from it. He turned around, ready to chop the creature like a stack of cinderblocks.
Kimberly slowed down upon seeing her husbands actions.
"Tommy!" Kimberly's heart sank. She turned on her heels and bolted towards him. If he was going to do this then they were going to do it together.
Tommy raised his arm as the creature got closer, but a bright energy blast from the saber tooth tiger dismembered it and many others before he could get his hands on it.
He was safe and kimberly flew into his arms the moment she reached him, promising to kill him once they were home for that little stunt.
"What's going on," her tears we're spilling down her cheeks as Tommy cradled her head, "where the hell are we?"
"I think I know now." He took a moment to look around, seeing the Tyrannosaurus, Mastodon, and Triceratops join in the battle.
"Putties," He pointed towards the rock creatures that were being destroyed by the Pterodactyl. His head beckoned towards the large pink zord, "That's you!"
Now she was the one looking at him like he had grown an extra head. "What? How can that be me?"
"Not you— you," he clarified, "but a version of you."
"How do you know that?"
He took her by the shoulder, showing her the Pterodactyl soaring through the wind, spinning in expertise.
"You see, I don't know anyone else that's crazy enough to do barrel rolls in battle," he chuckled, "not in the same way that you do."
Kimberly began smiling but only for a moment before she shook her head, "That makes zero sense."
"Are you really trying to make sense of our lives?"
Her rational mind had taught her to not do that a long time ago.
"It was the fog, Kim. I knew that fog wasn't right!"
"The fog?" Her breathing was beginning to calm. "But why?"
Worm holes were common in the ranger world. Kimberly and Tommy had been sucked in them too many times to count. There never needed to be an actual reason as to why one would pop up and the fog, unfortunately, covered it up perfectly. They were just victims of an accident.
"Do we ever need a reason? The Morphin Grid was bored, probably!"
"And... them?" She beckoned her head towards the group of zords that were diligently battling the putties, zapping them with their guns.
A large horde of putties continued to form from within the rubble and the Tyrannosaurus was on it.
He gripped the nearest vehicle with the claws on his foot and flung the canary yellow Camaro to the incoming patrol, crumbling them.
"Sorry, Bumblebee," came from the cockpit of the Tyrannosaurus.
"Okay, that's Jason," she snorted. "No one shows off more than he does... well, I guess except for you."
"I had a girl to impress."
Oh, he'd have to get her back for that comment but right now wasn't the time.
There was an abnormally large creature continuing to wreck havoc on the small town, demolishing buildings and crushing cars that got in his way.
She turned serious, "That's Goldar, isn't it?"
It wasn't that hard to guess. How much more literal could it get?
All Tommy could do was nod and clench his fists as more putties jumped on the Tyrannosaurus. The zord tried to aggressively shake them off but there were too many. The putties were clinging onto the Tyrannosaurus, smashing their arms into the body of the Zord.
"He needs help," Kimberly bellowed over the cries of the Zord.
A breath went by before the Pterodactyl came to his rescue, shooting it's beams on the putties tackling the red machine.
The force of impact from the explosions rattled the ground, nearly toppling Tommy and Kimberly. They held onto a nearby building as they fought the ringing in their ears. The building became a temporary safe haven, using it to balance themselves but the debris being spewed wasn't safe. It wasn't safe for them and it wasn't safe for the innocent bystanders that were trapped downtown. That they knew for certain.
A woman armored in green made the main road her catwalk and marveled at the destruction.
"Rita," Tommy whispered.
He didn't know how he knew that. He just did. She radiates a repulsive energy that blackened his heart.
The green figure dragged her gold staff on the asphalt, giving life to more putties. When a man sprinted out of her way, she zapped him with the staff, sending him flying across the road.
"Oh, God," Kimberly covered her mouth, eyes welling with tears as she saw the man laying on the sidewalk, appearing lifeless.
When the threat was momentarily over, Tommy moved to the man, put his fingers on his neck and prayed for a pulse.
He found none.
It didn't matter if it was one or a hundred deaths, their battle or not, they all hurt the same.
He gave a regretful shake of his head and moved forward to pick up the man and carry him to the alley, where at least his body wouldn't be further battered.
All Kimberly could think about was that he was son, a friend, something to someone and now he was gone. It's never fair.
"I hate this," Kimberly gritted her teeth, more pissed off than she's ever been. Her hands moved to her hair, needing to yank the feeling of death.
She shed tears for the innocent, for the destruction of the town, that they were in this mess to begin with and that they were powerless.
Their daughter came to mind and the fight to get back to her was stronger than before.
"I can't even begin to guess where we are, what world we're in, what year it is... we just have to find a way home," Kimberly demanded. "A way back to Maddie."
The former green ranger nodded. "The same way we came in. That worm hole should still be there. We just have to get out of town."
Tommy grabbed onto his wife's hand, pulling her to the parking lot where they left their vehicle. It was a risk, but they had to try and although
It sounded simple, it wasn't. Not for former rangers that once gave everything to save the innocent.
Their daughters voice was calling in her ear, but the screams of the civilians was too strong to ignore, even above the wailing of the police sirens.
Kimberly stopped in her tracks and pulled Tommy's wrist back, halting him.
She had a change of heart.
"We can't just leave!"
He knew where she was coming from but this was far bigger than them. This wasn't their world. It wasn't their place.
Tommy motioned to the Zords that were now crawling on Goldar, fighting to take him down. "This isn't our battle, Kim. It's theirs. We can't do anything."
Hearing that was one thing, but having to actually process it was another. She refused to give up that easily, but when Goldar flung the saber tooth tiger like nothing, Kimberly had to look away.
They had to assemble into the megazord, she knew that, but they didn't. Maybe they didn't know how or maybe they didn't know they could. And as much as she hated to admit it, Tommy was right. This wasn't their battle and they had to learn on their own, like she did.
The Mastodon was pinned to Goldar, tearing into him with all his might, but the beast was too strong. Too powerful for one to take.
He was also flung into the air and over to the parking lot that housed Tommy's new Jeep, destroying his precious vehicle.
That would have been them if they kept going. The universe has a way of making things work out, even if it has a wicked sense of humor.
He wished he could say it was the first time his car was a casualty of war, but he wouldn't be considered a legendary ranger if it was.
As the explosions kept fueling the fires, Tommy and Kimberly knew the smart thing to do would be to hide. Truthfully, they couldn't keep up anymore, both were hurt and doing something stupid wouldn't be the right move, but hiding never solved any problems.
If there was one thing he loved the most about Kimberly it was how she listened to her heart.
Her hesitation said everything she was too nervous to admit.
She wanted to help in any way that she could, even if it meant leaving the action for the armored rangers.
And Tommy wouldn't be her husband if he didn't know her best.
"Gather as many people as you can and lead them to the pits at the auto shop," Tommy ordered in his best leader voice.
Kimberly immediately smiled. They were really doing this.
Even through the fires and roars of the zords, Tommy took the time to let her know his heart. Because if one thing was certain, he'd be damned if they weren't the last things he said to her, "If anything happens, I love you."
Petty arguments and hurt feelings seemed like such a useless thing to worry about now. She captured his lips hastily, allowing the world to still for a moment. Wanting and needing to live in the present. They pulled apart, silently promising they'd find their way back to each other as they ascended into the chaos.
Kimberly sprinted ahead of the crowd, bellowing over the screams for people to stop running. They were heading towards Rita, and she was raising another army.
"Stop," she commanded, but few listened.
The crowd continued to push past her, sprinting deaf to immediate danger.
"Please," she tried again. "Come with me!"
Tommy wasn't having much luck either. The civilians didn't know where to run at this point. They scattered in all directions, meeting danger anywhere they went. At least in the autoshop they would be underground, safe from the battle with Goldar.
"Hey, stop!" He did his best to garner attention but the fear was overpowering the people's thoughts. "No, no, no, listen to me!"
He was pleading with a collection of people.
Nothing. No one.
Kimberly was feeling helpless at this point, the world was in slow motion, watching everything around her crumbling down.
The pterodactyl flew overhead, right into Goldar. The large fist made a major hit to the Zord's left wing, bursting one of the engines.
The senseless ringing in her ear caused her to go numb until the cry from the pterodactyl brought her back to reality.
Kimberly's breath hitched, watching her beloved zord spin out of control in the sky. That did it for her.
"Get in the pit of the auto shop now!" She roared, startling the crowd.
Being underestimated because of her size was something she had to constantly fight over. It was never ending and she would rather kill these people with her own hands than to have them not let her protect them. It was oddly poetic.
The crowd had suddenly halted, finally listening for orders instead of running around like mindless idiots. Such a loud voice for a little thing like her.
"Did I stutter?" She scared herself if she was quite honest, her mother's voice came out. "Get in the damn pits!"
Tommy was watching from afar, smiling that his wife was able to get some people to safety, even if he was having no luck. People didn't want to listen and as much as he wanted to, he couldn't force them.
A large wreck up ahead caused a sea of flames. Tommy sprinted forward, hoping to be of some assistance.
What he didn't expect was Jason to leave the Tyrannosaurus unmanned and try and save the unknown civilian in the wrecked truck.
The red ranger took down a few putties on the ground, determined to reach the man in the flipped over truck that had erupted in flames.
The putties dismantled into a stack of rocks on the ground with a few more kicks from Jason.
The blue truck was on its back, glass spewed everywhere as the fire picked up more.
All Tommy could do was watch. He couldn't intervene. His presence alone could be altering this unknown timeline. He had to let it all unfold before him and be of some assistance without directly coming in contact with the rangers.
Jason ripped the door of his fathers truck from the hinges, giving his father a safe exit amidst the chaos.
The red ranger found his father pinned under the car. He was hurt, that was for certain, but he was alive.
"Give me your hand!"
He leaned in, offering his father aid, but Sam pulled away, unsure if the knight in red was a friend or foe.
Jason knew what it looked like. Why should his father trust this mysterious man in a red armored suit? He hadn't done anything for the city or saved the day. He hadn't proven himself as a ranger or a son.
The fact that there was a strain in his relationship with his father was irrelevant. Whether his father wanted it or not, he was going to save him.
"Sam," he tried louder. "Give me your hand."
Whatever possessed Sam to accept his offer would forever remain a mystery. Something about him told him to trust him.
Jason grabbed his father hastily, throwing him over his shoulder with his heightened strength and raced him away from the burning vehicle.
The red ranger gently placed his father on the ground. His eyes searched for any serious wounds but his father dismissed him.
"I'm okay," Sam's voice trembled. His mind was still trying to understand what the hell was happening, why his beloved town was being destroyed and who these people inside these enormous robots were. "I'm okay... go." He didnt know what else to say, but he would be eternally grateful, that he knew for sure.
Jason nodded. He gave his father a quick once over to make sure he was indeed alright and sprinted back to his cockpit.
Sam watched his savior pilot the Tyrannosaurus back into battle. This man in red gave him a new life, a chance to continue, and a realization that life was far too short.
His cellphone was left in the car, so there was no way to contact his son now. He just hoped that wherever Jason was, it was far away from this living hell.
"Mr. Scott," Tommy came up behind him.
The bearded man turned, eyeing the new mysterious stranger. "Who the hell are you?"
Shit. Maybe Tommy shouldn't have used his name. He had no idea if it was indeed Jason's father, but why else would he be leave his cockpit it if wasn't immediate family? Sam didn't look like the Mr. Scott he new from his world. Now he wondered if the red ranger looked like his Jason behind the helmet.
"Never mind that," Tommy shook his head. "Go into the auto pits! It's the only way to reach safety! Please!"
Again, Sam didn't know why he trusted this other mysterious man, but he did. There was something strange about Angel Grove. It was no longer the town he knew and loved. He listened to the man in green and sprinted to the auto shop a short way down the road where a woman in pink was ushering people in.
Tommy reached Kimberly after a few people followed Sam into the shop. They were able to gather a crowd inside the shop and lock the doors, but the growing putties were beginning to circle the building.
They had to fight. They had no other choice. They couldn't let more people die. The rangers were keeping Goldar at bay, but the civilians on the ground were defenseless against Rita's growing army.
The Putties gathered together, growling at the former rangers.
Tommy pulled himself together, getting into a fighting pose. They were outnumbered but he would go down fighting rather than willingly let the putties get to the few civilians they were able to save.
"Kim," Tommy's face said everything, "you in this?"
The putties were momentarily distracted when the Pterodactyl flew overhead and picked up the Triceratops with its talons, lifting it into the air. It didn't take longer before the putties turned their attention back to Tommy and Kimberly.
Kimberly nodded, mirroring Tommy's pose with their backs touching, "I'm with you."
United.
"We move together and you stay on my six," He ordered for the first time in years. "Got it?"
"Got it!" Kimberly's voice didn't tremble, not once. She was determined more than anything.
The wind picked up as the pterodactyl and Triceratops flew overhead. The roars of the zord engines paled in comparison to the snarls from the putties charging directly at them.
The ground beneath them rumbled, the tons of brick coming at them wouldn't be an easy fight. They were more determined than ever to take them down. No weapons, no powers— nothing but their bare hands and the mentality that every life is worth saving.
Mere feet before the putties made their first face breaking punch, the Pterodactyl released the Triceratops into Goldar, followed by blinding explosion. The blast sent the gold beast crashing into a nearby building, while Rita flew a few feet away onto the ground.
The putties that were within reach starting pulverizing into nothingness. All around the town the putties crumbled, dismembering into the rubble they were.
Kim's lips parted, releasing a shaky breathe of relief that she didn't know she was holding. They were safe... for now.
Goldar was dripping onto the street, it's metal liquified.
For the first time, Tommy and Kimberly got a good look at Rita. She was face down on the ground, groaning. She was as human as any of them. She bled. She hurt.
What disgusted Kimberly the most was Goldars constant allegiance to her, in this world or hers, one thing never changed. His gold trailed down the cracked roads like a river until it reached her. His empress.
Whatever was fueling Goldar was of great power because he arose from the dead as quickly as he fell. His hand rematerialized, bringing Rita back on her feet.
Tommy pulled Kimberly back into the alley once again. Her army of brainless putties didn't return, but Goldar was her unstoppable ally.
"Her staff," Kimberly noted a detail she had missed earlier, "She has the green power coin."
He hadn't seen it before. How could he miss it.
"She's the green ranger," Tommy murmured, unsure if he was putting the pieces together correctly in his head.
The realization made his stomach flip. The thought of sharing a coin with Rita in this life or another made him physically ill. He never once questioned where his power coin came from. Was this the origin all along?
"I feel the crystal," Rita hissed. She extended her arm, calling her staff to her hand with some unworldly sorcery.
Goldar growled into the sky before digging his claws into the Krispy Kreme. He tore into the building, gouging every rock, pipe, and pebble until he reached the glowing end.
His prize was the shining Zeo crystal, beaming electric green into the city, swallowing any ounce of darkness.
"Oh, God," Kimberly whispered. She knew what it was right away.
Tommy and Kimberly knew there had to be a bigger reason for this destruction, for why he had been so drawn to the Krispy Kreme to begin with. It was the Zeo crystal all along.
If Rita was able to get ahold of the crystal then they were done for. Any and all universes would be in danger.
"Come on, let's go," Jason ordered. The zords charged forward, guarding the Zeo crystal behind them. "Okay everyone, hold the line!"
Rita's eyes became wild, her lip snarling up in anticipation for battle.
"Crush them!" She ordered Goldar.
Jason responded almost immediately, "Fire!"
The zords released a series of energy blasts into goldar, but they did nothing. He was far too strong and they were too small.
"What are they doing?" Kimberly's chin trembled.
They were working together but not how they should. Their zords were strong as individuals but united they were so much more.
Goldar summoned a fireball in his right hand, hurling it at the pterodactyl that was fighting back.
The zord was in flames within seconds, crying out in agony.
"Nooo," Kimberly screamed from the ground. She lunged forward, still feeling overprotective over the zord that had given it's life in battle to protect her all those years ago.
Tommy had to restrain her from her waist. She would be crushed within seconds if she stepped into the field. She fought to get free from his grasp but she couldn't. All she could do was succumb to the tears and crumble into the ground.
The rangers pushed forward as goldar continued to crush the Pterodactyl, the zord releasing more cries with every touch. Goldar wasn't fazed by the rangers. Their fight did nothing to him. They pushed forward and he pushed back harder.
"Push them into the pit," Rita commanded.
The zords were weakened, they were hurt. Their life had been drained and they didn't have the strength to fight back. Their claws dug into the ground, but they were no match for Goldar.
Tommy couldn't watch, couldn't even steal a glimpse as all five zords fell into the inferno that was the pit. The flames grew, spewing shards to everything nearby.
The screams of the zords thrashing in pain ached his heart. He cradled Kimberly's head, allowing her to cry for the both of them.
The whines from the metal of the zords deteriorating was a deafening screech. For the second time in his life he had to witness the soul crushing screams of the zords fighting for their lives. The rangers... they never escaped. He could only assume that their screams were part of it. Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Trini, Zack... they were all in the pit, meeting their untimely deaths.
Their screams waning only added to her victory. The silence brought forth a wicked smiled from Rita, marveling at her triumph.
"Get my crystal!" She ordered.
Goldar nodded before reaching into the pit that housed the presumed remains of the zords.
A large explosion burst from the pit, making goldar growl in pain.
Black smoke covered the air, thickening it.
Rita stepped back, mouth wide open upon seeing the dead come to rise.
Ascending from the ash was the mega zord, fully assembled and ready for battle.
"HOW?" Rita roared.
Tommy was wondering that same question. They fell and the zords were on the brink of death. He saw it with his own eyes.
The rangers didn't answer. They were back together, stronger than before.
Goldar extended his hand to his Empress and she took the short ride to his chest, where he began melting around her. His chest absorbed her until she was safely inside him, piloting him as her own personal zord.
The megazord clamped down ready for battle. Falling together in the pit should have been their death, but they held onto each other as a final goodbye, inadvertently assembling into a zord they didn't know was possible. They did it. Together.
"They're actually doing it," Kimberly watched intently, a smile curving up her lips as she stood up.
She turned to her husband who was beaming just the same. They oddly felt like proud parents, finally seeing their child thrive and sending them out to the real world... that is until the rangers made their first move.
"Everyone lets go," Jason commanded.
The rangers nodded and attempted to take a step, but they couldn't possibly do things right without knowing exactly which part of the megazord they each wielded.
The first step was a disaster, and as disasters go, the megazord missed its step and slowly fell forward. Together... they had to work together.
Tommy and Kimberly grimaced and prepared themselves for the possible aftershocks of such weight falling down to earth, but the megazords arms saved them from impact moments before it made contact with the floor.
It took the rangers no time to realize what role that had in the new zord. They no longer piloted an entire zord. No, they each commanded a section of a larger being and each section was equally as important. They had to move organically.
The megazord charged forward towards Goldar, crashing into him before throwing a right hook to his face.
Rita retaliated by throwing one equally as hard, rattling the rangers in their seats.
It only fueled them before the pink ranger, who was commanding the left arm, threw a swing of her own.
Kimberly couldn't help but smile at their differences. They started off slow, but they were getting the hang of things fast. She was so proud of... herself?
The megazord sent a series of right and left punches right after another, never letting off even for a moment.
Billy used his controls to lift the leg of the megazord and kick Goldar and Rita, sending them stumbling back.
Goldar growled before Rita called for his sword. The sharp saber emerged from his hand, forming from its own molten body. The creature paid no mind to its surroundings as it swung its weapon back and forth, using it to destroy nearby buildings.
Most people had already had the sense to dash inside buildings and seek shelter, some of which were the ones Goldar was purposely bashing.
The beast turned to the rangers that were glaring at him. They were defenseless with no weapon. Rita nodded from within and charged forward. The weight behind the zords was too much to make any sudden movements. They had to be calculated ahead of time. Upon Jason's command, the rangers moved their respective section and leaped out of the way. The megazord now had the upper hand by having Goldar be in such a vulnerable positions, with his back to them. Jason knew that. His younger years of wrestling taught him that.
The megazord wrapped its heavy arms around the molten creature and lifted it off the ground before falling to its back, taking Goldar with them. The ground shook vigorously, sending the seismic waves to create its own number in the Richter scale.
Goldar still fought to get back up from the ground. He was near death but clung to life. The megazord reached behind itself and removed the wings of the pterodactyl and impaled Goldar in his chest with them. Triumph at last.
"They did it. They actually did it," Kimberly let out a shaky breath to keep the tears at bay. She jumped into her husbands arms as they celebrated the victory.
Rita was spewed out of Goldars spread chest. The disgraced empress was on the ground heaving as she came to terms with what the hell just happened. She lost... but how? She's more powerful than anyone. Definitely more powerful than those children.
"Look at me," Rita growled as she struggled to come to her feet, "You think you've won? I came for the crystal, others will come!"
The never ending battle for power.
"What you have, it can't last," she continued, "You know I'm right!"
The zord remained quiet for a moment as Jason deliberated his decision. There was only one thing that he could possible do.
"No, I don't know," Jason addressed her, "but for now, I need you to give your staff and coin to us and we'll take you to Zordon and let him be the judge."
"Zordon... judge me?" Rita nearly exploded at the sound of his name. "Never!"
Her cheeks shook in rage, "No matter what Zordon says, I know I am worthy!"
Rita leaped forward, her staff high as she prepared to send a beam so powerful it would take her life and anything within a mile radius.
Jason reacted quickly and upon his command, Trini swung the megazords right arm, backhanding Rita straight into orbit.
Tommy took a solid step back... what the fuck?
"Did he just slap her?" Tommy looked to his wife who simply burst out in laughter.
This Jason was sure different than the lovable goof he knew. Strange orders but effective nonetheless.
He joined his wife in a chuckle. What a wild few hours that had been. It didn't seem real but he knew better than to question his reality.
Tommy beckoned to the building that was housing the civilians they managed to protect and they made their way to unlock the doors.
People walked out in a daze, also unsure if what just happened actually happened. Their boring town was no longer as quiet.
Through the rubble and fire, a sense of familiarity came to Kimberly. That's the Angel Grove she remembered. Half destroyed buildings, fires, and zords was what was missing.
The surviving civilians filled the streets once again as they all looked up at their savior. The Megazord.
The crowds cheered at the rangers for the first time and Tommy and Kimberly shared a knowing smile.
The megazord stood tall and proud at having won its first battle. It would happen again and the rangers were now a little more confident but far from prepared. More would come. Kimberly and Tommy knew, but again, this was a battle for a new generation, a new world.
They joined the crowd as they stared in awe, feeling prouder and prouder by the second.
Not more than two seconds went by before Tommy turned to his pocket and pulled out his cellphone, needing to capture this memory.
"What are you doing?" Kimberly eyed her husband curiously. He could never live without that thing.
He smirked, snapping a few more pictures, "Jason is never going to believe this."
He was on to something. She chuckled to his side before pulling out her own phone.
What a way to celebrate their anniversary. The weekend just started and thanks to Zack, it was going to be a long walk back to their own dimension.
Life with Tommy was an adventure right after the other... she just hoped that the rest of their anniversary would be a little quieter.
Now what the hell were they going to tell their insurance company about what happened to their car?
Author Note: Hey there! You have NO idea how long I've wanted to complete this and upload. I think I've been working on this story for over a year. I've gone back and forth and edited this more times than I can count and I'm FINALLY at a place where I'm happy with it! I've had this idea in my head since the 2017 movie came out and I saw OG Tommy and Kimberly on screen! This is my backstory for that! I honestly haven't seen anyone do anything like this but I could be wrong. Be sure to let me know what you think in a review or PM!Also, tell me what your little backstory for the OG Tommy and Kim is! I've been focusing my time on this because I couldn't get this out of my head and I wanted to complete this but now I can focus my time to POTR and the Christmas fic that I've been working on (which is almost complete btw). I also start school again next week and I really don't know how that's going to go. Might be a little more hectic for the next two months but it'll get a lot easier once the fall semester roles by and I'll have more time. Expect more frequent updates then. Also, I want to take a minute and say that I know I'm not the best writer out there and I've honestly been struggling feeling happy with what I write recently. If anyone has some good tips on writing then PLEASE send them to me. I want to be able to write imagery a lot better and any help will do! See you next time!