AN: So this story goes with Once A Ranger, the first in the series of Aria Oliver. I wanted to get the first chapter up and I'll be writing up the next part of Once A Ranger as well. Hopefully you all enjoy this story and series as much as Neve's.
Also, I took some liberties on the Oliver family. I don't think it was ever said exactly who or what Tommy's parents (Adopted) were or did. So I just created them as I imagined them to be.
The Oliver Curse.
Chapter 1: Beginnings.
"This is a good change for you," Tina Oliver said. "Angel Grove just isn't the right place for us."
Aria sighed, rolling her eyes as she kept her eyes locked on the scenery passing out the passenger side window. Ever since they'd moved to Angel Grove in '93 her mother had been saying the same thing. When Tina Oliver had divorced her husband in 2000 she'd began looking for a job elsewhere. She'd found one in Turtle Cove.
Aria hadn't bothered to inform her scatter brained mother that there were Power Rangers in Turtle Cove as well. Active ones at that. She'd find that out soon enough.
Aria looked nothing like her parents, but that was to be expected. Tina couldn't have children so she and her husband had adopted two. Ironically both where from the same biological mother even if Aria and Tommy had different biological fathers.
The biggest difference and give away that she and Tommy were only half-siblings was her olive toned skin, dark brown/black hair, and green eyes. It was more the green eyes then complexion and hair color. Along with the apparent oriental background.
Her father had been part Chinese on his grandmother's side with a family history from Japan as well. She didn't know much. She'd only met her biological father once when she was fifteen, she'd never really wanted much to do with him.
She had another older brother as well, but she saw him even less then she saw Tommy. Tommy was currently working towards his doctorate in Paleontology. Something that kept him very busy, and with his forgetful nature it was amazing they ever heard from him.
"I'm sure it will," Aria said, rolling the ruby crystal a little smaller then a golf ball in her right hand.
She'd found it at the new house they were living in. or more like in the woods behind the house wedged between two rocks in a stream she came across.
"Did you figure out what that is Ria?" her mom asked and Aria winced at the nickname.
It kind of annoyed her. But she'd been annoyed easily and grumpily recently. It probably had something to do with no longer having her friends. Or being forced into a new High School she knew nothing about. A town she knew nothing about.
She was sixteen, a few months into her freshman year (she'd been held back in third grade, so she was a little older then normal freshman) so it was sort of a big deal to her.
Three months in Angel Grove High and her mother had uprooted her to come here. She had a right to be angry, or at least she thought. Maybe she was just being a moody teenager.
"No, but it's pretty," Aria said simply.
Tina Oliver sighed. She knew how hard this whole year had been on Aria. She'd been moved from a life she'd known since she was eight, and lost her father. Frank Oliver was a stern man by nature but he did care about his children, adopted or not. Things had just deteriorated between her and him and by the time Tommy had left home for College this became apparent to everyone who paid attention.
Aria had always been a unique girl. Witty, cunning, a intelligent mind when she put her mind to something and friendly to nearly everyone. She believed in first impressions, but wasn't against second chances. Since Tommy had left and the fighting between her and Frank had escalated she'd noticed her daughter becoming more closed off. She put up a good front at first though.
Now that they had moved thirty miles away to Turtle Cove it was pretty apparent her daughter wasn't what could be called happy.
"I'm sorry honey."
Aria looked over at her mom in surprise.
"For what?" she asked.
"I know you never wanted to move here and I know you dad leaving has made things different but we'll make this work," her mom said, smiling lightly. "I promise."
Aria looked the honey blonde, brown eyed woman and smiled.
"I know mom, I know."
xXx
"What do you mean the Ruby Crystal has moved!?" Master Org demanded, slamming his hand down on the arm of his chair.
Toxica and Jindrax exchanged a look and turned back to their master.
"Uh... well it's just gone Master Org. Someone must have found it," Jindrax said, scratching the back of his org neck.
"But we've been able to track it Master Org. It's with a girl," Toxica said and Master Org raised a inquiring eye.
"I see. This girl...show me who she is, where she is and why she has the crystal," Master Org said clinching his fist. "We can not allow those Rangers to gain another Ranger. It's bad enough that crystal was even found."
Toxica and Jindrax nodded and ran around to do as he said, looking like chickens with their heads cut off.
Soon enough Master Org was standing staring into a pool with the view of a girl, around sixteen or seventeen walking in the park. Around her wrist attacked to a thick silver bracelet was the Ruby Lioness Crystal. The last crystal of the Ruby Ranger.
"I see..." Master Org said and then he grinned. "Jindrax, Toxica I have a mission for you. Do not fail me on this."
"Anything Master Org, we will not fail," Toxica said, almost like a kid on Christmas.
"Go to the moon, find me anything you can on the spell Rita Repulsa used on the first Green Ranger," he said, turning to look at Toxica. "I do mean anything."
"Of course, but why?" Jindrax asked.
"Stupid, he wants to use it on this girl," Toxica said, slapping her the other org. "But Master Org, the spell was easily broken by the Rangers."
"So it was, but I shall not be so easily foiled. While you are getting that I shall journey for something else."
"What?" the two Orgs asked in unison.
Master Org narrowed his eyes at them.
"That is none of your concern. Now leave, I want this done quickly," he said. "Before the Rangers find her, or worse yet... Princess Shayla senses the crystal or her."
The two Orgs nodded, bowed and disappeared. Moments later Master Org turned and left, off to find the key to keep his Evil Ranger on his side.
xXx
Aria had to admit Turtle Cove was a beautiful place, had some interesting history. As she walked along, taking in the sights of her new home she jerked to the side when she saw a football soaring towards her from the corner of her eye. Reaching up Aria acted quickly and grabbed the ball moments before it would have passed her.
"Hey, you alright?"
Aria turned, and nodded. In front of her was a boy in blue, probably around nineteen or eighteen. Further back was who she assumed was his friends, all in certain colors and she wondered if she had unwittingly met the new team of Rangers.
She knew all about Tommy's days as a Ranger. She had since he'd gained the Ninjetti Powers and had seen him morph. It wasn't until around the time Kim passed on her powers she came clean about knowing but she'd not had a choice seeing as she was taken by Rita and Zedd's goons.
"I'm fine," she said. "Here."
"Cool, thanks. I'm Max," he said.
"Aria Oliver," she returned, shaking his hand.
"It was nice meeting you Aria," Max said. For a moment he thought of inviting her to join him and the others but he was unsure how the others would take it. "Again, sorry about the ball."
Aria nodded and watched as Max ran back to his friends. She sighed and turned continuing off, headed towards a tree line and pond area. It almost reminded her of Angel Grove, almost.
Aria jumped back as nasty looking things appeared, reminding her of Putties. Behind them was two people – though she was unsure if they were people in the human sense – from their attire and looks she took it that these were two of the Rangers enemies and the foot soldiers.
"Get her Putrids!" Toxica cried.
Aria gasped as the group of foot soldiers – Putrids the woman had said – rushed forward, some with clubs. She spun away from one and flipped backwards to avoid another, jumping up and kicking out to either side of her. Nailing two Putrids in the head.
Landing Aria began throwing punches and using everything she'd learned from Martial Arts, Judo and throwing in the agility and flexibility she'd learned from Gymnastics.
She had dispatched nearly all of them, but they kept multiplying. She was punching forward with the palm of her hand to hit one Putrid in the chest when she was surrounded and grabbed by her arms, and restrained. She tried getting free, lifting up and kicking the two closest to being in front of her but the Putrids were stronger then they looked. She was also tired, the fight had lasted for a little over a minute or two she assumed.
"Good," Jindrax said. "Master Org is sure to reward us now."
With that said Toxica, Jindrax and the Putrids disappeared with Aria.
A few seconds after they left the Power Rangers arrived in suit, looking for the disturbance Princess Shayla had sensed.
"There isn't anything here," Alyssa said, looking around.
"I don't understand, it's not like Princess Shayla to be wrong," Cole said, trying to find what they were missing.
"We should get back to Animaria, maybe Shayla can shed some light on this," Taylor said and the Rangers nodded.
None of them could shake the feeling that they'd been too late to stop something important. A feeling of failure they had no idea why they were feeling sneaking up on them as they turned and left.
xXx
The Mystic Mother had seen it all, and had sensed the presence on the Moon, her former home. Once upon a time she'd been known as Rita Repulsa, but now she was much more. A Sorceress of the most powerful good magic. She liked to keep a watch on earth at times, especially when there were Rangers.
She had a lot of be guilty about herself. Having once tried to destroy the multicolored heroes. Now it seemed she had more to be guilty about. She had been the first person to ever create an evil Ranger and it seemed the fad had not ended with Tommy.
She had seen Aria Oliver being taken by Master Orgs forces and feeling the presence on the moon she knew it was only a mater of time before another soul would become evil. Another evil Power Ranger, and an Oliver at that. She sighed, slumped in her throne like chair.
"I wish I could do something, unfortunately this is out of my hands," the Mystic Mother muttered to herself.
Watching as Master Org cast the spell on Aria through her powers she noticed instantly the differences. This spell would be several times more difficult to break. Master Org was making sure to make it powerful, leaving little chance the Rangers would break it. She also noticed something different about Aria, she took to the spell a little differently then Tommy.
She knew as she watched Master Org present the new evil Ranger the sword of deception that Master Org had not only created an evil Ranger but an evil Ranger who would do anything to be free of service to him.
She would become much more then simply an evil Ranger until the spell was broken.
"May the Power protect you Aria Oliver," Mystic Mother said. "Eventually you will be freed of this spell, if there is something I've learned it's the Power Rangers always find a way."
