The Last Master of the Morphin Grid

By: PernDragonrider

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or anything to do with that wonderful program. I do claim ownership of the plot for this story. No money is being made on this fictional work.

A/N: This story has been sitting on my hard drive for two years with just the working title of "Story Premise". I just sort of rediscovered it and I'm doing a little editing and polishing as I change it into chapter formats for posting. I don't know where this idea originally sprang from; but I hope you enjoy the tale and as always please leave a review to let me know what you think. Pern. "thoughts" "telepathic communication"

Chapter One – Creation of a Morphin Master

Jason was camping out at the remains of the once beautiful and very graceful building that had contained the base of operations for all of Earth's Power Rangers until destroyed and decimated by Divatox's attack. He was completely unaware that Angel Grove, Earth, and all the planets that made up the World's Aligned with Good Alliance were under a massive multi-frontal attack by the forces of evil. He was blissfully unaware too, that within a matter of minutes, his entire world was going to change and nothing would ever be the same again.

Jason had just stood up when he saw a flash of light in the sunlit sky above. This flash wasn't from a passing plane or other man-made object; but from further out in orbit around the planet he called home. "What the heck was that?" Jason thought and then looked again as he saw a wave of golden light spreading quickly away from the initial flash. "Blast of some sort and what's headed this way is the front of the blast's compression wave." Jason's mind whirled and he dove for the nearest and largest piece of remains that was once the Power Chamber. Jason wasn't fast enough and before he could hide completely behind the large piece of outer wall that was still standing, the wave of light over took him. It passed through his body and left him standing in the ruins with tears of sorrow running down his face. His once handsome and smiling face was now twisted into a mask of grief and pain, physical as well as emotional.

The wave, once it touched his body started changing this lone man on this one mountaintop forevermore. His DNA was altered on the cellular level and he could no longer age as a normal human would. His aging was basically frozen at the age of 25 and he would never look any older than thirty even when his age could be counted in the thousands. Not only was his DNA altered to slow his aging, but also his entire cellular make up was altered to where he could channel untold and unheard of power through his body without causing an ounce of harm to him. His brain was flooded with the thoughts and emotions of those that had passed before even while it was also assaulted and altered so that the conduit for the power could be established and maintained. While his body and mind were being altered drastically and in the blink of an eye. The man that was enduring these changes continued to stare into the area around him in unseeing shock. Tears continued to flow from his now pain squeezed eyes even as he fell to the ground and writhed with the pain of having his entire body ripped apart and rebuilt in mere milliseconds. When the assault finally finished, Jason rose from where he'd fallen and began wondering aimlessly through the ruins of a place he could see was destroyed; but in his mind was still standing. He carried on soundless conversations in his head with people that weren't physically there; but in his mind he could see them standing, as they were on that fateful first day over five years ago. He saw his own time as a Power Ranger under Zordon flash through his mind and before his eyes.

Two weeks later, Justin Stewart, climbed to the lonely peak to remember a mentor he'd quickly come to love. The death of that mentor at the hands of Andros of KO-35 had saved the galaxies and completely wiped out every evil it touched. Those that still had traces of humanity left inside of them were returned to that form, while those that had no humanity or compassion left were turned into particles of dust and scattered on the winds of whatever world they'd been on. Justin reached the summit and the ruins he'd been coming to pay his respects at when movement in the deep shadows of the late summer evening caught his attention. "Who's there?" Justin asked bracing himself for an attack by an animal, anyone, or anything.

The thing causing the movement shuffled slowly into the last of the sun's dying rays and revealed himself to be a man. A man Justin had come to know as a friend during his time as the Blue Turbo Power Ranger. "Jason?" Justin asked and was totally shocked when Jason turned and looked right at him but made no sound or sign that he recognized the young 14 year old standing before him. "Are you all right, Jason?" Justin asked again with growing worry in his tone. His eyes scanned Jason's body and he noticed that the clothes were tattered and torn, his hair was caked with dirt and debris, and his eyes were staring off into the distance as if he was sightless. The lack of response from Jason was scaring Justin; but he held off his terror long enough to bring his communicator, he still wore it every day since he'd helped free the trapped Astro Rangers with Mountain Blaster's help, and pressed the button that would contact TJ Johnson, once second Red Turbo Ranger now Blue Astro or Space Ranger. "TJ, it's Justin!" Justin said with a panicked tone into his communicator. "I'm up at the ruins of the Power Chamber and Jason Scott is here. Get up here, there's something wrong with Jason and it's scaring me badly!"

"Calm down and SLOW down, Justin." TJ's calm voice washed over the panicking teen and he visibly relaxed while exhaling a slow breath. "Why are you and Jason up at the Power Chamber's ruins and what's wrong with Jason? Did he get bit by a scorpion or snake?"

"I don't think so, Teej." Justin replied a little calmer yet still keeping an eye on the very strangely acting Jason. "He's filthy from head to toe, his clothes are torn, and he's not really all there; if ya catch where I'm going with that?"

"I'm with Andros and the others at the NASADA base, Justin." TJ replied with very slight note of concern showing through his calmness. "Andros says we can be there in less than five minutes. He also just said for you not to touch Jason if you can help it, but to keep him there with you by any means at your disposal."

"What's going on Teej?" Justin questioned as he moved to guard the only exit from the area.

"Not sure, Justin." TJ answered calmly and Justin could hear the whine of Megaship's engines in the background. "But Andros has been muttering under his breath since your call came over the communicator. I can't make out more than every other word and I think he's cussing in his native tongue instead of English. But our translator's don't seem to be working on it."

"That's cause he's not cursing in Kevorian, but in an abstract dialect from Onyx." Zhane's voice issued over the open circuit. "He's actually cursing Zordon which is really strange since he held him in such high regard."

"Shut up, Zhane!" Andros said angrily and his anger transmitted clearly to Justin and to Jason.

Jason turned at the sharp angry words that issued from Justin's communicator and he walked calmly over toward where Justin was blocking the path that lead away from the ruins. "He's angry with me." Jason thought with a very sad and forlorn look on his face as fresh tears streaked down his face and made more tracks in the dirt and mud already caked on his handsome face. "My last order has distressed him greatly; hasn't it, young one?" Jason's thoughts somehow reached Justin's now stunned mind and he blinked twice before realizing that he'd heard Jason without his mouth moving.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Jason." Justin said calmly even as he processed the information that Jason had somehow developed an unknown telepathic ability.

Jason looked skyward and his face twisted in a contortion that took Justin a second to realize was a smile. Before anything further could be done, Justin felt a teleportation beam take the both of them from where they stood. Justin materialized in the medical bay of the Astro Megaship and before he could speak a word he saw through the small porthole in that room that the ship was already underway and traveling at a high rate of speed as the stars streaked by the thick transparent window. "Where are we headed?" Justin asked in confusion as Zhane, Karone, and Andros crowded around the now unconscious form of Jason that lay on the lone medical bed in the small room.

"We're headed to Eltar at top speed, Justin." TJ said from behind Justin as he entered the room and placed his hand on Justin's shoulder giving a small squeeze of reassurance. "Your father was contacted before we lifted off from NASADA and he's given permission for you to accompany us."

"Dad said I could go?" Justin asked in shock as he watched Andros, Zhane, and Karone run scan after scan after repeated scan over Jason's unconscious form. "TJ, Jason somehow developed telepathy. He spoke to me in my mind." Justin's tone was now worried and filled with his concern for a man he considered to be as much of a big brother as he did TJ, Carlos, Tommy, Adam, Rocky, and Andros.

"The wave was more than we thought." Karone said with a sad tone as she looked over her shoulder at TJ and Justin's almost twin frowns of concern. "Apparently the wave not only contained all of Zordon's goodness that destroyed the forces of evil, but it also contained all of Zordon's powers as well. Those powers appear to have now found a home inside this human you call Jason."

"Karone." TJ said with a small frown of dislike marring his face even more than his concerned frown did earlier. "That's Jason Scott, one of Zordon's first rangers lying unconscious on that table. Zordon's first Red Ranger to be exact."

"Krat! Spilgot! Zordon how the Miteltck could you!" Andros spit out in horror and anger as the screen before him started showing the results of the medical scans they'd been running on Jason. "His mind and body won't withstand the strain of the change unsupported and I am NOT shoving him into stasis or confining him to a solitary existence in a Miteltcking dimensional warp!"

"What the krat are you ranting about, Andros?" Zhane said and then blanched as he saw the readings that were scrolling across the screen hidden behind Jason's head. "Spilgot! Carlos! Change course and get us to Phaedos immediately! Dulcea is the only one that can help him now!"

"What's going on?" Justin asked in confusion as he grabbed onto the nearest wall to keep from being thrown to the floor as the Megaship veered sharply and quickly to the right.

"Apparently the effects of the Zordon wave were two fold, Justin." Andros answered calmly from where he was holding Jason's unconscious form on the bed as the ship tilted up in the steep turn Carlos was executing. "One effect was to destroy or return to humanity everything evil in the universes it touched. The other effect was to seek out and imbue the best candidate with all of Zordon's powers as a Morphin Master. Jason can now manipulate the Morphin Grid and allow the forces of good access to that unbridled and tremendous power to defeat the forces of evil."

"Then what's wrong with Jason and why did he look at me as if he was looking through me?" Justin asked with rising concern in his voice. "We should get Tommy or one of the others he served as a Ranger with. He might recognize them better than us."

"Jason's been through a great physical and emotional upheaval, Justin." Karone said kindly as she led the young boy from the medical bay. "His body and mind have been assaulted with changes so wondrous that he's not fully conscious, but working on a sort of auto-pilot mode or instinct at this point. We're taking him to Phaedos and Dulcea. She will know what to do to help him."

Everyone on the Megaship took turns sitting with Jason in the med-bay. Sometimes he was lucid enough to converse, but more often than not he spoke with them as if he were someone else; someone that was familiar to Justin, Andros, Karone, and Zhane while TJ, Carlos, Ashley, and Cassie had only seem him one time. The weeklong trip to Phaedos was accomplished as quickly as the Megaship could fly; however even that stalwart and good ship's top speed still made the journey seem nearly endless.

"Andros," Cassie said quietly as she stepped into the small room that housed the ship's medical facilities.

"Yeah, Cass, what is it?" Andros answered with a very weary and dejected tone.

"We're approaching Phaedos. There's a large plateau and we want DECA to land there, but she's refusing to land anywhere but on the beach. Jason's not up to making a trek of that magnitude right now. We should land on the plateau and not down on the beach below."

"Dulcea's wishes should be respected at all times, Cassandra Chan." Jason said with a smile in his voice yet Cassie was shocked beyond belief because she'd never been called anything but Cassie around him. "I will survive making the climb up to the plateau and seeing Dulcea again will be a pleasure."

"Jason?" Justin questioned from where he'd hidden in a corner of the room. "How can you see Dulcea again when Tommy and the others say you've never met her? You weren't with the team when they went there for the Great Power."

"Justin, my little one." Jason said quietly and Justin shivered because the voice wasn't that of his friend Jason Scott, but that of Zordon of Eltar. "I've known the Master Warrior of Phaedos for many millennia now. Seeing her again will be a joy and a loss. Because she will insist I leave this fine strong body I've found myself in and dissipate into the grid, as I should have. I will, eventually, but there is much my first must learn before I do."

"Land on the plateau, Megaship." Dulcea's calm tones echoed in the stunned silence that had followed Jason's words to Justin. "Zordon's replacement shouldn't make the climb to the plateau for it will only weaken the new Grid Master unduly."

"He is young and strong, Dulcea." Zordon's voice replied even as DECA was changing her landing coordinates and putting down gently in the largest clearing on the plateau. "I would not weaken him to make that climb."

"We've landed per the Master Warrior's instructions, Andros." DECA calm voice washed over everyone in the ship. "The new Master should disembark and then I'll lift off and land the Megaship on the beach as normal."

Everyone disembarked and once they were clear of the ship, DECA and Alpha 6 lifted off and the Megaship landed down on the beach. Dulcea was standing quietly and looking at the group of eight people that stood before her. Justin's face held a mixture of curiosity and concern while Ashley, Carlos and TJ's faces were creased with worry and some fear. Zhane, Andros, and Karone's faces were relaxed yet still held small lines of worry. Jason's face held a large welcoming smile and he made to step forward until Dulcea's next words stopped him.

"Zordon of Eltar is welcome on Phaedos; however he is not welcome when he is inhabiting a body that is not his own. Dissipate into the Grid, as you should have, Zordon. Your replacement will be well trained by those that were and are you peers. The Grid chose him to replace you and he will be sustained and supported by us, until we find the one that can and will give what we cannot."

"Very well, Dulcea, Master Warrior and Guardian of the Great Power." Zordon's voice issued from Jason's throat with a tone that was both relieved and sad at the same time. "I will leave Jason Lee Scott of Earth in your capable hands. He was and is a very capable leader and Ranger, Dulcea. Train and teach him, but most of all support him through the trials that will come with the changes my passing has wrought in him." Zordon's voice died and then fresh tears ran down his handsome face as everyone saw the spirit of Zordon of Eltar seep from the tall dark-haired, dark eyed young man.

"He's gone." Jason said in his own voice that was clogged with tears of sorrow, loss, and pain. "He's now truly gone."

"He's not gone, Jason." Dulcea said in a gentle voice as she finally approached the group and took the still crying Jason into a motherly hug of comfort. "His spirit is safe and you may consult with him at anytime through the Morphin Grid. His passing was foretold millennia ago and we, the other Morphin Masters, have prepared and waited for the one that has been prophesized to come. You are here now and there is much for you to learn and understand before you can take your place as a Morphin Master. Come and I will show you where you will be staying for a time. I will be your first teacher in the ways of a Master of the Morphin Grid and you will learn from all that have held the mantle of Morphin Master."

Dulcea released Jason and led him to the part of the ruins that still stood. She took him down a sloped ramp and into the heart of the Ninjetti Temple. There Dulcea bade him rest and Jason lay down and slept, truly slept, for the first time since the Zordon Wave had touched his body. Dulcea returned quickly to the surface and spoke with the other Rangers there.

"He is resting, truly resting and sleeping, for the first time since the change began." Dulcea told them with a sigh that combined relief and worry at once. "There is much for him to learn and very short time for him to learn it in. Myself, Lerigot, and Xraxtoz have foreseen that this one will have many trials and tribulations to overcome before he can fully accept the mantle that was thrust upon him unawares."

"He will be just fine, Dulcea." Andros said with a smile as he hugged Ashley to his side. "Like Zordon said he is strong and resilient. He will bounce back quicker than any expect, but I am worried about him being unsupported. If we cannot find his heart's desire soon we will have to resort to imprisoning him in stasis or a dimensional warp as Zordon was."

"He will have the support he needs while here on Phaedos, Andros of Kevoria." Dulcea replied with a smile. "Not the support he desires, but the support he needs will be provided. Lerigot and Xraxtoz are even now enroute to Phaedos to help me train Zordon's replacement. Between the three of us and the Morphin Grid, Jason Scott of Earth will be supported until we can find the one that will take our place and support him completely."

"We will leave you then, Dulcea." Andros said with a slight bow. "Justin's father will worry if we're not back soon and TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Zhane, Karone, and I need to take stock of our options and rest for a short time. If you need us, as Rangers, you know how to contact us."

"You must do as you need, Andros." Dulcea said with a smile for all of them. "You have done the Grid a great service by bringing Jason here as fast as you did. It would have taken us longer to find him and that could have lead to his falling into madness before we could do anything about it. I believe that Zordon's spirit possessing his body and mind kept the madness at bay until he could be discovered. I would admonish all of you not to morph unless absolutely necessary for a few weeks. Jason will not be accustomed to channeling the power to allow you to morph for a time. Phantom Ranger and the Masked Rider have already been contacted and have agreed to this too. Andros, you or Zhane need to make a stop in a place called Mariner Bay and speak with someone there about holding off on their experiments for a few weeks. The Mirinoi Quasar Sabers are going to tax Jason's abilities enough for now. He does not need to be concerned with experiments on Earth channeling the Grid's powers as well. Not until he's more secure and comfortable with what he will be giving of himself to all that hold the power to morph into a Power Ranger. Until then we will attempt, provided evil doesn't take this chance to gain more ground, to only having him channel the powers necessary for one team at the time."

"There's only been one active team at the time." Justin piped up with a small frown of concern.

"On Earth, yes." Dulcea answered before any of the others could say anything to Justin. "Zordon not only channeled the necessary powers for those he chose as Rangers, but he also channeled the powers for the Rangers of Aquitar, The Astro Rangers, and The Masked Rider as well. He accepted that burden the day he became a Morphin Master and Jason must accept that burden, eventually. But for the next few months of time we can keep the burden as low as possible to allow him to become accustomed to the drain. Then, have we the luxury, we can gradually increase the amount of teams he provides power to one at the time."

"Oh, okay." Justin said with a smile. "Thank you, Dulcea, for giving out that information. Is it all right if I tell the others what's going on?"

"No, you cannot tell anyone other than those that already know, Justin." Andros replied before Dulcea could say a word. "Jason, until he masters the powers thrust upon him, will be vulnerable to attacks by the forces of evil. They would attack and in the process destroy Jason. We must not breathe a word of this to anyone that doesn't already know."

"All right." Justin said with a dejected tone. "Dang another secret I can't tell anyone. Great, Dad is going to want to know what's going on and I can't tell him."

"Just tell him it was Ranger business, Justin." Cassie said putting her arms around his shoulders and giving him a quick hug. "He'll understand that and won't push you for more than you can give him. I'm sure he's made the connection, after we had to reveal our identities as to just who the Blue Turbo Ranger was and still is."

"DECA and Alpha may pilot the ship back to the Plateau, Andros." Dulcea said with a smile. The sun is setting and the trek down would be dangerous for all of you. May the Power Protect you, always."

DECA, at Andros' instructions, piloted the ship back to the plateau and picked up the Astro Rangers, Karone, and Justin. They made the return trip to Earth in a more leisurely fashion than the original trip to Phaedos, but they didn't talk, much, of what had transpired during the emergency trip to Phaedos. Once back on Earth, Andros accompanied Justin home and he made the explanations to Justin's father about why he needed to leave the planet with him. Andros told Justin's father as much as he could and the elder Stewart accepted that there were things that couldn't be said.

On Phaedos, Jason slept; unaware of the challenges, trials, and future sorrows he would face as the newest and Last Master of the Morphin Grid.

XXXXX To Be Continued XXXXX

A/N: This tale has been languishing on my hard drive for almost two years. I finally called it up one day, bored, and reread it. I started working on rewriting it and clearing up some inconsistencies in it when I got the idea to try writing it in chapter format, instead of one long tale. This is going to be the result of that endeavor and I hope you will leave me a review to let me know what you think of this.

A/N2: Krat! Hell. Spilgot! Shit. Miteltck Fuck. Miteltcking Fucking. (My translations for the obscure dialect Andros and Zhane were cursing in.)