Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Megaforce. This story is fan-made.
Author's Note: This is not where the Megaforce series starts. If you want to read the series without getting lost, I suggest you read my stories in the order they appear:
No To Date Nights - The Party Night - Project Partners - Megaforce: Lives Behind The Masks - Prom Night - A Trip To Remember - First Meetings - Something She Loves – Protective Morans – Samurai In Harwood County – Rainy Days – Luck Had Nothing To Do With It
Also, just to add, in a couple of weeks I will be going on vacation for about a week and a half. In that time, I will not be updating. I'll be without internet for most if not all the time I am away. That means updates will stop in that time. I'll post as much as I can before that (and I have a lot that needs to be posted still), but when I'm gone, I'm gone. Thank you for understanding and thank you in advance for your patience.
Just after breakfast, Troy had gotten a call from Dr. Oliver on his phone. Had Dr. Oliver just been a regular teacher, Troy would have thought that to be very unusual and a little suspicious. It was summer vacation, so the students weren't in school. The teachers also had the summers off, unless they were working summer school or picked up a job somewhere else to help earn a few extra bucks. Contact between a student and a teacher during the summer was strange.
But Troy had recently discovered that Dr. Oliver was a former Ranger – and a legendary one at that. He had been on several teams and had worn a number of different colours in his time. He had been one of the original Power Rangers here on Earth, and had started his Rangers duties in high school, just like the Megaforce team.
He had also been a mentor to one of the teams. Troy had seen it in his dreams – Dino Thunder. That had been when Dr. Oliver had been the black Ranger, and the mentor to three, later four, of his students.
So, if Dr. Oliver was calling him, it was for something serious. Troy had answered the call and got Dr. Oliver's address. Feeling a little weird, though he knew this was likely just for Ranger business, he asked his teammates to come along with him.
He knocked on the door and waited for Dr. Oliver to answer. Emma had a look around.
"This was Jordan's house. Dr. Oliver must have bought it when Jordan's parents moved."
"That should have been clue number one," Jake chuckled. "Who the hell would move into a town that's constantly under attack?"
"A former Power Ranger," Noah smiled.
Troy rolled his eyes just as the door opened. Dr. Oliver was standing there and invited the teens inside. He seemed glad Troy had brought everyone.
"You're probably wondering why I called you here," Dr. Oliver said. Troy looked at him.
"We figured it was Ranger business."
"It is," Dr. Oliver said. He walked the teens to a door in his hallway. When he opened it, they saw stairs leading to the basement. He saw Gia gave him a strange look.
"First our teacher invites us to his place, then he takes us to his basement. Are there other students down there?"
"Noth other students," Dr. Oliver shook his head. "But I've got something down here that might be helpful to you guys."
"Like what?" Emma asked. Dr. Oliver just gestured down the stairs.
"Follow me."
The teens walked down the stairs behind Dr. Oliver. Emma could already tell the basement had been changed. There was now a door leading into the basement at the bottom of the stairs instead of just an open room. Dr. Oliver pulled out a key and opened the door.
"Twenty bucks says there's a body in there," Gia whispered to Jake. He shook her hand.
"It's Dr. Oliver. He's a former Ranger. There's not going to be a body."
When the door opened, Dr. Oliver stepped inside first. Troy led the rest of his team into the room and they had a look around. For Emma, this was nothing like she remembered Jordan's basement. This was like an underground lair. Like the command center, there were rows of Power Ranger figures lining the walls. There had to be at least a hundred unique Rangers. However, unlike the command center, these Rangers were action figures, similar to what kids were buying in the toy store.
"You can say I'm the Power Ranger's biggest fan," Dr. Oliver chuckled when he saw the Rangers looking around at the action figures lining the wall.
"You have a lot more toys than I ever did growing up," Troy commented.
"These are toys," Dr. Oliver agreed, "But these aren't for games. As you all know, Power Rangers have been pretty popular since they first appeared here on Earth.
"On Earth?" Noah asked and he suddenly felt himself getting very excited. "You mean, there have been Power Rangers not on Earth? As in another planet?"
Dr. Oliver nodded his head, "You kids have a lot to learn about your ancestors."
"Our ancestors?" Jake grumbled, "Great, this is the part where he tells us we're actually all adopted. Alright, doc, who are my real parents?"
"That's not what I mean," Dr. Oliver shook his head. "I've told you all before, Power Rangers work together. Many of us are retired now, but that doesn't mean we've left the spandex behind us. Every single Ranger is ready for action at a moment's notice. Because of this, and because of what we've all lived through, we've become a sort of family. As I've said, no one knows what it's like to be a Ranger, unless you are one."
"Though we can get pretty close," one of the chairs by the computers Noah was staring at turned around, revealing a woman. Gia instantly held her hand out to Jake. He looked at her.
"She's obviously alive."
"I said body, not dead body. Technically, that counts."
Jake grumbled and handed over twenty dollars.
Dr. Oliver walked over to the woman and put his hands on the back of her chair.
"Rangers, meet Hayley. I've known Hayley since college. We basically hit it off almost instantly, and once I realized Hayley could be of great use to the Ranger project, I pulled her on board. She's been an invaluable member of the Ranger community ever since."
"To put it lightly," Hayley chuckled.
"Hayley is how I manage to keep up to date with all the latest Ranger activity. Well, Hayley and the help of some former Rangers."
"Whenever there are strange energy readings, I look into them," Hayley turned to her computer and brought up a satellite image of California, "I'm able to trace signatures through time and space. There's not a Ranger team I don't know something about."
"Time and space?" Noah asked. Jake rolled his eyes. It was going to take a crowbar to pry his best friend out of this basement. This was Noah's dream laboratory.
"Time and space?" Troy also asked as he walked over to the computer, "Alright, so I know about space. There was a team of Rangers in space and from space."
"Our Space Rangers and the Alien Rangers," Hayley nodded her head. "Someone's been doing his homework."
"Dreams," Troy said. He looked to Hayley, "For a while, I've been getting these strange dreams about the Power Rangers."
"Well, now you've got a full archive of Ranger history," Hayley said. "You are free to use this computer whenever you need. Just try not to break it."
Hayley turned around and looked at Jake, "Speaking of which, no soccer balls in the lab. I've had enough of those damn things bouncing off my computers and pushing buttons."
"How did you know I play soccer?" Jake asked her with a curious look. Hayley just smirked and turned back to her computer.
"Hayley," Dr. Oliver said, "I've gotten permission from the Dinos. Why don't you show them who some of their ancestors are, and what they're doing now?"
"Is that smart?" Hayley asked. "Everyone's moved on from their Rangers duties."
"You know being a Ranger is a job that never ends. Dino Thunder is ready to help out if they need it."
"Alright, you're the boss," Hayley said. On the screen, the Rangers saw as five Rangers in dinosaur themed costumes appeared on the screen. There was a red, a blue, a yellow, a black, and a white Ranger."
"Black was me," Dr. Oliver stated and the Power Ranger on the screen powered down. As he did, a block of information came up about where he was living now, what he was doing, as well as all his background information as a Ranger. Needless to say, the list was a long one.
"I think some of you have met Dino Thunder Red already," Hayley said and the red Dino Ranger powered down on the screen. Jake's jaw fell instant.
"Coach McKnight? Dude, no way!"
"Conner was the one who informed me about your identity," Dr. Oliver said. "He noticed familiar behavior from you and with Hayley's help I was able to confirm his suspicions."
"No wonder he's been cutting you so much slack," Gia said and nudged Jake in the ribs. "That's going to come in handy."
"Hayley, show them Ethan," Dr. Oliver stated and the blue Ranger on the screen powered down. Again, Jake looked to the picture with a bit of a shocked look.
"I recognize him. He came to dinner one night after a big game. He's Coach McKnight's friend."
"Now you know why," Dr. Oliver stated. "Before they were Rangers, Conner and Ethan barely knew of the other's existence. They came from different social circles and were brought together by their Ranger duties. They don't have much in common, but now they are the best of friends. It just goes to show how strong a bond is formed through Ranger duties."
"Ethan was a lot like you," Jake said to Noah. "Honestly, the resemblance was uncanny. You're like twins separated at birth."
"I've noticed the same thing," Dr. Oliver said. "You Rangers were lucky enough, and unfortunate enough, to have friendships within the team when you started your duties. Whoever recruited you made the right decision."
"What, we were unfortunate enough to have friends on the team?" Emma asked and looked to Gia nervously, "Why unfortunate enough?"
"I think you've already felt the strain of being a Ranger," Hayley said. "It's not always easy working alongside a friend. Your greatest ally can also be your biggest weakness."
"Well, that's just great," Noah grumbled. He turned to Jake, "If you ever get yourself in trouble, you're saving yourself."
Jake just shook his head and rolled his eyes. He knew Noah didn't mean it. They just loved to mess with each other.
"Next up," Hayley showed the teens the yellow Ranger, "Kira Ford."
Emma's eyes widened, "No way. She was a Power Ranger? I've got all her CDs!"
"Wait, even celebrities can be Power Rangers?" Noah asked. "So, this isn't just ordinary people? We're seriously talking about anyone being a possible Ranger?"
"Kira wasn't a celebrity at the time. Like you, the Dino Thunder Rangers were active during their final year in high school. Kira's singing career took off a few years after that."
"Wait a minute," Emma held up her hand, "You're telling me my best friend," Emma pointed to Gia, "wears the same colour spandex as Kira Ford? Kira Ford was the yellow Power Ranger?"
"She's going to have a fan-girl moment like the time we met Dustin Brooks," Gia rolled her eyes. Then she saw Hayley and Dr. Oliver exchange looks and groaned, "Wait a minute. You both know who Dustin Brooks is."
"We've met him," Dr. Oliver nodded his head. Gia looked at them suspiciously.
"You've met Dustin Brooks. Emily and Serena met Dustin," she turned to Troy, "Well, you're the Ranger Sensor…"
"I did have a dream about a team of Ninja Rangers that night after meeting him…"
"Dustin was a Ranger too?" Emma cried.
Hayley sighed. She had given the Megaforce team permission to use her computer so she could only assume Emma would find out sooner or later.
"Remember, knowing the identities of the former Rangers puts your team and theirs at a greater risk. Anything you find out in here, stays here. Is that understood."
"Was Dustin a Ranger or not?" Emma asked and put her hands on her hips. Hayley brought up on the screen an image of the Ninja Storm Rangers. She focused on the yellow one.
"Yellow? Again?" Emma asked and looked at Gia. Her best friend held up her hands and backed away.
"I'm finding this out like you!"
"Gosei gave me the wrong colour," Emma said. "I'm starting to like yellow a little more than pink."
"There were some great pink Rangers," Dr. Oliver stated. "I'm sure once you meet them, you'll realize your part of a great family in terms of Ranger colour."
"What about Dino Thunder white?" Troy asked, "You said we could learn about all the Dino Rangers."
"Trent Fernandez," Dr. Oliver stated.
"The famous comic book artist?" Jake asked. "I've read some of his stuff. It's actually really good."
"He always did have a good feel for what the super hero life was like," Troy nodded his head as he agreed with Jake, "I guess now I understand why."
He saw the rest of his teammates looking at him and shrugged, "What? I do read comics books sometimes."
"We just never knew," Emma commented. Then she turned to Dr. Oliver, "So… why exactly did you bring us here? Is there something else or…"
"I just wanted to show you that you'll have all of this at your disposal," he gestured around the room. "You're welcome here anytime. There's a direct entrance to my basement around the back, which you'll need a key to get in. Hayley…"
"Already on it," Hayley grabbed a box from the drawer in her desk and presented each of the Rangers with a key. "I shouldn't have to tell you this, but don't lose these keys. If they fall into the wrong hands, we're in for trouble."
"These archives are for you to use for Ranger purposes only," Dr. Oliver warned the Rangers. "And this base is not a place to hang out casually. You can come here between missions, or if you need a place to stay safe. Please, keep in mind we are in the city, though."
"Command center first," Troy said for his teammates. "This as a last resort hide away."
"Or meet up place," Jake said. "You know, in case we get separated in battle and don't want to go all the way to the command center."
"We can teleport," Gia frowned.
"It makes me feel funny," Jake answered her.
"Look, Rangers, your duties are difficult," Dr. Oliver said. "You're lucky to have full support looking out for you. If I had this kind of help back in my day, things would have been a lot easier."
"We do appreciate this, Dr. Oliver," Troy said.
"If you've got questions about past times, or if you need any advice, or if you find yourselves overwhelmed, just come here. Someone with experience will always be here to help you."
"In other words, next time Gia runs away, we'll know where to find her," Emma commented with a little smirk. Gia crossed her arms and looked at her best friend.
"It's been over a month since I last ran away."
"My point," Emma chuckled.
Troy shook Dr. Oliver's hands, "Thanks again. This is going to be a big help. For me, especially. Maybe I'll finally start getting answers for my dreams."
"Anything to help," Dr. Oliver said. Then he pointed to a door, "You can leave this way. Stay safe, Rangers."