Just a random idea that came to me… hope you enjoy!
"I'm sorry Ziggy. I know a lot about the human body but I'm not a medical doctor," Dr. K admitted, "It doesn't look good but don't give up hope. We'll see about getting a specialist in to look at your results."
Ziggy nodded and quietly left the lab.
Throughout the next week he continued to act like his normal self around the rest of the team, but come night time he'd go out and stare at the fake stars the dome projected.
They were fighting an attack bot as Tenaya watched the scene. Eventually she started attacking as well and cornered Ziggy away from the others.
"I have a proposal for you green ranger," Tenaya smirked.
"Not interested."
"I know you're sick. It doesn't look promising, does it?"
"So what?" Ziggy swung at her.
"How about a trade? I can save you; take out everything that's killing you and put in some implants."
"What do you want?"
"Blueprints for the zords. I won't even brainwash you. Just give me the blueprints and I'll save you."
"Yeah but then Venjix can just take over me whenever he wants."
"Just like your black ranger. And look how much trouble he causes us as he fights off the virus," she jumped away, "just think about it."
Dillon came around the corner and found Ziggy breathing heavily leaning against the side of a building, "You ok?"
Ziggy nodded as he followed Dillon back to the group.
Ziggy explained what Tenaya said to Dr. K after the battle.
"It might be the only way to save you," Dr. K admitted. "Your cancer is progressing at a very quick rate. If we don't do something you won't be able to fight much longer."
"But we'd be handing her important information. We can't just give that up," Ziggy shook his head.
"I could change them a bit, a few things here and there so hopefully she doesn't notice right away."
"Even with a few things changed, they'd be getting important information."
Dr. K sighed, "I don't want anyone else to die because of Venjix."
"More people might die because of that information," Ziggy argued.
"You're my friend… I don't want to lose you," Dr. K looked back to the computer, "plus your morpher is DNA locked, we can't afford to lose a ranger."
Ziggy headed out to talk to Dillon.
"Hey, I just finished some upgrades on the car, want to go for a ride?" Dillon slid out from underneath the vehicle.
Ziggy nodded and climbed in the passenger seat. After a while Dillon glanced over, "You've been quiet all night, what's up?"
Ziggy looked out the window, "Do you remember when you made me promise I'd take you out if Venjix took you over?"
"Uh, yeah?" Dillon raised an eyebrow, "why?"
"If I ever get taken over by Venjix, will you stop me?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Just promise. It's sounds weird but it'd make me feel better."
"Sure," Dillon answered, "I promise."
"Thanks," Ziggy zoned out again staring out the window.
The next morning Ziggy snuck quietly from his room before anyone else woke up and headed down to the lab.
"Are you ready?" Dr. K asked.
"Are you sure about this?" Ziggy responded.
"It's the best chance we have."
Ziggy took a USB from Dr. K's hands, "Thanks." He handed her his morpher and ran out of the garage before he could second guess their decision.
The next few days the team kept asking where Ziggy was but Dr. K just kept watching the monitors saying he was on a special mission.
Finally, a video appeared on all of the screens in the garage.
Ziggy was leaning on a railing watching Tenaya speak to a camera. Tenaya stared straight forward and started talking directly to Dr. K. "I was going to keep my end of the bargain even if it defied Venjix's orders, but seeing as you didn't listen I think I'll be keeping this new toy. Maybe we should go into the business of saving people from their frail human bodies. He's doing much better now so at least you accomplished your goal of saving his life, but do you think it's worth it in the end?"
The screen shut off and the rangers all looked at each other in confusion. Dillon flashed back to his conversation with Ziggy, did he know this could happen?
Dillon banged on the door to the lab for a few minutes until finally it slid open revealing Dr. K crying at her desk. He was going to demand answers but his anger edged away when he noticed how sad she really looked.
He knelt next to her seat, "Tell us what happened."
She wiped away a few tears before nodding. She went out to where the other rangers were to inform them of the situation. "I run physicals on all of you every three months. This time there was some abnormal activity on Ranger Green's scans. I know a lot about the human body but I'm a scientist, not a medical doctor. I knew though what he had was bad based on how quickly it spread through his body. I was consulting with some specialists when Tenaya offered us a deal."
She cleared her eyes again before continuing, "I have no idea how she knew he was sick. Not even you who see him every day could tell yet. She wanted some zord plans and in exchange she'd make Ranger Green a cyborg, taking out anything affected by this cancer and replacing it with implants. However, I changed some of the plans hoping it would prevent them from being able to use them. I guess they could tell though and now they have him."
Summer came up and hugged Dr. K, "It sounds like he didn't have much of a choice."
"Why did no one tell us he was sick?" Scott scolded.
"He didn't want anyone to know. We've only known for a few weeks, but even in that time it progressed quickly."
"I thought he was crazy the other night asking if I'd stop him if he was taken over by Venjix. He must have suspected it would happen," Dillon realized.
"We didn't know if Tenaya would keep her side of the deal. It was a risk but saving him seemed like the greater outcome."
"You said he had cancer?" Summer sighed, "Has he been hurting?"
"I've been giving him some pain meds. He had a couple tumors pressing on other organs and I know he's been struggling with it. I even offered for him to skip training for a while but he kept going because he didn't want you to know."
"Why didn't he want to tell us?" Flynn wondered.
Dr. K shook her head, "You'd have to ask him."
"Well, let's figure out a plan to get him back," Scott decided.
The next time Ziggy appeared he was again near Tenaya but this time there was an attack bot attacking the city.
"Ok, time to put the plan into action," Scott ordered.
Dillon ran up to Tenaya to start attacking but she soon ordered Ziggy into the fight.
"Come home with us, Zig."
"I belong with Venjix now."
"You made me promise to stop you if Venjix took you over. I intend to keep that promise."
"Venjix didn't take me over," Ziggy punched at Dillon, "Venjix saved me. Just like he'll save all of you."
"He's taking people against their will."
"They just can't see how he's helping yet. They'll see."
"He's killed millions of people."
"He took out those opposing him, but he wants to save the humans. Just as he gave Tenaya sight and gave me my life back."
Dillon shook his head before running forward and attacking again. When he got a chance he stuck a small item to Ziggy's skin, "It's on Dr. K."
Ziggy looked confused before moving to get it off but Dillon grabbed onto his arms and didn't let go. Tenaya went in and kicked Dillon away, knocking the air from his lungs as he landed.
"Listen," Dr. K got his attention, "I know this will be hard, but you need to trust me."
"What do I need to do?" Dillon pushed himself up.
"I've analyzed the network in his body. I've started working on a part that will fit but you will need to get him here as soon as possible."
"Ok, how do I do that?"
"Aim for his heart."
"What?!"
"Aim for his heart."
"I can't do that!"
"I said it would be hard! Do you want to miss this chance at saving him?"
"Alright."
Dillon pulled out his sword and sliced at Ziggy. Ziggy moved around and blocked as best as possible.
Dillon swept his leg around knocking Ziggy to the ground and he stabbed his sword down into Ziggy's heart.
Ziggy's eyes grew wide in shock as Dillon watched blood start to seep out around the sword.
"Get him to Dr. K!" Scott ordered, "I'll hold off Tenaya."
Dillon pulled the sword out and threw it aside, blood spraying the ground. He picked up his friend and started running.
The next few hours were a blur to Dillon. He sat outside the lab, feeling the blood drying on his skin and clothes. After the battle, Summer made him take a shower and left him some clean clothes to put on. He then went back to his post outside the lab. All he could see was the scared look in Ziggy's eyes. Maybe the pain shocked him back to his senses? Dillon wasn't sure but he knew it was the eyes of his Ziggy, not a brainwashed Venjix Ziggy.
Eventually Dr. K came out of the lab, "I'm pretty impressed at myself for not being a medical doctor. However, most of what I worked on was wiring and cybernetics."
"Is he ok?"
"Physically he will be. He has plenty of stitches that need to heal but the rest is running fine. It's his mental state I'm worried about."
"What if he still thinks he's with Venjix?" Summer voiced the teams thought.
"He's strapped down so if he does he won't be going anywhere."
Dillon shook his head, "He's our Ziggy again, I'm sure of it. I'm just concerned about how this will affect him."
Dr. K nodded and went to clean herself up. Dillon entered the lab and noticed how pale Ziggy looked laying there. Ziggy's chest was uncovered revealing multiple sets of stitches and scars. Dillon wondered how many of the scars were new and how many he had gotten in the mob.
Dillon watched the slow rise and fall of Ziggy's chest and noticed the machine beeping in time to his heartrate. Dr. K didn't mind Dillon camping out in the lab for the next few days as he kept an eye over his friend. Finally, one night after everyone else had gone to bed, Ziggy started slowly moving.
"Zig?"
Ziggy's head turned toward the sound but his eyes remained closed.
"Hey Zig, you can wake up," Dillon coaxed.
Finally, Ziggy opened up his eyes, trying to focus his sight in the dim light.
"Dillon?"
"Yeah," Dillon smiled down at his friend.
Ziggy gave a nod in response. He tried to move a bit but noticed the restraints. He groaned, "I don't remember what happened. I followed Tenaya somewhere and the next thing I know I'm seeing you above me. I thought I was dying."
"Don't make me promise anything like that again," Dillon looked away.
"What? You mean the same thing you made me promise?"
Dillon met Ziggy's eyes again, "I had to stab you in the heart. I still can't get the scent of blood out of my mind."
"How do you think I'd feel if I had to save you from Venjix?"
Dillon nodded and stayed quiet for a few minutes. He released the straps on Ziggy's wrists so he could at least move a little bit. Eventually he asked, "Why didn't you tell us you were sick?"
"Our mission is Venjix. Your mission is to save Tenaya. You need to focus on your goals instead of on me dying."
"What if Tenaya couldn't save you? Were you just going to die one day and leave us with no answers?" he snapped.
Ziggy looked taken aback, "I don't know. You know how I felt though; something in your body taking it over while you have no say on the matter."
"Well you still could have Venjix control you again. Most of you is cybernetics at this point, Mr. Cyborg."
"Hey think up your own nickname, we can only have one Mr. Cyborg around here and that is you," Ziggy stuck his tongue out as they both started laughing.
"Well Mr. and Mr. Cyborg, if you are going to keep talking, please leave my lab," Dr. K yawned as she swung open her bedroom door. "I'd like to get some sleep."
Ziggy chuckled, "Then am I free to go?" He pointed to the remaining restraints.
She rolled her eyes and picked up a device. After scanning him she nodded, "You are free to go. You need to rest for a few more days but then it's back to training Ranger Green."
"Back to just calling me Ranger Green? You used my name when you were afraid of me dying."
She shrugged, "Yes well now you aren't dying Ranger Green so please get out of my lab and let me sleep. Report here while they are training so I can go over the scans with you."
Ziggy nodded as he slowly moved off the bed. Dillon helped him from falling over until he got control of his feet.
On the way up to their room Ziggy whispered, "Thanks."
"Saving each other from evil is what friends are for, right?" Dillon smirked.