Prologue
It was like something out of some alien invasion movie. The kind that involved some strange thing come from out of nowhere, and wreck and kill over and over until it was finally stopped, or it wasn't and it was beaten by Mother Earth herself. And when it had been destroying everything for a while, some kind of opposing force comes from that same nowhere, and takes it down in a glorious scene of explosions and other action scenes.
Only this wasn't a movie. This thing had just come out of nowhere, formed from a yellow substance that many where already identifying as actual pure gold. A golden creature coming from somewhere unknown, and trying to destroy the city, only to be stopped by five robotic creatures that formed some sort of ultra robot that finally killed the creature.
All around, people stared in awe and fear, looking up at their savior, the strange robotic thing that formed from five others after the golden monster had pushed it into the pit. It barely moved in response, simply gazing down on them with it's eyes, and people wondered what may be going on in their. Where there pilots? Was it sentient? What was it exactly?
And then the silence broke through, as one man raised his phone and snapped a picture, followed by more and more, and a sense of joy ran through the crowd. Whatever the golden monster was, it was dead by the hand of this equally strange, yet heroic creation. If it wanted them dead or had any ill will toward the people of Angel Grover or anywhere else, surely it would have just let the yellow monster have it's way with them.
A clap. A cheer and a laugh. One by one the people began to shout their encouragement. Children pointing in wonder, men and women clapping and happily yelling their feelings, overjoyed to be saved from whatever the hell the thing was. And after a moment, the robotic savior began to slowly step toward the edge of town, moving as though it was taking every care it could not to cause any more damage or destruction. And the people continued to cheer even as it left the town's edge and was soon out of sight.
There would be work to do to clean up the mess though. Better they get to it...
-0-
The five teenagers sat in silence around the table at Billy's house, a plate of doughnuts in the center, and each one of them eating at them slowly. The joy at having defeated Goldar was still fresh in their hearts and minds, but the fact was that they had been up and moving ever since they received the text from Trini about Rita the previous night. Ever since had been one long adrenaline rush until they finally sat down, with Billy going into the kitchen and getting doughnuts on a plate for them.
Not a word was spoken, only tired mouths munching on the tasty dough. Pretty soon, they would have to get back, as their families, even if several of them were not on good terms with them, would be worried. Billy finally spoke.
"So...tomorrow at the ship?"
"Yeah. We can do that," Jason replied, slowly eating the last of his doughnut. He got up without a word and moved toward the door, nodding at Billy, who was clearly tired if he didn't say a word. One by one each said or waved a goodbye before trudging out the door. Billy knew his mom would be home soon, but he was so tired right now. He washed off the plate and went to his bedroom, collapsing on the bed for what he hoped would be at least a few hours...
-0-
Jason Lee Scott entered his home, his father not having yet gotten home. And he suspected it would still be a while, since his vehicle had been capsized during the fight, with Jason getting him out. He shivered as the memory of his father in a flaming vehicle brought.
He had almost lost him. If he had not gotten to him in time, then that would have been it. His father would have been gone without any chance for Jason to make up for what he did. Yes he saved him as the Red Ranger, but he still felt he had not redeemed himself as Jason Scott. He squeezed his eyes out of tiredness, but a though occurred to him. He opened the door to the garage to find the mangled truck still there, and he gazed at it for a moment, his father's words echoing in his mind.
Fix it. That was what his father had said Jason could do if he didn't want to sell the truck for scrap. And he found himself not wanting to, looking at it. It was twisted in a way that his life had become ever since. And now he had powers that he was still trying to understand. And friends that he would sacrifice anything for now.
Maybe it was time to straighten out his life as it was now. And tomorrow he could start with the truck...
-0-
Trini Kwan walked in through the front door of her home, happy that there was no damage or debris around her neighborhood. The fight had mostly been in the commercial area, but there was still the possibility of damage to other areas, with a monster the size of Goldar flinging parts of buildings around.
As she closed the door behind her, the thought of sleep in her mind, but she also realized that she was still going to have to fix the damage in her room from Rita's attack. She shuddered when she though of it, and was thankful to whatever god existed that Rita had decided to give her the chance at the deal, even if it did result in Billy's temporary death. She could have easily killed Trini in her sleep but decided to toy with her and the rest, and that may have been her fatal error.
She heard something, and stopped where she was. It sounded like fearful whispering. Was that...?
"Mom? Dad?" she called. In response the door to the bathroom opened and two figures bolted out, rushing to her. She had only a second to brace herself before they flung themselves at her, but that second was all she needed to crouch down, and embrace the little boys that now clung to her.
"Trini!" they half yelled, half whimpered. She held her little twin brothers close, feeling relief that they were not hurt. They buried their faces in her neck, on each side, and she felt something of a blubber sound from her lips, but she shut that down.
"Trini," she heard an older man say, and she looked up to see her father and mother there, looking at her with wide eyes. Then her father surged forward as well, and picked his daughter from her crouch and embraced her tightly, holding her tight to his chest.
"We couldn't get in touch with you. We had no idea if you were...please, just don't frighten us like that again," he said through the emotion Trini felt through his embrace. She found her arms wrapped around him tightly, and she swallowed emotions she had not felt for a while now.
When she and her father finally parted, she looked and saw her mom staring at her with her mouth slightly open, as if she were debating what to say. But instead she slowly approached her, not at all like her father and brothers. Trini felt a wave of anticipation, as the possibility that her mother would launch into a tirade was not out of the question. But then she stopped in front of Trini and paused for a moment, Trini bracing herself for a scolding of epic proportions.
Instead, her mother's mouth opened and she made a very uncharacteristic sob. Her arms shot out and grabbed her shoulders, and before Trini could react, even with super reflexes, she was caught in the tight hold of her mom, as she felt tears wetting her hair and the sounds of her mother's whimpers filling her ears.
"Trini...baby...I was so scared. I love you so much baby. Please...please don't do that to me again..." she choked out between sobs. Trini felt a wave of shock, and then something else. A tight pit in her throat as she slowly embraced her mother back, and for just a moment, she felt as though she might let out a sob at the affection her mother was showing her after so long. But for now, she leaned into her mom's hold, and tightened her wrap just as tightly...
-0-
Zack Taylor wasn't too worried that his mom was hurt. That may have seemed cold, but he knew the mobile home had been a good distance away from the fighting, and so he made haste to home, though not with the anxious pace one might think he would have. Still, he had to see her. See she was okay with his own eyes.
He opened the door and locked it behind him. Walking to his mom's room and opening the door a crack. There she was, her head resting against the wall, her television playing the news that was frantically trying to piece together what had happened just hours before. She saw him and smiled.
"Have you seen the news?" she asked in her native tongue, and Zack opened the door, a smile on his face. She seemed especially animated today, despite the illness. He could almost see the life and joy back in her, as she recounted the exploits she saw on screen. Zack lay himself on the bed, letting her tell it, fighting the urge to make any clarifications. Today she felt so alive...
He was ready to sleep on her bed tonight just to know she was still alive for one more night...
-0-
Kimberly Hart was barely in her yard when the front door flung open and her parents ran out. She stopped and let them come toward her, not having the will to do much anything else. Her father, a Caucasian man in his early forties stopped in front of her, her mother who had come from India in her youth, following close behind.
"Kim! Where the hell have you been!" Do you know what just happened?" her father yelled. She couldn't quite tell if he was angry or scared or both. Before she could answer, her Mother threw herself onto her, forcing Kimberly back several feet.
"Kim! Thank God you're alright!"
Kimberly opened her mouth to reply but decided against it. She knew how hard it would be to restrain herself from telling the truth about what had happened during the fight, the truth about what she and her friends were now. She simply hugged her mother back tightly, knowing just how close she had come to death. Such an experience made her rather tender right now, and she just embraced her Mom because that was all she felt like doing right now.
Then her father wrapped his own arms around her, resulting in a three way hug, as she freed and arm to wrap around his shoulder as well. She thought back to all the fights and shame she had had since she made the choice to expose her once friend, something she would forever regret, and allowed herself to enjoy this moment of peace for as long as it lasted. He mother broke contact first and looked her daughter up and down, her eyes wet.
"Oh, Kim honey. You really need a shower dear."
Kim let out a half laugh, half cry, and the two embraced once more.
-0-
The battle was over. The Rangers had won. The people began to clean up the mess. To try and make sense of what they had just witnessed and survived. Many figured it wouldn't be long before government workers would be rolling into town, and hell, maybe even martial law. After what had just happened, what else could?
But at that moment, hours after the fight, someone was not just going over the events in their head, but sitting down and gazing at the strange object they now held in their hand. He hadn't seen anything like it, and couldn't imagine where it might have come from. He just found it after...hearing it...feeling it...and now he just wasn't sure what to make of it.
And so Tommy Oliver held the strange green coin thing in his hand and wondered just what the hell it could be...
I hope you enjoyed this little introduction. After watching the movie I felt this plot nipping at me, and so here we begin. I will be trying to write a little each day, both on this story and continuing my "Renegade" story. Until then, stay tuned.
-RWBRyan