"It's hard to believe it's been five years already…" Spoke a red haired boy who leaned on the counter of his home: his home in a recently rebuilt Reefside. While the state government had decided to abandon a rebuilding project, many of cities citizen's petitioned the federal government for assistance in rebuilding the town. Everyone involved knew it would be a longshot but they were granted a miracle.
"Neither can I." Kira McKnight spoke as she looked over at her husband of five years. Ever since they'd gotten married it had been nothing by immense joy; not in just being with the one she truly loved but also the exploration of marriage life. She learned things about Conner she'd never known before hand and while some was frightening (mostly his actions) most of it was good. And to think she'd nearly lost him… Even now she had to bite her lip to stifle a whimper at the thought. "But it feels like the old days, I do have to admit. Trent is finally home, Tommy and Kimberly are back from their fuck fest- I mean their honeymoon!"
Conner snickered as he shot a flirting look at his wife. "I'm up for your kind of honeymoon."
"Conner James McKnight!" Kira hissed as he winced in response; there was his middle name! "You just got some twenty minutes ago! Can't you at least wait till we go to bed?!"
He gave his heart breaking puppy dog eyes alongside a pathetic whimper that nearly caused Kira to cave. However, she was saved when their kids Aila and Brandon came down the stairs, each dressed in pajammies as they called them. Aila had simple white pajama's that had little witches all over it and Brandon had blue pajamas with little rockets all over it. Kira smiled lightly as Conner turned away snarling. As much he loved his children… once a while, meaning all the time, they got in the way.
"Mommy school sucks, do I have to go?" Brandon whimpered as Aila gave her little brother an amused look.
"You just hate school because you have a crush on your teacher." Aila teased as Brandon hissed in response. "Come on, Brandon! You can't hide it from me. I see how you look at her!"
Brandon looked quite sheepish, but huffed and folded his arms as he stomped into the kitchen. Kira gave Aila an inquisical look.
"Oh momma, you should see the way he looks at her! Especially…" She shot a mischievous look at her brother before continuing. "…when they jiggle."
Kira groaned as she looked over at her son… and noticed he exchanged a fist bump with his father. She face palmed in response as Aila laughed and shook her head. "Boys!" Kira sighed exasperatedly and disappeared into the living room.
Aila pulled down the cereal when she felt a sharp pain shoot from her head and all the way down her spine. The box hit the floor, spilling frosted flakes all over as she let out a sharp cry. Conner and Brandon quickly rushed to her side and mere seconds later Kira rushed into the room. Aila was kneeling on the floor clutching her head tightly.
"Aila?!" Conner whimpered and knelt down in front of her. "Aila, what's wrong?!"
"D-Dad…" She whispered through gasping breaths. She looked up at Conner who watched her curiously. "They're… they're coming…"
"Aila, whose coming?" Kira asked as she looked to her mom now.
"Mom…" She whispered and clutched Kira's shoulders. "You need to get the others and get the gems… The world needs you again!"
Kira looked over at Conner who immediately took control of the situation. She gently took hold of Kira's head and turned it to look at him. "Aila the Dino Gems are dead… They're completely drained of power."
Aila shook her head and pulled her father's hands away. "Not anymore… N-Now that he's returning…" Aila corrected and looked between Conner and Kira.
"Aila honey, who is coming?" Kira repeated as Aila swallowed hard.
"The Shadow Empire…" Aila whispered her face suddenly pale as she fell into her father's arms. "And its Emperor Lord Azalor…"
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Concealed within a black void was a triangular shaped shipped with eight large propulsion engines lined in four vertical rows of two. While at first glance it looked very much like some alien space craft… it almost seemed… alive? The metal plates seemed like a super dense skin due to the ripple patterns adorning every inch of the ship. And the viewing screens seemed to close much like an eye when not in use.
What made this ship even more frightening were the few occupants within. Nestled in the heart of the ship was a single circular room that was void of any personality save for a crude throne were five figures shrouded in darkness; one sitting upon the throne and the others kneeling before him much like Knights to a King. A soft tick, tick, tick sound echoed through the room as the eyes of the soldiers settled on the floor beneath them.
"Have you found the artifacts?" Came a ghastly sounding void. The largest of the soldiers quickly nodded in response. "…Where?"
However, this time the man was hesitant to answer. He gave a fleeting look to his comrades for some help perhaps, but they seemed just as terrified as he.
"WHERE?!" Angrily bellowed the void as everyone winced. Again, the largest spoke again, albeit hesitantly.
"Earth, milord…"
Tick, tick, tick. The sound came feverishly now as a deafening silence lingered in the room.
"W-What… w-would you have us d-do, Lord Azalor?" Asked the same soldier again but was silenced by a dismissive wave of his lord's hand.
"Earth say you? And what of Zordon? After sealing my father, word has it he went to Earth?" Azalor questioned between ticks as the soldier shook his head quickly.
"He died when his containment tube was destroyed and thusly became the catalyst for the Great Annihilation Wave." The Soldier answered and dared to look at his lord. Instead of being struck down as he'd expected… he was greeted with a twist smile; something that surprised him to say the least.
"Dead? That will make our invasion of Earth that much easier…" Azalor continued as he rose from his throne. "Prepare a course for Earth. We must retrieve the artifacts… at all cost."
"Sir… there is one other thing you must know…" The Soldier began but quickly looked at his female companion. She grinned and quickly rose to her feet, an action the others had expected her to be struck down for… but again, nothing happened.
"It appears that Zordon has created a lineage of Power Rangers. But do not fear, their appearance is trivial at best." She whispered in a silky, seductive voice; one that matched her rather revealing appearance. She wore a bra – if you could call it that – that was embroidered in gold and adorned in various jewels and heavily exposed her sizable cleavage. The only thing covering her maidenhood was a simple loin that draped down her knees but had slits up the sides that reached to her waist. Clutched tightly in one hand was a golden staff with a jeweled head with a golden ring constantly rotating around it. Twin almost elven like ears jutted out from her long lavender colored hair.
"It appears that Zordon has unlocked the secrets of the Power Coins after all… Do not take them lightly Lilith. They will pose a serious problem indeed…" Azalor warned as he descended the stairs. He casually tossed a sphere of light in center of room that produced an image of the planet Earth and consequently bathing the room in a dim light. And for the first time his soldiers were able to bask his brilliance.
He wore a long shimmering black cape that was attached to elongated pauldrons adorned with tiny razor sharp spikes. Layered black plates of armor protected his torso that was engraved with a snake like face that clutched some kind of head-sized gem in its mouth. Similar plated armor protected his thighs that seemed to form an armored mantle that reached down to his knees with sharp toed greaves protecting his feet. What was most striking about the armor perhaps was the single gauntlet he wore: a large red ruby melded seamlessly with the dorsum side of the glove with armor plates that stretched just past his elbow but still allowed for maneuverability of the hand and arm itself. Razor sharp claws served as finger tips and in the palm of the hand was a much smaller version of the snake head on his chest. This one however held nothing its mouth, instead baring its razor sharp teeth.
"Odd, however, I do not detect the Power Coins…" He whispered, face still shrouded by the darkness almost as if he'd manipulated the shadows purposefully.
"Yes sir, I found it strange as well. It seems the source of power for these rangers come from something called a Dino Gem… It appears they hold even more power than the Power Coins." Lilith explained as Azalor scoffed.
"And you are a fool if you truly believe that, Lilith. There was one amongst them that could rival these so called Dino Gems; immense as their power maybe." Azalor corrected as he reached out to Earth, his fingers slicing through the image.
"You speak of the Dragon Power Coin?" Lilith questioned as Azalor nodded.
"One of the artifacts we need. If the coin is drained of its energy, then we will have a hard time finding it indeed… No matter, it'll come to us in all due time. For now… focus your efforts on the other two artifacts. Start with the Zeo Crystal…" Azalor ordered as Lilith and the others bowed before simply fading away. The image faded away as Azalor gave an almost depressed sigh. He turned and climbed the stairs to his throne once more, whispering a plea as he went. "Soon Father… you will be released. Please… just a little longer."
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Authors Note(s): Yeah, I'm back again. This is a direct continuation of A Ranger Redux: Desperation. Obviously this takes place a few years after the first story has ended. It's about 5 years so Aila is now 11 and Brandon is 5. This is the beginning of story two of a three part series. Enjoy!