Return Of Lord Zedd – Book 1

By Weihan Liang

Disclaimer – Power Rangers, Zords and all links are property of Saban/Buena Vista Inc. Ninja Turtles: Next Mutation are property of Saban/Mirage. Casey Jones is the property of 20th Century Fox and Mirage.

Timeline – Set in my darker AU of PR and NT. Offset from Alien Attack. Kim/Tommy letter occurred, resolved during PRTF. Please Review!

Chapter 1 – New Friends, Old Enemies.

Angel Grove, April 10, 2006.

Chaos.

The only word that described the gathering at the house of Thomas Oliver. After the "Forever Red" mission to the moon, the former Green, White and Red Ranger had gathered up all of his friends for an update. He fingered his communicator nervously, as if daring it to go off. As his friends arrived, he ticked them off, one by one.

Jason Lee Scott, former Red and Gold Ranger, together with his wife, Emily.

Former Black Morphin Ranger, Zack Taylor and his wife, Angela on his arm.

As the two couples spotted Tommy, they smiled, but Jason frowned as Tommy motioned for them to sit. Slowly, all of his friends and fellow Rangers filed in. Billy Cranston, returned from Aquitar, fully healed from the rapid aging. He walked in with five humanoids with purple craniums – the Alien Rangers. Emily and Angela seemed startled by their presence, but quickly adjusted. Rocky, former Red Morphin, Red Ninja and Blue Zeo Ranger walked in, the once fun-loving person now semi serious – partly because of his accident, but mostly because of the petite figure he had by his side. The person in question was the former Pink Ranger, Kimberley Hart. As they crossed the room, a brief surge of jealousy gripped Tommy, but he reminded himself that they had sorted out their differences a long time ago. He ticked off the rest as they arrived.

Adam and Tanya, Aisha, Theodore J Jarvis Johnson – or TJ with his current girlfriend Sarah Diaz, Cassie Chan with the still morphed Phantom Ranger. Zhane and Karone, laughing over an old B-movie "The Invasion of Blueface". Andros and Ashley were coming later, after picking up someone from New York. Zack had jokingly pinned it down to either the Ghostbusters or the Ninja Turtles. As the rest of the Rangers walked in, it was painfully evident that there was a gap in the group that was made by the death of the Former Yellow Morphin Ranger, Trini Kwan. Tommy's eyes misted over as he recalled the circumstances of her death – a drunk driver on the street. The last time that it had happened, she survived – albeit with a few broken bones.

This time, she wasn't so lucky. A piece of jagged glass had severed her head from her shoulders. She was dead before she hit the ground. One surprise in the group were the Time Force Officers/Rangers, who had travelled back in time from the year 3001. Finally, all nine generations of Power Rangers, including the Wild Force team, were gathered in Tommy's living room. It was a bit cramped, but everyone had a small amount of space to move around.

Stepping out of the shadows, Tommy grasped his wife's hand as they walked into the light. As they emerged, a long round of applause came from all of the people, plus a standing ovation by all the Red Rangers, including Eric. He smiled, then motioned for his wife, Former Pink Morphin, Zeo and Turbo Ranger Katherine Hillard – Oliver to sit down. He moistened his lips with his tongue and opened his mouth to deliver some life shattering news.

The words never left his mouth.

A split second before he started, a knock at the door broke his concentration. Annoyed, he started for it, but stopped when it slowly creaked inwards on its own. Through the open doorway stepped a bipedal green turtle, wearing a purple bandanna and wielding two staves – one wood and one metal. Tommy balled his fists and spoke at the creature menacingly.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

The turtle blinked, shrugged, then was unceremoniously yanked from the doorway by a human hand. Tommy stared incredulously, then sobered up as a familiar figure walked in through the now vacant doorway. Andros grimaced, then looked up sheepishly.

"Sorry Tommy. We were about to knock again when Donnie decided to open the unlocked door. Guess they're a bit jumpy after Shredder's brother came back."

Tommy rolled his eyes, then motioned for Andros, Ashley and the eight figures behind them to come into the living room. Andros looked at the assembled faces, then spoke.

"For those of you who DON'T know me, I am called Andros. This is my wife Ashley, and these guys are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

Into the living room filed in five turtles, a giant rat and two others, which Jason recognised as Casey Jones and April O Neil. He also knew that Casey had a bad temper, like Tommy, but exercised almost no restraint. Wanted by both the police and intergalactic bounty Hunters because of his "patented" psychotic rampage, Tommy kept a close eye on him, wary that something might set him off. In a simultaneous fashion, the turtles offered their names and weapon mastery.

Leonardo – Katanas and Broadsword

Donatello – Bo Staves and also the one who had broken in

Michelangelo – Tonfas and Nunchaku

Raphael – Sais and one "Bad as shell" temper

Meih Peh Chi/Venus – Shinobi weapons and magic

Then there was the rat, Master Splinter. Skilled in fencing, judo and archery in his own right, showing off his skill by skewering an apple that Rocky held in his hand. Rocky looked at the rat angrily.

"Hey! I was eating that!"

"My apologies, Young Ape."

That comment shocked almost everyone, including the Turtles. For his part, Splinter smiled mysteriously and shrugged. He knew he could pick their spirit animals, a talent only known to a few beings. He saw the animals circling over their chosen warriors – White Falcon, Yellow Bear, Red Ape, Black Frog, Pink Crane and Blue Wolf. He was startled to find ancient energies intertwined with the animals – a sign that showed that they were Ninjetti – an ancient martial art form thought to be long lost. He nodded to Tommy, motioning him to continue. Tommy smiled and nodded, exhaled, then spoke, his message chilling everyone to the bone.

"Fellow Rangers – Serpenterra is back."

TBC…