The Nocturne Of Sacrifice
Part One: The Beginning Of An End
Note: I do not own any of the characters mentioned or songs, if I do mention them, at the end of the part, I'll credit the bands for the songs I use.
Timeline: Dino Thunder-A/U
[I]And the damage will commence
The beginning of the end
And the damage will commence
All these occurrences bring me to life
All that I've sacrificed make it seem right
Don't underestimate how hard I'll try
This is our final cry[/I]
Doctor Thomas Oliver looked to the unconscious girl at his side; she seemed so peaceful in sleep. With a brief glance at his watch, he realized they had been gone for two days and three hours. He sighed, wishing she'd wake, she had only woken once and worried that she was in serious risk of never waking again. As he uncurled his legs and stretched them out in front of him, she began to stir, the small cell they were confined in was so cramped that his feet almost reached the front wall. She moaned softly and shifted her body closer to his, shaking from the cold.
"Hey, Kira, are you ok?" Tommy asked gently, the yellow ranger nodded slowly and rested her cheek on his upper thigh. He stroked her hair with one hand and his arm wrapped secure around her, holding her to him.
"What happened?" she asked, then remembered what she had witnessed in two days earlier.
[I]As Kira took the stage, the audience roared and cheered for her. She smiled and began to sing, her eyes scanning the crowd, searching for the faces of those she cared about. She spotted Conner and Tommy near the stage, while Ethan and Trent were in the crowd with Cassidy and Devin. As she continued to sing she felt a strong feeling of dread wash over her and couldn't figure out why. 'My spider sense is tingling' she thought, as she ended the song and launched into the second. Then pain hit her in the middle of her body and she looked down, a lake of blood beneath pooled under her feet. She stopped singing and watched as a waterfall of blood coursed down from her stomach, letting out a small cry she felt her feet slide in her own blood and she began to fall. Tommy and Conner rushed to her, both pale and ready to battle Elsa who stood behind her smiling wickedly at the horror-stricken crowd, who began to leave. Conner caught her, his dark brown eyes showing only fear as her eyes locked with his.
"Kira, stay with me! Damn it! Don't close your eyes! Stay with me! Don't leave me, Kira, I can't lose you." He said, she wanted to tell him that he wouldn't lose her that she'd be ok but she couldn't summon the strength to speak. As the pain grew she let the darkness pull her down…[/I]
"Dr. O, what happened after I passed out?" she asked, Tommy sighed as she sat up, remembering the wound she had gotten. He watched with his eyebrows arched high as she lifted her shirt above her stomach to reveal nothing but healed skin. She ran her fingers over her skin, it didn't hurt but as she pressed with two fingers pain shot through her immediately. Grimacing she pulled her shirt back down and waited for Tommy to speak.
"Uh, lets see, Ethan and Trent got everyone out and made sure that Devin didn't get anything on tape, and Elsa threw me into you and Conner, we all fell down, you hit your head and we were taken."
"Oh, that explains the headache" she stated simply, Tommy smiled slightly but heard someone approached, Kira nodded and then tensed for battle. The door opened and Elsa stood in the doorway, glaring down at the two of them.
"Follow me." She stated coldly, the two exchanged glances and decided through looks that it'd be better just to follow the evil woman. The three traveled down a small hall that emptied into room that was like a locker room. It had benches, and shower stalls. There were 3 stalls on each side that were divided by a short wall that Kira doubted would come past her chest.
"Shower (Note: Why? I don't know, I felt like putting this in so bear with me)and make it quick, the master wishes to speak to you shortly." She stated, and left, leaving Kira and Tommy alone. Kira felt her cheeks burn as she darted to one side of the stalls and he went to the others, when she saw that his back was turned she darted into a stall. Her fears were confirmed; the wall barely came up to her shoulders and knew if he stood close enough he could probably see in if he wanted to. She closed her eyes and started the shower, gasping as cold water poured down her body, the cold quickly became hot and she was thankful, the ice blue tiled floor was keeping her cold enough. As she grabbed the small bar of soap that was sitting in a dish she was slightly surprised that she even had one, opening her eyes and looking over she saw Tommy glancing over. She bugged her eyes at him as his eyes locked with hers and his eyes darted away, then the water ran like ice again and she shut it off. She grabbed a towel and franticly dried herself off while ducking behind the wall to change back into her clothes. She sank onto a bench and tried a button on her morpher to communicate with the others, it screeched, letting her know it couldn't work.
"Already tried, Mesogog has a force field around this place that is blocking our signals. And I'm sorry for staring and I'm sorry if it bothered you." He said, very quickly, Kira smiled and looked over, relived that he was fully dressed too.
"Its ok, I kind of, don't care." She said, slowly and realized it hadn't bothered her all that much, she trusted him with her life after all. Elsa returned and chained their wrists in separate shackles, then almost bit her as she put a gag over her mouth.
"Your scream can't get through this so don't waste your breath, my Lord wants to see you now." She informed Kira as she inhaled to scream, Kira growled behind the gag and stamped her foot in anger. Helplessly the two followed Elsa to the main chamber where Mesogog lay in wait.
Meanwhile
Wind Ninja Academy
Meeting Chamber
[I] It comes from beginning
It comes from the end
I know it all like an unwritten rule and I won't live in fear again
It comes from looked over
It comes from your friends
I've known it all before I've been born and I won't live like I did then because
These are wicked times
Gotta know where to hide
I know it all like an unwritten rule yet I still
Feel uneasy when the storm comes [/I]
Every Ranger that had walked the Earth sat on either side of a long table, two seats were vacant at the end where the Dino Thunder Rangers were sitting. The Rangers were sitting in order of when they came into power, and those who had served more than once on different seats sat where they served last. Sensei sat at the head of the table while Hayley stood at his side, a security disk in her hands."As you may realize, we are missing two Rangers, Dr. O-which most of you know as Tommy Oliver, the black Dino Thunder Ranger and Kira Ford, the yellow Dino Thunder Ranger. When we were supposed to come here, they were taken by our enemy Mesogog and this is the file footage of what happened, so you can see what we are up against here." Conner said, his voice numb, it was evident to all he was worried about Kira. As she placed the CD into the computer, and pressed play club music blared. A club was full of people dancing around and moshing to the rock music that blared from the speakers. They watched as the Dino Thunder Rangers entered the club, Kira immediately beginning to rock to the music, making the group laugh. She pushed her way through the crowd, slamming into Cassidy and Devin purposely as she headed to the stage. She waved at the two as she continued heading over, Conner followed her laughing while Ethan, Trent and Tommy began to talk to Cassidy and Devin who stopped dancing. They watched as Kira climbed onto the stage a few minutes later with her band and began to play, though everyone in the club couldn't see it an invisible portal opened. The time rip swirled green as Elsa came out, taking out her sword and stabbing it through Kira's stomach, the band members had run off and Kira fell towards the crowd, being caught by Conner, Tommy leapt up on stage, beginning to attack Elsa. Ethan and Trent were ushering people out of the club as Elsa threw Tommy off the stage and into Conner and Kira, and the three hit the floor hard. Conner was instantly knocked down and in the end of the table he rubbed his head in memory. Tommy shielded both teens from an attack, but to his surprise the Tyrano Drones had came and grabbed him and Kira whisking them into the invisible portal that closed as Elsa went through it. Then the screen blurred and winked out then Mesogog appeared onto the huge screen, his golden eyes staring at the group of Rangers who gasped in horror.
"Hello rangers, I have an offer for you, turn over all your powers and I will let your two missing members go. If you do not, they will die, and to prove I'm not joking, I will perform a demonstration on the girl." The dinosaur creature said, his whispery voice calm as he panned the screen over. Tommy was strapped to a table; he struggled against his bonds as he looked over to the chamber that normally had the newly made creatures that instead housed Kira. She was slamming her fist against the glass over and over again, she slammed her body against it, and still nothing happened.
"Guys! Don't do it! Let me die! Don't listen to him no matter what!" she called, but Mesogog roared 'Silence' and she immediately became quiet.
"Elsa, you know what to do." He hissed, the woman draped in black nodded and pulled down a lever.
"Yes, my Lord." She said, and then hit two more buttons, the chamber Kira was in instantly became filled with smoke, they could hear her coughing and Tommy was yelling to her. All they could see of her was her silhouette through the smoke; they saw her drop to her knees and struggle to breathe, only to inhale the smoke.
"No! Kira!" Conner yelled, and was held down by Trent and Ethan who watched in mute horror. Soon Kira sank down to the bottom and didn't move, her still form satisfying Mesogog who nodded to Elsa who hit another button and the doors opened. Kira's body was dragged out of the chamber and thrown onto the floor; she didn't even flinch as her body made connection with the hard floor.
"No, she's not breathing!" Conner cried, still struggling against his friend's arms, Merrick looked to him; his gray eyes had a strange glint to them as they met Conner's.
"She's alive, watch." He stated simply and Conner watched as Kira's body jerked then she opened her mouth, the Petra scream filing the room, then she shot up and the screen blacked out. All the Rangers exchanged looks and fear was the only emotion they could feel, Hayley immediately began to tap keys and could only lock onto Tommy and Kira's vitals. So far Kira's were strong then for a few seconds it showed that her heart stopped then restarted, then Tommy's spiked and flat lined for several minutes then slowly started up again. Kim gasped and clutched onto Jason's hand from the table beside her.
"Dear God" Jason murmured, now wishing he there for Tommy, Hayley let out a trumpet cry from the head of the table where Cam was now working at her side.
"I have a lock and I'm going to try to teleport them here now." She said, and hit several keys, there was a loud noise and then with a crash Tommy and Kira landed on the floor beside the table in a heap. The other Rangers stood and watched as they untangled their limbs and stand, adjusting their clothes as they did. Kira had three long scratches across her face, made by Mesogog, her blood was coursing down her face and she had other cuts and bruises along her body. She was leaning heavily on Tommy who looked exhausted, but he looked better than Kira, who looked unsteady on her feet. Conner immediately went over and lifted her into his arms, feeling safe she immediately went limp, agony racing through her veins. Jason and Zack went to Tommy's side and both held him up, as Sensei stood, leading them to the hospital wing.
"We will be back soon, Billy, Hayley if you could come with us, please." He said, leaving the Rangers to talk and wonder about what happened. Trent and Ethan exchanged looks and followed the group to hospital wing where they laid Tommy onto a bed and placed Kira up on the table.
"What happened?" Trent asked, knowing his father was to blame for what happened to Kira and Tommy.
"After Kira woke she held Elsa and Mesogog off as best she could, but Mesogog clawed her in the face and hit something on the control panel. Then I felt a shock and then everything went black, then I woke up Kira had gotten me off the table and into a storage room where she was doing CPR. She had tried to block the door but it got opened but it wasn't Mesogog or Elsa it was Anton Mercer. He told us that the gas Kira had been exposed to was meant to attack her cells, they are going to turn on themselves in a matter of hours and end up destroying her from the inside. He said there was no cure and that it would take up for 5 days for her to die and she'll be agony until she does pass. There's nothing we can do but wait." Tommy said as he continued to lie on the bed, Jason sat at his side and Zack leaned against the wall next to Trent, Ethan and Hayley. Conner was looking down at Kira, unable to make himself accept the truth from what he just heard. Kira was staring up at Billy and Conner her doe eyes were calm and tired, she could feel it within the process had already begun. Billy at this point realized that Tommy was right and there was nothing he could do and could see that Tommy was feeling guilty. Kira could sense it from even at her distance from him and wiggled off of the table and slid to the floor. Once she could stand on her feet she went over to him and then climbed over to Tommy's empty side and placed her chin on his shoulder.
"Dr. O, don't blame yourself, this is not your fault, its ok. It'll be ok." She said, the sincerity in her eyes making Tommy shed a few tears for her, she shook her head and wiped away his tears. She leaned up and kissed his cheek then looked to Sensei, who was staring down silently his feelings masked so well.
"Do you have some spare clothes laying about that I could barrow, mine are kind of bloody." She said, Sensei nodded, the Academy was empty, and the entire school was a break for a week so the 50 plus new arrivals could have a place to stay.
"Yes, I will ask the female rangers if they would let you barrow some clothes. I'll be right back." He said, and walked from the room, when he entered the meeting room it fell silent, which made him smile slightly.
"Well?" Kim asked, he said, not wanting to be the one to share this news.
"Its not looking well for young Kira, the gas that she was exposed to will kill her in a matter of 5 days and there is no cure. Right now she wants to barrow some clothes and I figured one of you would share some with her." He said, there were several gasps and cries from the others, the female rangers went to their rooms and went through their clothes to find something for the young girl.
[I]Just hold on a little bit longer
The thoughts and memories will be enough
My need for you is only growing stronger
I know you don't understand it much
But it doesn't mean I have to care about you any less
It doesn't have a thing to do with that
There's still so many questions that are going to be addressed
I'm sorry that it had to be like this…
But there's still time make things right[/I]
When they came quietly into the hospital wing they found Kira asleep in Tommy's arms, with the others still keeping watch from chairs around the bed. Conner gently leaned forward and touched Kira's side; she awoke and looked at the crowd, a smile on her face. She crawled out from under Tommy's arm and she stood in the group of women, feeling more accepted with them then she ever had in her whole life.
"I'm yours mold me." She said, getting quiet laughter from the group, they lead her from the room and went to the bathhouse that had several large hot tubes inside so they could all fit and talk.
"So what's with you and Tommy?" Kim asked gently, Kat glared at Tommy's first and only love and she gave her a withering look as she turned her attention back to Kira.
"He's my science teacher, that's when we first met, then the whole Power Rangers thing and he's just a really great friend to me, he's taking care of me…until my time is up." She said, softly, bringing the mood down accidentally.
"Listen, I know we'll find a way around this, after all we're the Power Rangers, nothing is impossible." Alyssa said, Trini nodded and smiled at the Wild Force Ranger.
"I agree, Kira, even though we just met, I can see how much you mean to the others and I know that once I get to know you, I'll feel the same and I promise I will do what I can to help you out. You're too young to even consider dying, you have your whole life ahead of you." The first yellow ranger said, getting nods from most of the others. In the end Kira chose a tank top and long pant pajama set that was a light, pastel yellow with sheep on it from Trini, white sleepers from Alyssa since they had the same sized feet and a nice comfortable bathrobe from Ashley since she got chilled. The women headed back to the meeting room where all the men were in groups, Conner was the first to notice that Kira and the others were back and went to her. They instantly wrapped their arms around each other and he practically dragged her across the room to where they could have a few minutes alone. The other women began to mingle with the others and soon the meeting room was filled with conversations and laughter again.
"Kira, this is Merrick Balitou, Merrick this is Kira Ford. Kira, he'd like to speak to you." Conner said, motioning to the Lunar Wolf Wild Force Ranger who was smiling down at her.
"Hello, Kira, I'm glad to meet you though I am deeply saddened that its under these circumstances." He said, his voice calm and sincere, she nodded.
"Hey, what can you do." She said, smiling he gave a soft chuckle and sat in chairs, Merrick taking his seat across from Conner and Kira climbed into his lap.
"Kira, have you heard of the Goddess Ananke?" he asked, Kira nodded and yawned, exhaustion pulling at her.
"The Greek Goddess of fate and necessity, her nature is extremely unalterable and is the mother of the fates." Kira said, Merrick nodded.
"Yes, well there is a temple that was constructed in ancient times for her, in her temple is a gem called the Soul Crystal. It's a gem that can bring back anyone from the grip of death though she has her minions to guard it and they will kill anyone who tries to take it. I'm thinking that if we can locate the temple and take a team to retrieve it, and speak to the Goddess maybe we can get it to save you. I don't know if its possible but what do we have to lose?" he asked, Kira smiled.
"Nothing, that is a very good idea, when do we leave?" she asked, Merrick shook his head, and touched her arm, he was about to open his mouth to speak but stopped and touched her face. His thumb wiping the corner of her mouth, he held up his hand so she could see it, the underside was smeared with blood. She gasped, and then coughed, unable to stop it, covering her mouth she saw blood spatter onto her palm. Merrick instantly took her from Conner before she could panic and brought her to the hospital wing again with Billy and Conner on his heels. When he set her on the table she say Tommy awakening from his bed, Kim sitting at his side, both instantly looking over at her. She set her head back down and looked into Conner's eyes until her vision blurred and she fell back into the darkness.
[I] On my own,
I'll show myself what it means to be alone.
And the tears I cry are washed away.
All the scars are my disguise.
I can't wait for someone to hear me,
And wait for someone to touch me.
And wait forever to be told,
I'm forever alone. [/I]
When Kira woke up Tommy, Kim, Trent and Alyssa were sitting at her side, glancing at her watch she saw that it was 1 in the morning, and they were all awake still. She'd been out for 4 hours, and sat up, she opened her mouth to speak but produced no sound. She looked to them and Alyssa handed her a notebook and pen.
"[I]What happened? What's going on?[/I]" Tommy sighed, and took her hand.
"We have decided to go with Merrick's plan and we're sending two teams of 6 to go to Aladora, where the temple lies. They are going to try to get the Soul Crystal." He explained, Kira struggled to get up and Trent wrapped his arms around her to help her sit up.
"[I] When are they leaving? Whose going?[/I]" she wrote, Kim thought for a moment.
"Ethan, Conner, Trini, Jason, Rocky, Adam, Andros, Cam, Cole, Merrick, Hunter and Dustin. And they are leaving momentarily." She said, Kira pushed Trent away and ripped the IV's from her arms and rushed from the room, she wouldn't let Conner go without him saying goodbye. At the moment her rush was slowed greatly and when she entered the room, all eyes fell on her.
[I] All these tears that I've cried
You must be tired of taking care of me but
Its what you do best and
I'm a liar cause really its what I need
And I thought that I found myself today
And I thought that I had control
All the change in my life just fell away
For a moment I didn't need you
Someone like you
Someone like me
Maybe its change that set you free
Free.... [/I]
Conner looked up when Kira came into the room; her lithe frame seemed so weak and small in the darkness. The cuts across her face had closed but were still visible, he went over to her and pulled her into his arms. 'Crap, I should have brought my notebook.' She thought but she figured Conner could read her mind because he gently kissed her on the lips and held her tight.
"Kira, I promise you that I will get that crystal, I will not let you die. I love you too much." He said, she smiled and nodded, making motions that meant 'I love you', he laughed and kissed her head again. Then he looked to Trent and Tommy.
"Take care of her for me." The two nodded and Conner went back to the group, he gave them a small wave as the portal to the other dimension opened and he went through, then the others follow shortly after. Kira wrapped her arms around herself and felt Tommy's hand on her shoulder. 'Good bye, my love' she thought, praying that he and the others would make it back all right.
To Be Continued
(Part Two: Ananke's Decision is coming up soon, and the songs in order are: Final Cry by Flaw, Wicked Times by Free Dominguez, Wait For Me by Flaw, Wait by Earshot and Finding Myself by Smile Empty Soul.)