Part 1 - Being Chosen
Daria was annoyed, upset and depressed. She stood off to the side of the steps leading away from Angel Grove High School as she gathered her thoughts and tried to rein in her emotions. She was annoyed at her fellow students because of their overly cheerful attitudes, and the constant volunteerism, which reminded her how different Angel Grove was from Lawndale. Even Jodie hadn't volunteered this much. She was sure that Ms. Li would love the students at Angel Grove for the honor and glory they would bring to the school, and tear her hair out in frustration that she wasn't choosing what activities where being done. Damn it, she had told herself she wouldn't think of Lawndale, as she felt a tear form in the corner of her eye.
Brushing the tear away, Daria's thoughts turned to her mother, the creator of her woes. Though it would only pried from her lips through torture, she missed Lawndale. There were a couple of good teachers, she had been friendly with a surprisingly large portion of the student body, and Ja ...No she wasn't going there. Better to focus on Helen. Helen Morgendorffer once again ruled from on high, and the family had no choice but to follow. Anything to make partner. Work all weekend, no problem. Cancel a trip you been planning for months, no problem. Move across the country at a moments notice, no problem. While, she had been grateful to her parents for leaving Highland, all accounts were now overdrawn in regards to Helen. She would do what she had to get through the next 2 and half years in regards with dealing with Helen, then she would be off to college and never shall the twain meet again.
Surprisingly, she had found some common ground with Quinn in regards to how they would deal with Helen. She had been shocked when Quinn had turned down the use of Helen's credit card, but it was tempered by the knowledge that Quinn had used Dad's card later that day. At least Helen spent even more time in the office, than she had back in Lawndale, so they didn't have to interact beyond an occasional meal eaten in silence. Daria was actually considering joining one of the school groups, and working on ways to pay for college that wouldn't involve Helen, just so she would have one less thing tying them together. Grasping her anger like it was a physical object, Daria adjusted her bag and started to head to her new house. As Daria made her way down the stairs, she was bumped into and stumbled down the last few steps. She saw a flash of green cloth, felt a steading hand, and heard a mumbled apology. Glad to have a subject to unleash her anger on, she turned toward her victim, when a cry of "Amiga" distracted her as she was pulled into a hug.
"Jane? How? When did you?" Daria stammered as she turned to face her friend and return the hug.
"Long story, you done for today? This will require pizza." Jane said as stepped back and looked at her friend. "You don't look so good. What's happened?"
"I'll tell you over pizza. Come on, there is place near by that does a decent pie."
In a booth at Ernie's, the reunited duo ate in a strained silence, until Jane finally said, "You're mad at me, aren't ya."
"No, yes. Moving here sucked. Everything is different from Lawndale, which reminds me of it, and then of you. I tried to call and write you, and what do I get? Nothing, because you're not there. I even called Jodie and Mr. DeMartino to see if they knew where you where." Daria snapped out.
"Phone call. I knew I was forgetting something." Jane interjected into Daria's rant.
"I've resorted to hanging out with Quinn of all people. And please, don't get me started on the monster attacks." Daria continued.
"Monster attacks? No, no, Tell me later. As for me, I got lost on the road of life." Jane said sadly. "So, I left Lawndale about week after you did. You're my best friend, and I was afraid I'd lose you once you got to the other side of the country. Trent gave me some cash and said he'd catch up with me in few months, then dropped me off at the bus station. I hopped on the first bus out of Lawndale, and ended up in DC, I had a day until the next bus heading in this direction left. So, I went and saw the Smithsonian. I saw so much art there, that I decided to go see the other big museums, on my way out here. So I spent the last two months travelling to New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and various points in between and finally here. I became a wandering Lane, and you know what? It totally sucked."
"Why? You were seeing art, meeting other artists, no responsibilities." Daria replied questioningly.
"Because I couldn't share it with you or Trent. I think that Trent is the only Lane that might be getting it right. He stays in one place most of the time, but when he goes somewhere he has someone with him." Jane answered.
Just then Bulk & Skull slid into the booth next to the girls, and Skull said, "Hey ladies want to go out with some real gentleman."
"Let me know as soon as some show up, and I'll consider it," Jane snarked.
Bulk and Skull smirked at each other and went to put their arms around the girls. Daria and Jane slipped further into the booth to avoid arms reaching for them.
"Enough, you two misanthropic wastes of flesh." Daria snarled as she stepped onto the table and planted on her feet on Bulk's chest pushing him back in the seat. Skull started standing up to grab her, when Daria glared at him and he shrank back into the seat. "Ever since I got to this town, I've seen you two try to proposition or threaten everybody in school and generally just annoy all of us. Why don't you do everyone a favor and get yourselves stepped on by one of the monsters, or even better the Ranger's stupid robots."
As Daria paused to take a breath, Ernie showed and grabbed the unwelcome pair by their ears and pulled them away. "Your food and drinks are free today," Ernie said in a parting shot.
"Come on, Amiga. Let's go somewhere more private, so you can vent." Jane said as she slid out of the booth. Daria silently followed her out, then lead Jane to the nearby park.
Meanwhile on the Moon
Rita paced around her palace throwing curses and insults at her followers for their latest failure to defeat the Power Rangers, when a glint from one of the corners caught her eye. Making her way over to see what caught her eye, she saw a simple golden coin. Picking it up, Rita started laughing maniacally, then shouted, "I've got you now, Zordon. You and your little Rangers will be destroyed by one of your own. Now to find someone to use the coin!"
Focusing her telescope on Angel Grove, Rita then cast a spell on the power coin and the telescope. She watch as a thousand of faces flashed by until only two remained. One of a young man fighting the Red Ranger to a tie, and the second of a slight teenage girl causing the two fools that were always bugging the Rangers get themselves in trouble with a few choice words. Rita examined the boy and decided that while he had exceptional fighting skills, he didn't have that edge she was looking for. Turning her attention to the girl, Rita saw the barely leashed emotional storm brewing in the girl, as well as the razorsharp intellect, the inclination to notice a person's weak points and attack them verbally, though she would change that. The lack of fighting skills could be fixed either with some spells or an artifact, especially since she didn't want to wait for someone to trained the long way. Having made her decision, Rita refocused her telescope on her Ranger's present location. After watching Daria and Jane, Rita noted that was something about Jane that she felt need to looked at as well. Looking into things that attracted her attention was one of the reasons why Rita had become one of the most feared people in the Galaxy before Zordon imprisoned her.
Turning to Goldar, Rita ordered, "Grab both girls, as uninjured as possible. Squatt, Baboo go with him. Finster, I want a bunch of putties to distract the Rangers. I don't want any interruptions by the Rangers, when you idiots get me my new Ranger."
With a chorus of "Yes, Your Majesty", the monsters went about their appointed tasks.
Back on Earth
Daria and Jane had found a table in a park near Ernie's, and were eating what was left of their pizza. Jane finally broke the silence asking, "So what's up with Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-dum?"
"Bulk and Skull? Those two are the most ineffectual bullies, I've ever had the displeasure to meet. Most of the time, they are trying to figure out who the Power Rangers are, and the rest of the time, Jason and his group of do-gooders handle them." Daria answered.
"Ooh, who's Jason? A guy got enough of your attention, that you know his name." Jane teased. "Will I have to tell Trent that you've tossed him over for a new love?"
Daria blushed, then threw a pizza crust at Jane and said. "God, I've missed this."
"Me too, amiga, me too. " Jane added. "I'm not letting a few thousand miles get in the way of us."
Daria blushed again and stammered out, "You know that I'm not that way."
"Neither am I. But our friendship is the best thing to happen to me. I'm not letting go of that and I don't handle long distance very well. Look at how I relate with any member of my family, besides Trent." Jane said as she grabbed hold of one of Daria's hand across the table.
In the Command Center, alarms were going off as Alpha 5 scurries around silencing the alarms and activating the Viewing Globe. "Ai, ai, ai. Zordon, There is a large group of Putties attacking the Business District. What shall we do?"
"Calm down, Alpha and alert the Rangers." Zordon ordered with his usual calm manner.
"Roger, Zordon. Calling the Rangers now." Alpha said as he activated the communicators.
"Rangers, Rita has sent down a large group of Putties. Teleport to their location and take of them before they cause any harm." Zordon said
In a classroom, the Rangers listen to Zordon, and Jason answers. "We on it, Zordon."
Looking at the other Rangers, Jason says, "All right, It's Morphin' time." The 5 rangers morphed, then teleported to location of the putties.
When Rita saw the Rangers engaged with Putties, she turned to Goldar, Squat and Baboo, and screeched, "Go get me those girls. Alive!"
With the command ringing in their ears, the three monsters teleported down to the park several yards from the two girls. Goldar pointed his sword at Daria and Jane and growled, "Empress Rita, has commanded your presence. Come quietly and you will not be harmed."
Daria and Jane like all sensible humans when confronted by monsters, started running away from them. Goldar quickly caught up to the pair and batted Jane to one side with his sword, sending her tumbling into some of the playground equipment that was near the exit. As Goldar grabbed Daria's arm, he shouted at Squat and Baboo. "The net, you fools. Get the other girl before she gets away."
Squat and Baboo stretched out a net between them and ran towards Jane. Due to the hit she had taken, she was dazed and in pain, and therefore unable to avoid the two bumbling monsters.
Seconds after they appeared, the three monsters disappeared with their prize.
As the Rangers dealt with the last of the Putties, their communicators activated and Zordon spoke, "Rangers, Goldar has appeared with Squat and Baboo. I'm teleporting you to his location now."
"Roger," the Rangers replied as they disappeared in the colored beams of light. They quickly reappeared across town at the park. The Rangers quickly looked around the park and did not see Goldar.
"Zordon, there is nobody here." Kim said into her communicator. "Whatever, Goldar was doing, he finished before we got here."
"Very well, Rangers. Alpha and I will see if we can discover what Goldar was up to. We will call you when we know more." Zordon replied.
With that the Rangers demorphed, and headed to Ernie's Juice Bar. None of them noticed the black backpack lying on the ground next to one of the tables.