Author's Notes – So what's up with Zedd, he's basically going to be in his normal human looking form from here on out, I don't think I have him putting on that skinless disguise once in this story so yeah. And if you have no clue what I'm talking about go read 'Green Nightmare' and if you still haven't seen the models I'm using for Zedd's human look just ask and give me an email to send the pics to.

Summary – Zedd isn't having a good day and in an attempt to do the right thing it only gets worse.

-o-

The Blink of an Eye

Zedd

-o-

(Angel Grove Park)

Unsure which I dislike more the sunshine beating down on my skin and black clothing or the incessant noise created by the screaming humans around me, I should have stayed at the palace, at least there I could have contemplated my mistakes in peace. But no, no, had to come here to monitor the monster I had stupidly created in a fit of mind numbing rage.

-oooooooo-

(Last night, Zedd's Palace)

I shouldn't be watching this. It will only anger me that much I'm certain of, but yet I can't seem to turn away. I'd only really wanted to know what the boy was doing. It's been months now since I've seen him, outside of the battle field of course, I just wanted to make certain he was alright. I'd never actually expected to chance upon something like this.

Jeep parked in the deserted area, he continues to stare up at the night sky, a rather detached expression marring his face. I wonder what he's thinking about. Me perhaps? He is after all staring straight up at the moon.

"Tommy please don't worry so much." He's worried? Why is he worried? And why must that pink girl always be with him. She's probably the reason for his worry. Always demanding he take her places and save her.

"I just don't want anything to happen to you or the others." Yes because wouldn't it be a shame if something were to befall the little princess.

Sighing and reaching out to gently touch him, the Pink Ranger shakes her head. "Tommy you're a good leader, nothing will happen" This is fairly true. He has in fact shown marked improvement in his decision making abilities and fighting skills since becoming their new leader. So why does he look so bothered then?

"Maybe."

Still trying to pull the boy from his depression, the Pink Ranger continues much to my annoyance. "Besides look at how incompetent Zedd is these days. We've been taking out his monsters in a few hours tops. If anything I think we had more trouble with Rita then with him." Incompetent? She has the nerve to call me incompetent? The girl who's catch phrase should be 'Tommy help!' calls me incompetent?!

"He's not incompetent Kim, he's just…" Yes just…what? "Maybe his heart just isn't in it."

Feeling my temper cool at his soft words, I lean heavily on the balcony trying my best not to read too much into his statement. Have my monsters really been noticeably defective? I hadn't thought so. True I've continued to lose battles, but I'd given much of that credit to Thomas and his improved reasoning and fighting skills. What if I'm incorrect in that assumption though? What if it is me?

"Heart?" Scoffing and barking out a highly unflattering laugh, the girl slaps him lightly on the arm. "You're of course assuming Zedd even knows what one of those is."

Shaking his head Thomas thankfully seems unamused. "That's not nice you know. I mean he's a person just like any other. True he's got some problems and a really bad job, but you shouldn't judge someone on what their job is. Just because it's his job to try and capture planets for Dark Spector doesn't mean he himself is a bad person. Or any less of a person for that matter."

Sitting up straighter and frowning, the Pink Ranger seems less then pleased by his view of me. Can't say I'm too happy with it myself as he's supposed to be focusing on my evil aspect not our nonexistent friendship that lasted under two weeks. "You can't be serious. Zedd is evil. Evil and ugly if I do say so myself." Look in a mirror sometime you pompous little twit.

"I just don't think we should judge people that we don't really know. I mean if you think about it what do we really know about Zedd other then what his objective is?" Personally you know more then most others; though I thought I was very clear on the fact you were to keep it to yourself Thomas.

"Well we know he's selfish, horrible, and if he is a 'person' like you suddenly seem to think then that just makes him all the worse, because it means he chose to make this his job. If he wasn't born into it or forced into it, he chose it, which really makes him beyond evil then doesn't it. Honestly I don't see why you're suddenly so politically correct where he's concerned. One minute you're worried about his next attack and the next it's almost like you're defending him."

"I'm not defending what he does, Kim, I'm just saying that bad mouthing him for doing something he may have been forced into doing isn't really…" Trailing off and finally seeing that he is perhaps getting nowhere with this, the boy leans back in his seat once again staring up at the sky. "I don't know, I'm just not really in the mood to talk about him be it good or bad."

"It's because of when he took you isn't it?" Leaning into his side and threading her fingers with his, she continues softly, "I wish you'd tell me what happened while he had you. Tell at least one of us."

Eyes tired, he looks down at her before smiling smally. "We played strip poker and he made me chicken soup."

Rolling her eyes at this, the girl seems less then amused. "Tommy I swear one of these days your jokes are going to get you into trouble. Honestly even if he was remotely human and even knew what chicken soup was he'd probably serve it to you seasoned in rat poison. And Zedd playing strip poker, so not a mental image I needed Tommy. Just ew, there's a week's worth of nightmares." About to turn away and leave them to continue their conversation in private as I've no desire to hear the girl's distaste of me any further, her next words stop me rather abruptly. "You know in all seriousness you're probably really lucky to have gotten out of there unharmed. I mean, you're right about one thing we don't know Zedd and we definitely don't know what he's capable of, he could have really hurt you. He could have even, you know… raped you." What?!

"Kim he wouldn't have done that."

"Thankfully he didn't, but we don't know for sure if he wouldn't have. I mean…well he was targeting you a lot when you were the Green Ranger. It was almost creepy how obsessed he seemed to be with you. If you hadn't gotten away when you did who knows what might have happened."

Throwing my staff against the nearest wall I feel my temper flair as I turn away from the scene unfolding on that stupid rock. Who does that girl think she is?! How dare she scoff at me and my creatures! How dare she question my ability to do my job! How dare she assume I could ever hurt someone like that

She doesn't know anything! Stupid, judgmental, horrid little-

"Finster!"

Running into the room as I continue to block out the thoughts of doing such a thing to the boy the scientist skids to a very ungraceful halt. "Yes Lord Zedd?"

"Create a monster. A decent one this time." Certain he's taken back by the request as I have a palace full of creatures ready and willing to be used, I nevertheless want something special for this attack. "Make it powerful, large, vicious. And make it resemble the Pink Ranger."

"Uh, y-yes my lord. As you wish." Leaving and obviously lost by the request, he goes to do as instructed.

Stuck up little bitch thinks she knows what I'm capable of. Thinks she can pass judgment on me. Oh just wait until she gets a look at this.

-ooooooooo-

Shaking the memory away I lay my head on the picnic table in front of me and wonder just where I went wrong in my life. Why should I have cared so much about what that stupid little cow thinks of me? I shouldn't. I shouldn't care and I definitely shouldn't let myself think that Thomas could take her accusations even remotely seriously. After all he did give me his coin. Not her. Me. And it was me he was defending in a way when she first opened her big mouth. Right, so from now on no more over thinking such stupid things as it's thinking like that is at fault for the monster which is now terrorizing the screaming humans and repeating the phrase 'like totally' in five second intervals.

Looking up in time to see two young women race past me, the large boil covered pink nightmare of a monster right behind them, I wonder when the kids will get here so I can go back to the palace. I shouldn't even have to be down here monitoring this situation, but the damn creature was so spastic when Finster brought it to me I was a touch concerned about leaving it unattended. After all its whole purpose was to more or less beat the hell out of the Pink Ranger, not kill women and children.

"Come back so I can like totally do your hair!" Oh god. Trying to pounce on one of the fleeing females the creature misses landing on its already damaged face.

"No more creating monsters in fits of rage." Growing increasingly annoyed with the Rangers lack of appearance and the hulking lummox of a creature which is now trying to hoist its bulk back onto its feet, I have to wonder if this day could possibly get any worse.

"Hi." And obviously even thinking such a thing is cause for ironic punishment.

Looking down and frowning at the small child now standing beside me, I glance back to see the monster a few yards away, now chasing a teenage boy but still in plain sight of the young human. The young human who is still standing calmly beside me. Something is very wrong here.

When I fail to come up with a response to its first greeting still lost in thoughts of why this little creature is even here, the salutation is offered once more. "Hi."

Not wanting to hear the word a third time I force my confusion away for the moment, perhaps if I return the greeting it will leave. "Hello."

"Whatcha doing?" Apparently I assumed incorrectly.

Deciding a more direct approach is needed if I hope to get rid of the human offspring I point across the field to the now singing monster. "You are aware that there is a dangerous monster on the loose are you not?"

Leaning back and forth on her heals, yellow dress ruffling slightly in the wind, she nods calmly. This is really not my day.

"I see. And yet you are not running in terror." Receiving another nod, I don't know whether to be intrigued by this creature or annoyed with it. "Why are you not running in terror?"

"Because the Power Rangers will come. Why aren't you running in terror?" Fascinating.

"Because I made it." Scowling as she scoffs at this, I do not see why that's so hard to believe. Why else would I be sitting here watching it if it wasn't mine? "I am Lord Zedd, master sorcerer, ruler of all things ev-"

"My name's Julia." I wasn't finished. "I'm five." Sigh.

"Where are your parents?" Looking around and spotting a sever lack of humans now, I find it hard to believe the child's parents would just take off without their offspring. Despite how annoying it is.

"I don't know." Of course you don't, why should my day be made any easier.

"Well Julia, I advise you to run along and find them now before you become injured as a result of your innocent perception of the world." Groaning as she simply cocks her small head and utters 'huh' in response, I try again in much simpler terms. "Go find your mother before you get hurt."

"But I want to see the Power Rangers. I like the Pink Ranger best." Of course you do.

"That's special." Turning her around and pushing her off into the direction of the children's area, I give her a parting pat on her blonde little head. "Go away now, as I said you could get hurt remaining in this area. Now off with you."

Pouting but thankfully obeying she trots off leaving me once more with my headache and thoughts. Honestly letting a child wander around by its self, what kind of absurd parenting technique is that? Humans.

Heaving a sigh as the park is now empty, well aside for myself, I'm either going to have to wrangle in the monster before it tromps off to the children's section where I'd sent the annoying child or-

"There it is guys!" It's about time. Rushing onto the scene, but not yet morphed Thomas is the first to spot the veil beast, faltering in his leader-like stance as he gets a good look at it. Eyes suddenly narrowing, his mind is fast to latch onto the meaning behind this one. "Honestly Zedd."

"That's not..." The next to get a good look, Jason's hand comes up fast to cover a suspicious cough.

"Is that supposed to be..." Mimicking his friend's gesture Zack shakes his head.

"It isn't, he wouldn't." Oh I would Yellow Ranger. I definitely would and did. Alright so perhaps I was wrong to judge the creature so fast. The looks on their faces almost make it worth putting up with for the morning.

"It is most peculiarly similar to…" Go on say it.

Resting my eyes on the Pink Ranger to see just what she thinks, after all this was a present for her, I barely hold in a chuckle as she curses my name. Right then, mission accomplished, no dead children or injured women, time to go before I'm spotted.

"Oh you are so cute!" Wait what? Stopping as I slide off the bench, I turn just in time to see the beast lunge at Thomas much to the White Ranger's horror and disbelief. "I could just eat you up!" No, no you couldn't. Stop trying to grab him this instant.

"Get your scale covered hands off of him this second you over grown pimple!" Well well perhaps I under estimated the young girl's temper. Running after the creature as it begins to drag the struggling Tommy off, Kimberly is quick to pull out her morpher and call forth her power. "Pterodactyl!"

Using an over turned garbage can as leverage she is up in the air and over the two much faster then I'd expect. "You're going down!"

"I don't think so little girl. Putties like totally attack!" Looking rather comical pointing at the girl and having no putties appear it seems the beast isn't aware that I'm the only one who can teleport them down from their holding room at the palace. "Um, like hello, putties?"

Using this distraction as he should, Thomas is quick to slip free of his tan vest and move a safe distance away. "Let's do it guys! It's morphin time!"

"Macedon!"

"Triceratops!"

"Saber-Toothed Tiger!"

"Tyrannosaurus!"

"White Tiger!"

Should I call forth the putties? That would use a lot of power considering I left my staff back at the palace, wanting to blend in fully with the humans while I waited. On the other hand though it will no doubt be taken into consideration by them if I don't.

Focusing my energy and watching as six putties appear, it's a weak effort that will no doubt get me reprimanded if Dark Spector ever finds out, but it's the best I can do without my staff in hand. Moving for the tree line so I'm not accidentally targeted I watch the battle begin, if it can really be called that.

Breaking into pairs, the Red and Black Rangers begin on three putties, as the Yellow and Blue handle the remainder. That's very unwise, if the monster is interested in Thomas it would have been best to keep him away from it. Stupid humans.

Watching as the Pink Ranger takes a rather bad strike despite her earlier bravado Thomas is quick to jump to her rescue. Typical. You know perhaps if he left her in mortal danger instead of constantly answering her screams for help she'd learn to take care of herself. Fight her own fights. Become stronger, faster. Be a truly great Ranger. Well that or die, which ever.

"Get away from her!" Pulling his sword from his belt Tom is quick to launch a counter attack, only to find himself suddenly void of his weapon and in the beast's clutches once more. Hm, apparently Finster made this thing stronger than I anticipated. Or at the very least a hell of a lot faster.

"Let me go!" Struggling to get free it looks like he's rather trapped as the putties are still holding their own much to my surprise and the Pink Ranger is still down, much to my not surprise.

"Oh come on now, don't be like that honey. Give me a kiss." As the creature tries to get its large mouth on him I'm fairly certain the boy has never been so happy for his helmet as he is right now. Alright this is getting rather amusing.

"I said let go!" Kicking the beast in the shin he drops to the ground barely reaching his sword when five needle tipped darts are shot at him sinking deeply into his left leg. Not amusing anymore. Yelling out in pain and reaching for his wounded leg, I wince in sympathy as the darts are quickly removed by his own hand. That wasn't supposed to happen it was just supposed to go after the pink girl, not him.

Moving to go stop the next strike, I stop mid-step as I realize just what I'm doing. This is what is supposed to happen. They're my enemy, they stand between me and my objective. They're supposed to get hurt, he's supposed to get hurt. It was his choice to go back to their side after all. He knows the risks. But still…

Pondering this for a moment torn between interfering or not, the decision is in the end made for me as six frantic voices hit my ears. Looking back up to see my earlier acquaintance wander onto their battle field, I don't hold back a curse as Thomas and Kimberly are thrown aside and the child is made the creature's new target.

"What a pretty little plaything." No not the girl. "Come to me precious."

Back on her feet and taking me by great surprise Kimberly closes the distant barely snatching the terrified five year old up before the monster can. I'll be damned, I guess she's not a bad Ranger after all.

Gripping the girl to her and nearly making it a safe distance away she has unfortunately forgotten about the creature's ability to shoot darts until they penetrate her leg much like they had Tommy's only minutes ago. Going down but using herself to cover the child she's about five seconds from getting another round of darts, only this time in her spine.

"Shit." Taking off across the open field before I realize what I'm doing I barely remember to brace myself as I slam into the creature's back, causing it to stumble and miss its target. Darts landing in the ground instead of either female, I feel a wave of relief followed by intense annoyance at having saved the judgmental bitch despite it being mainly for the child's safety.

Well only one thing to do now. Turning on my own monster I let my anger show. "Enough, I told you to destroy the city, not play darts on the Pink and White Rangers and certainly not go after children! Go do as you're told before I destroy you myself!"

Catching the boy's friends' now stunned silence and stillness out of my peripheral vision, I scowl in fury as I feel my face heat up in embarrassment. I'm putting in for a transfer tomorrow. I can't handle this kind of situation.

"And why should I?" What? Hands on hips, assuming it has hips, the monster fixes me with what can only be interrupted as a mocking sneer. "I don't see why you're the boss to be honest. I could probably break you in half if I wanted." This is not going correctly anymore.

"How dare you. I had you created! I can destroy you with a flick of my wrist you disgusting pile of vomit! Now you will go do as I say and be grateful for the opportunity to serve me!" Fists clenched, I swear if I had my staff in hand the thing would literally be a pile of vomit at this second. Last time I ever leave it behind.

"And what if I don't." Squaring off with me, I have a sudden, and first ever realization of just what kind of trouble I could have possibly put myself in. Up until now no monster has ever questioned me. My reputation precedes me and if need be I do have the power to back up my mouth and bravado. The only trouble is a majority of that power is linked to my staff, without it I barely have enough to face off with one of the Rangers. A monster that's been freshly created and three times my size and strength, that's an entirely different matter.

Keeping my face set in stone, not about to falter or flee in front of the humans now watching the event with interest as the putties have finally been destroyed, I push myself up to my full height. "Then I will destroy you where you stand."

Obvious unconvinced it shoves me backwards with its large hands. "Is that right." Shit, I said make it resemble the Pink Ranger not the Red one. It's not supposed to be this smart, and definitely not this bold. Damn Finster for being an over achiever.

Snorting when I simply regain my footing, it turns back to the now standing White Ranger as the child has been safely taken away by the Pink. "Aw my little play thing is gone. I guess that means I'll have to find another. Right after I finish with you of course."

Distracted by the show, Thomas is too slow in avoiding its claws which much to both of our surprise slash his costume open at the stomach, though thankfully don't draw blood. Still it was too close and this monster is proving too risky. How the hell did it go from a mindless idiot to a calculated killer so quickly? I know they're made to adapt and learn but that's just not possible for it to learn this fast. No something went wrong with this one.

"Zedd?" Looking at me even with his face covered by the white helmet I can tell what his expression is as I know mine matches. This is bad. I may be evil but I follow the rules of the game. Women and children are not be harmed. Lives aren't to be taken unless they are a threat such as the Rangers. This thing however has no such reservations about any of that and if it refuses to be controlled by me…

Spotting his Saba sword a few feet away, I know he has the best chance of taking it down. "Get your weapon I'll keep it busy."

To be continued…….