Chapter Three: Billy

Being in the command centre feels strange. Knowing that I was here six months ago, dead, makes me feel uneasy. It doesn't help that we've never talked about it, it's almost like it never happened but I know it did.

"Billy?" Alpha calls. "Are you okay buddy?"

"Yeah, sorry." I reply, unconvincing.

"Well, I was about to say that I think I've discovered that the putties and the green light were definitely related…" Alpha replies.

"Alpha, we already knew that." I say, trying not to laugh.

"But not for sure!"

"I guess so…" Billy said.

"Billy, is everything okay?" Zordon asks. It's easy to forget he's there if you're not looking at the wall he lives in.

"Yes… I'm fine." I reply, "why does everybody keep asking me if I'm okay?"

"Because you don't seem okay." Alpha says, extending an arm to put his hand on his shoulder.

"I'm gonna go work on the teleporting terminal." I reply, standing up and walking down the stairs and deeper into the command centre. I've been working on the teleporting terminal since just after we beat Rita Repulsa. It's connected to our power coins. I can teleport someone from the command centre somewhere else, but it's bringing them here that I'm struggling with. The entrance to the command centre opens above me, strange. I didn't think anybody else was coming in today.

"Hello?" I call, but no answer.

"Oh no… BILLY!" Alpha shouts from above me in the main part of the ship, must be trouble. I run upstairs and see a ranger, but it's not one from my team. They look a lot like Rita did, but fully morphed.

"Who are you?" Zordon asks, "why are you here?"

"I'm here to warn you. Stay out of my way, or else. My master and I are going to take over." She says, I think it's a she anyway.

"Good luck with that." I say, stepping forward. "It's morphin' time." I feel my armour growing around me and feel much more confident going for this green ranger than I did just now. I run forward and aim a swift kick at her chest, but she grabs my leg and throws me across the room. She's strong.

"Pathetic." she says, running forward and landing three punches before Alpha grabs her.

"Get her Billy!" he says, I kick once before she lets out this brilliant burst of green energy. It knocks me and Alpha away easy.

"I've called the other rangers, they won't be long green ranger." Zordon says, "you are helpless."

"Do I really look helpless to you?" she replies, laughing. She presses her palm onto Zordon's wall, and green lightning starts to fizz and burst across it. Zordon is screaming out in pain.

"Zordon, no!" Alpha shouts. "What's she doing?"

"I don't know…" I say, "but I'm gonna stop her." I stand up and run towards her, but whatever she was trying to do has been done. Zordon is gone.

"What did you do?" I ask.

"Got rid of your precious mentor." she replies, laughing once more. "Goodbye blue ranger," she says, before disappearing in thin air.

"Oh no. oh no, oh no…" Alpha says, furiously hammering at the console trying to bring Zordon back.

"I can't believe this…" Billy says. "The green ranger just walked in here without any resistance. Surely her coin shouldn't have let her in?"

"Well, there's no way for us to sever the connection the power coin has with the morphing grid that sits in this ship. It's a flaw, I know." Alpha replies sadly.

"You can say that again." I say. The door opens again, I stay morphed in case it's trouble.

"Billy, what's happened?" Jason asks. He's the first to get here.

"The green ranger. She came, and I think she killed Zordon." I say, Jason's eyes widen in horror.

"Shit… Um, oh God... what are we gonna do? Are you okay?" he asks, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I feel bad I couldn't do more." I reply.

"C'mon Billy, you did the best you could. None of us could've done any better." he says. I shrug, I'm not sure I believe him. Or that he believes himself. He sits on the steps and puts his head in his hands, I don't know how to comfort him so I just stand still, silent. Kimberly, Trini and Zack come in together, already morphed.

"What's going on?" Zack asks, out of breath.

"The green ranger attacked us. She's done something to Zordon." I reply.

"What? The green ranger?" Kimberly asks.

"The one who took the coin..." Trini says, "it makes sense."

"And she just walked in here and maybe killed Zordon?" Zack asks. "What the hell?"

"It's because of her power coin. We can't sever the link to the morphing grid, which means she can access the command centre." Alpha says. "I did just explain this to Billy."

"And who was here? Just you and Zordon?" Trini asks.

"I was here too." I say, shuffling my feet awkwardly.

"Oh" Zack replies. "Well, you did your best buddy."

"Yeah, I would've been so scared." Kimberly adds.

"Mmhmm..." I reply. "I need some air." I walk past the others and out of the ship. I feel so useless. I bet Zack or Trini could've handled the green ranger easy. This is my fault. I jump straight through the water that fills the entrance to the cave and land on the cliff edge.

"Billy, you gotta get your head in the game." I say, I know talking to myself is weird but hey, that's what I do. I hear a surge in the water, I wish they could've left me alone.

"Hey." Kimberly says, sitting down next to me.

"Hello." I reply, unsure of what else to say.

"Are you okay?" Kimberly asks.

"People keep asking me if I'm okay... I don't need sympathy, or to be wrapped up in cotton wool. Leave me alone." I say, standing up and storming away from Kimberly. It feels wrong behaving like this, but I just feel so frustrated.

"Billy wait..." Kimberly says. But before she can continue, I leap as far as I can to put some space between us. I need some time.