Chapter 3: Accepting being a leader.

Chelbell2016:

Ok so an original where someone comes to knock some sense into Courtney. Please review.

*Kick into overdrive*

Courtney's POV:

I am back at Rootcore for the day. I am training with Daggeron. He jumps into the air and I quickly dodge and shove him away from me. He goes to strike me so I flip a few times before aiming a kick to his abdomen. He grabs my ankle so I use my other foot to spin and kick. He steps away and I land on my back. As he moves towards me again I flip to my feet and he holds his hand out to tell me to stop.

"Something wrong Courtney?" He asks.

I shake my head. "No, why?"

Before he can answer someone else does.

"You're holding back," I turn to find my father having been the one to speak.

"I am not," I defend taking a sip from the bottle of water I had just picked up.

"Yes you are Athena," dad says walking over to me. "You need to fully commit to this training. You should not be holding back."

I sigh.

"Now!" dad turns me so I am facing Daggeron once more. "Do it again. But this time... no holding back."

We begin to fight once more and I try. I really try to not hold back. But I keep flashing back to when I fought and nearly killed my father. I ended up on my back.

Daggeron pulls me back to my feet.

"Athena," my dad says this time a little more sternly. "If there is something wrong. Then you should tell us now."

I shake my head.

"I have to go," I say.

I walk away and without noticing anyone watching me I begin to speak to myself.

"They just don't get it," I say. "I nearly killed my father with my skills. I don't deserve my powers."

I go into rootcore and spot mum, Bowen and Leanne.

"Hey, guys," I say.

All three come over to hug me and I turn to my adopted sister.

"How's the lessons going?" I ask her.

"They're great," she says and then frowns. "When I'm not making mistakes."

I smile. "Looks like were both in the mystic dog house today."

Mum walks over.

"What do you mean?" She asks.

Before I can answer dad walks in and I sigh.

"Athena, I was not done talking to you," he says. "I need to know what is troubling you. Maybe I can help you get over your problems."

I don't answer him but I turn to mum.

"I have to go," I say to her and we hug. "I need to go back to Hartford mansion. I'll come see you soon."

She nods but dad grabs my wrist before I can flame.

"You will have to talk to me eventually," he says.

Once again I don't answer. I just wave goodbye and flame myself back to Los Angeles. I don't know what to tell my father.

*Kick into overdrive*

I am walking through the town. Not being aware of my surroundings, I don't hear the screams until I am hit in the back by a block of Ice and I go flying.

I groan and look up.

"Flurious," I say when I see Chillers and their leader in front of me. "Is there a reason you just decided to attack e when my back is turned?"

He glares.

"My brother wants your power," he says and then smirks. "But I am going to get it first."

"Not a chance!" I say.

"CHILLERS!" He screams and then I am surrounded.

I begin to fight. I jump over them and then turn. I pull out my morpher.

"OVERDRIVE ACC-"

I don't get to finish before I am hit by Flurious and go flying into a wall. I feel my head crack open but I am not healing since I don't use my magic anymore.

I try and get back to my feet but a bunch of Chillers are there and are gripping me by the arms. They yank me to my feet and begin to drag me over to Flurious.

"Let go of me you walking ice cubes!" I yell out.

They don't listen but before Flurious gets close enough to me Moltor appears.

"Oh, come on," I say. "Can my day get any worse."

"Give me the girl brother!" Moltor orders.

"Never!" Flurious retort.

They begin to fight over me and I try to get to chillers off of me. Then the Lava Lizards come over and I begin to feel really outnumbered.

I scream. They all go flying and not long the others appear.

"Back off and leave her alone!" Mack orders the two brothers.

"Not a chance!" Flurious says. "Her magic and powers will be mine."

"No it will be mine!" Moltor argues.

I feel my ring glow. And then a very familiar voice comes out of nowhere.

"She isn't going with either of you," I look up to see my godfather and my father appearing to help fight. It had been my dad who spoke.

My friends are in shock as my dad and godfather both pull out their morphers.

"MAGICAL SOURCE! MYSTIC FORCE!"

"WOLF WARRIOR!"

"SOLARIS KNIGHT!"

"Whoa!" Rose says. "Do you know them?"

I nod but before I can speak more Chillers appear. I am in no condition to fight so Mack helps me to lean against a wall as they all begin to help the two Knights to fight. I try to help but I am weak from the amount of blood loss. I hear Moltor and Flurious groan.

"You wont be able to keep her away from us for long," Moltor says.

He disappears and after a second so does Flurious. Then my teammates run over.

"Courtney?" Ronny says. "Are you ok?"

I hear my two family members walk over and then the ground disappears from under me as someone picks me up. I look up through my blurry vision to see dad.

"UTHE SASORAY!" He yells.

Everything goes dark.

*Kick into overdrive*

I wake up gasping to see I am in the command centre. I sit up and feel the back of my head.

No blood. So either someone healed me or forced my powers to heal me.

"I see you're awake," a voice says.

I look up to see Spencer just coming out of the lift. I sit up and look around.

"Where is everyone?" I ask Spencer.

"Taking some well earned rest," he says. "I just came down to check on you."

"Thanks Spencer," I say before getting up and putting my jacket back on. "I'll start heading u-"

"You will do no such thing," he says cutting me off. "Your father wants a word."

I swallow.

"He's here?" I ask.

"Yes," he says and then starts walking back towards the elevator. "I will go and get him and you will stay here."

"Bu-" I try.

"No!" He says harder. "Stay!"

I sigh as he takes off. This is not going to go down well. Has he found out about my lack of magic use?

I hear the elevator door open but I don't look up. I hear my fathers foot steps and he sits down beside me.

"Athena?" He says but I still don't look up. "Please look at me."

He sighs but lifts my chin when I refuse.

"You want to tell me what's going on with you?" He asks.

"No!" I say forcefully.

"Your my daughter," he says. "Imagine how I feel when I find out you haven't used your magic in months. When I had to heal you because your mind fought against your own powers."

"You don't understand," I say.

"Then help me to," he says. "What is wrong?"

I still don't know what to say.

"Fine," he says getting to his feet. "When you're ready to talk. Come find me. Because I am not leaving until you do."

He walks off.

I feel the tears and I try to fight them as I get to my feet. I need some air. I walk up the stairs and sneak to the door but just before I get there... I hear another voice.

"And where would you be going at this time?" Daggeron asks.

"To train," I say lying.

He nods.

"Then by all means," he says motioning for me to go on. "Let's go."

I sigh as he follows me to a quiet spot in the woods. When we are there we immeadietly begin to train. I jump high and he ducks as I go to kick him. I jump out of the way as he goes to punch but he grabs my arm.

"I thought you could fight better than this?" He asks.

"I can!" I say as I attempt to get free.

"Then why don't you?" He asks as he dodges all of my attacks. "Why don't you show me what you can do?"

"I can't," I say not realising what he is doing.

"Why can't you?" He asks.

"Because..." I say as I try to go for him again.

"Because why?" He asks again.

"Because I don't want to kill you like I nearly did dad!" I yell.

I gasp when I realise what I just said.

"So that's why," Daggeron says grabbing my arm as I try to walk away. "You blame yourself for what the master made you do."

I don't answer. My tracker goes off. I turn away from Daggeron to answer it.

"What's up?" I ask.

"Moltor's sent a monster," Mr. Hartford tells me. "The others have gone to stop him."

"I'm on my way," I say and Daggeron goes to speak as I close my tracker. "Don't! I don't need you to tell me its not my fault. I aint no mystic and I am not a leader."

I swipe my tracker down my arm.

"OVERDRIVE ACCELERATE!"

I morph and flame to where the monster is.

*Kick into overdrive*

I arrive where the monster is and I call for my drive bow. I begin to shoot at it. It screeches and I dodge aside as it comes at me. I am not holding back this time as I have a lot of pent up emotion: Anger, sadness, self-hatred.

The others are shocked as they watch me. They have never seen me using my powers properly.

"You're going down dragon breath!" I say before regrouping with my team.

"You ok?" Mack asks me.

I nod before the monster comes forward with a large blaster.

My eyes widen and I push the others away. He fires and I have to raise a very powerful and big shield. It's so powerful that for the first time in ages my head is ringing.

The problem is the monster doesn't stop pushing and the others don't know what to do. I feel ring again and I sigh.

Once again my dad appears and this time he uses his sword to destroy the blast that is fighting against my shield.

I drop the shield and sigh in relief. "Thanks."

He nods.

Me and my friends quickly work together and destroy the monster. Until he grows.

The others are about to call for their zords when dad stops them.

"Athena!" He says and I turn to him. "You need to call Cotastros!"

I hesitate for one second.

"ATHENA!" Dad yells to get my attention.

"Fine!" I say and I raise my hand. "UTHE MEJOR COTASTROS!"

"GALWIT MYSTO PRIFIOR!"

The others are shocked as I turn into my Titan.

Me and Cotastros go to each other.

"Let's do this!"

"Ready when you are."

"UTHE MEJOR ULTIMAS!"

"CENTAURUS PHOENIX MEGAZORD!"

"CENTAURUS PHOENIX MEGAZORD!"

We face off with the monster.

"Fire tail!" I call spinning my head so that the fire hits the monster.

I then strike it many times with the spear until it's destroyed. The others all cheer from the ground. I nod my head.

*Kick into overdrive*

We arrive back at home and the others are all praising me.

"You did great," Dax says and I smile.

"Well done!" Mack says patting me on the back.

Then I hear a throat clearing behind me. We all look back to see my father and godfather standing there watching me. The others look a little uncomfortable.

"Courtney," Mack says. "We'll meet you in the command centre."

I nod and Daggeron motions for me to go into the living room which I do.

Dad sits down next to me and Daggeron across from me.

"Daggeron told me about what you said to him today," dad says.

I sigh and send my godfather a look.

"It doesn't matter," I say to him. "I'm over it."

"But I don't think you are," dad says. "Why else would you not use your magic?"

I sigh.

"I have been a ranger three times," I say feeling the tears build up. "I shouldn't of let myself be controlled by the master. I nearly killed you dad."

I can no longer fight the tears. Dad stands and pulls me in for a hug to calm me down.

"Do you remember what your mother told you when I first came back?" He asks looking at me. "About the master."

I nod my head. "No one can withstand his power."

He smiles.

"Exactly," he says gently. "I couldn't for years and I nearly killed you, your mum, Bowen and the others including Daggeron. It wasn't your fault."

Daggeron comes over.

"He's right!" he says. "But not using your magic has made it unstable. For a while you may have problems using it."

I nod again.

"Now why don't you want to be the leader of your team?" Dad asks sitting back down.

"I guess because the last time I was leader I let myself be powered by evil," I say to him. "I didn't want to let it happen again."

Dad shakes his head.

Athena you have a big heart?" He says to me. "But you need to realise your potential. You are very smart and have a very big heart. And you need to share that and your courage with the team."

I nod knowing he is right. I cannot stop crying though.

"I'm sorry I've disappointed you both," I say.

"Oh, Athena," dad says and he rubs my back. "Never in a million years could you disappoint me."

I nod. "I know what I need to do."

We go down in the lift and I decide to start.

"When this ranger team first started... I was asked to lead it," I say slowly. "I turned it down. I had forgotten that a few bad experiences do not outweigh the good I have done as Leader of two ranger teams."

I then turn to Mr. Hartford.

"If you'll still let me... and It's ok with Mack," I say looking at the red ranger. "I want to be a leader again."

The others smiled.

Mr. Hartford walks over.

"I'd be honoured for you to lead," he says before turning to Mack. "Mack, how do you feel about this?"

"Welcome leader!" Mack says and we all cheer.

Dad decides to stay for a little while why I get my magic under control again. Unfourtanetly Daggeron has to go and help Leanne but I am fine with that.

*Kick into overdrive*

Chelbell2016:

Ok I love this chapter. I am also thinking of another child being born of Leanbow and Udonna who will become a Dino charge ranger. You never know how long in the future that is. Opinions. Also Tommy will be in it at some point.

Next chapter: The underwater world.

This chapter was posted on the 20/04/2017 at 20:26