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The Valley of the Shadow of Death
Chapter Seven- Home Team
The Command Center of the Power Rangers buzzed with a low hum as the Rangers and their families talked in whispers, waiting for news on Kim's health. It had been only two days since Kim was thrown into the portal leading to the Valley. Luckily for them, Rita had stopped attacking the city after that attack. But it didn't mean she would be down with the Green Ranger or any of the Rangers. The hum ceased the moment Kim's father stepped out of the medical bay.
"How is she?" Jack Scott asked.
The tired man smiled. "She's fine, besides a couple of scraps and a couple of deep gashes. No sign of any spells or anything." He nodded toward the door. "She wants everybody so she doesn't have to repeat herself." The group moved into the room, crowding the small bay.
Kim was lying on the med-bed, pale but otherwise fine. Tommy sat on one side and her mother sat on the other, Alpha busying around while checking her stats.
"Everyone comfy?" Kim asked. She received a couple of nods. She began her tale of journeying in the Valley, from meeting the crow to her first talk with Araya. When she got to the point of Zombie Canyon as she called it, Rocky and Zack interrupted her.
"You obviously have been watching too many horror night flicks." Rocky commented.
"Did the zombies have broken nails and messed up hair while in their prom clothes?"
Kim stuck out her tongue. "Yes they did and no they didn't. But that's not the point." The other laughed. Ignoring the smirks from the two boys, she continued to talk. When she reached the point of the fight with Wood Spite, she stopped.
"What happened, Kim?" Tommy asked a worried expression on his face.
"He was about to kill me, Tommy. I was going to die. I couldn't move and he was right there, ready to stab me. I don't know what happened next but I think Araya got there in time because the next thing I know, he's carrying me the last distance to the Gates of Mists."
"But how did you get like this?" Jason waved toward her almost healed form. "From what I hear, you must have gotten more injuries."
"He healed me or at least, what he could heal. He said his Power levels were already low from his journey. He dropped me off at the Gates and I entered the Tunnel of Conviction." She stopped again.
"And?" Zack pushed.
"I don't really remember. Everything's foggy." Kim rubbed at her forehead.
"Do you think they blocked her memories so no one would know what the trials are?" Trini asked.
"Maybe." Jason said.
"Well, anyway, Araya carried me to my house. I tried to have him stay but he said no." Kim concluded.
"Whoever he is, I would like to thank him." Tommy said.
"Be kind of cool to have a Ninjetti on the team." Rocky said. "Imagine having him on the team! We would have Rita packing within a week!"
"I think that's enough excitement for the time being." Marjorie Scott interrupted the talk. "Kim needs her rest and having you here isn't going to help her. So, time for everyone to go to bed." With the help of the rest of the parents, she shooed the protesting Rangers out the door.
With a smile, Kim fell asleep, the welcoming beeps of the medical bay comforting to her ears.
(VvVvVvVvV)
Die Fencer was picked up by the blast from Power Cannon and slammed into an SUV. Rita watched in fury as the full Power Ranger team fought her monster. Her dark evil eyes narrowed. Somehow, the Pink Ranger had escaped from the Valley and was now back to full health.
"Magic Wand, make my monster GROW!" Her wand flew down to Earth, the monster growing to an incredible height. The Rangers called on their annoying Zords, engaging Die Fencer in battle.
At the moment, if everything had gone according to her scheme, the Pink Ranger should have been dead; the Green Ranger inconsolable in grief over her death. The MegaZord formed, the attacks from the Dragon Zord weakening the monster even further.
She howled in fury as her monster exploded in bright light, the Dragon Zord and MegaZord standing victorious over the remains. She stomped away from the balcony, heading straight to her private quarters. For hours she paced, trying to calm down.
The Pink Ranger should have DIED! There was no excuse. It was impossible for anyone to escape the Valley. She stopped. She had said the same thing about the Grey Ranger and somehow, he had been able to break the curse and escape from the Lunar Palace. To where, she did not know. Walking to a cabinet, she opened the locked the drawer.
Lying on a dusty velvet cushion were the broken pieces of the Grey Coin. The brat of a human how somehow destroyed the Coin. Luckily for her, she had been able to find all the pieces again. It would take a couple of years to re-forge the Grey Coin with her magic but it could be done. She smiled evilly. She would combine it with an Animal Spirit of the Ninjetti.
The Grey Ranger would rise again, more powerful than ever before!
(VvVvVvVvV)
Kim walked quietly, her arm around the waist of her boyfriend. It had been two days since the defeat and destruction of Die Fencer. Rocky was happy that the stadium had escaped the wrath of the monster intact and that the Angel Grove NFL team had won their first game of the season.
Everything was alright in her world.
Well, almost everything.
"Kim do you want a drink?" Tommy looked down at her. His eyes darted toward the hot dog stand next to the path.
"Yeah, I am kind of thirsty at the moment."
"What kind do you want?"
"I'm feeling bad today. How about a Dr. Pepper?"
"Okay. Just wait here while I go buy it." Tommy left Kim at the stonewall overlooking the southwestern part of Angel Grove. Kim wrapped her jacket tighter around her, feeling cold all of a sudden. The sky in front of her was a blackish-purple. The last of the sun's rays dying from the sky.
Sometimes at night, she would dream. Not of her experience in the Valley itself but of her time in the Tunnel of Conviction. Wisps of memories would trickle slowly into her dreams, only to wash away when she woke up. It would always tug at her, puling at the spot in her heart that empty.
A howl broke the air, startling her out of her reverie. She looked down where the edge of the forest was. She felt Tommy come up to her, holding the drinks. Sitting at the edge of the forest was a wolf. The eerie thing about it was it was staring right at them. Then, its head dipped, as if it was nodding at them. The wolf stood up, its fur flashing a timber wolf grey and Ranger Blue, black highlights streaked in.
"It's him, isn't it?" Tommy asked quietly.
"Yes."
The Wolf shook his head.
Take care of each other. Araya's voice came to them. Tommy was startled.
Thank you for saving her.
How could I not? The wolf began to walk to the edge of the forest, already beginning to blend in. The Darkness is rising. Protect the Pack at all costs and keep you Mate at your side for they will try to take her away from you. The wolf disappeared with a last wag of his tail
"Are we going to see him again?" Kim asked, taking her drink from Tommy.
"We will." The Green Ranger felt it in his bones. It was the end of something but it was also the beginning of something else, something that had started long ago.
(VvVvVvVvV)
Spyridon- That's the end of VSD. I hope to have the first chapter of WAKE up before vacation ends. Thanks for hanging with me here. As, usual, please leave a review! It is the end of this story and I want to know what you think! COME ON PRESS THE LITTLE BLUE BUTTON! PLEASE?
The White Coin will be making an appearance, along with the Rebirth of the Grey Ranger, and the Ninjetti Sentinels will meet the Power Rangers of Earth. One of them will be a blast from the Rangers' dark past. Will they be able to forgive him and themselves? And who is the enemy rising out of the darkness of the universe?
