Some of the pieces of these final chapters were influenced by various funerals I had seen on TV or in the movies so credit is due there... but I did alter the words. Thank you to EstelKenobi for the awesome youtube video. Please don't forget about me just because of the story... it was always endgame... The cost of victory was high, I know... but he chose a hero's end. The truest of all rangers.
The red rangers gathered, with the exception of the fallen and Tommy.
They sat in silence, Andros' hand buried in his face, Aurico never even had the heart to demorph...
...
Against Tommy's better judgement he knew he had a call to make... someone who would need a strong shoulder to get through His passing.
"Hello?" A soft voice asked.
"Kimberly.." His voice was barely a whisper... he could barely bring himself to say it.
"Are you okay...?" After a second a thought dawned on her. "What?"
"I'm sorry..." Tommy's voice broke momentarily. "Jason didn't make it."
Kim almost fell out of her chair... the man she had spent years with... the one that had taught her the importance of truth, justice, and self sacrifice was lost to eternal sleep. The first red ranger was lost to the ages now.
...
Hours after landing Kim and Tommy met up at Angel Grove park and the 2 held each other like a pair of best friends would after a long time away.
"I'm so sorry." Kim said, her heart breaking at the look on Tommy's face.
The 2 barely said a word, instead walked to the old Juice Bar and sat on a bench in the hallway.
After a few moments of silence Kim spoke,
"You can't blame yourself for what happened down there... Jason knew the risks we all did." Tommy's face was awful to look at... it broke her heart even more that he couldn't even push himself to be strong for her... that's how bad he felt. "But that's the job... right?" Kim demanded lightly. "He didn't die for nothing... none of this was for nothing... I believe that... have too."
The 2 sat in silence until Kim's phone beeped... the doctor's office was trying to let her know she had an appointment scheduled in about a half hour for an ultrasound.
"I've got to go." Kim said, getting up. It was all for the better... because she knew that she had to be strong for Tommy... like Jason had told her about acting on who had the greater need... maybe she was in love with Jason... but Tommy blames himself for Kim losing the man she loved... and she couldn't do anything to change that.
"Jason... I don't know..." Tommy said, pulling a shiny object out of his pocket. "I'm gonna take a guess that its for you."
...
Not long passed and the funeral was here. Kim wore pure black... she didn't have the heart to wear pink or even red...
The casket was decorated in pictures of Jason, most of them with Kim right next to him.
In addition to friends, family, and various allies to the power rangers... every ranger in history was at the proceeding. From the Mighty Morphing to the Wild Force... even the Time Force were there paying their respects to the hero who started it all.
Billy stood at the podium alone, he didn't want anyone with him. Jason was like his big brother.. he always watched out for him and did his best to understand Billy... he knew that speaking would be hard... but he knew he had too. Because no matter what it would cost him Jason would still speak on any of the other's behalf.
"We are gathered here today, bound together in the sorrow and loss of Jason lee Scott." Billy began slowly. "But we all share a never-more important gift that is rarely seen outside of these circumstances. All of us here were privileged, in our small time here, with the chance of living a life that was not only touched, but made possible by the first Red Power Ranger." Billy said, looking at the big picture to his immediate right... it stood at 8 feet by 10 feet... it was the first team... Red, Blue, Yellow, Pink, and Black. The first rangers.
"The Tyrannosarus possessed many extraordinary abilities that he constantly chose to share with all of us and the human race freely. None of his gifts... none of his skills were ever a bit more remarkable than his ability to discern what needed to be done... and his ever unfailing courage in doing it... reguardless of any personal cost. We must all strive to accept his pledge and to pass it along... as an ongoing tribute to Jason Lee Scott, the first red ranger who taught us all... how to be heroes... go now to your rest my friend."
Billy walked off the podium and let the next speaker take up the podium.
"Today... we acknowledge a dreadful loss." The new voice spoke slowly. "Jason Lee Scott was, as we all know. Exceptionally brave, infinitely just and fair minded, and of course his most important quality... a fierce friend." Captain Mitchell hadn't been expecting to speak... but Tommy decided he couldn't do it and Captain Mitchell was of the only ones of the crowd to know Jason outside of the suit (having used Jason to recover the lost Rescue morphers a little under a decade ago, but that's another story) so he was drafted.
"It is for this reason you all have the right to know exactly what happened and how he died..." He waited for the look of everyone in the room... he saw a man in the back wearing red... someone he didn't recognize but was fairly sure that this was Jason's father. "Jason Scott was murdered... by General Vinjix of the Machine Empire... some of the other rangers weren't sure if I should tell you these things... But not to do so is an insult to his legacy."
Captain Mitchell let his eyes glaze over everyone in the room.
"The pain we all feel should always remind us, that no matter where we come from or how and what we speak... in the end our hearts beat together as one and the same. In light of these events, the bonds of friendship any of you have made because he sacrificed himself for you are more important than they ever have... remember this... and Jason will not have died in vain... A true hero lives forever in those who continue their legacy... so you will remember that!" Mitchell raised his voice... not something he did commonly. "And together you and I will celebrate a man who was kind... and honest... brave... true... and a real hero... right to the very end."
The proceedings ended.
Just before the coffin was lowered Kim placed her damaged power coin from so long ago into the empty coffin, kissing it before letting it go... she knew that Captain Mitchell was right... the rangers were constantly growing and evolving... so he would live on perhaps... but today she had to let herself cry or she'd explode.
"I guess this is it..." Kim said, backing up and letting them lower him. Tommy put his hand on her... it had taken all he was to keep his emotions controlled. "I'm not gonna see him again."
As the team of reds gathered around the grave Tommy spoke... the first words he had said since the beginning of the funeral..
"Guys..." The rangers turned. "You're a part of something bigger than yourself... you've become part of a tradition... you're the next in the long line of people who have done their best... to protect the innocent."
One by one the teams disappeared... Cole was the last one... he stood alone aside from Tommy.
"I just wish I had been stronger..." Cole muttered.
"When bad things happen, people die... but someone has to do it." Tommy decided looking up at the sky.
Kim walked up, she and Tommy had carpooled together and Kim wasn't sure if he was ready to leave yet.
"I hope that... one day we finally beat evil... and evil goes away forever but... I don't think it will so..."
"So try again." Kim suggested.
...
Not long passed and Cole was walking up to the grave he had been visiting every day since its impregnation...
"Perhaps you should know peace has come..." Cole said, setting the flowers on the ground.
Jason Lee Scott
1979-2002
The First The Best
May the Power Protect Him
As he looked upon the tomb he could have sworn he saw the fallen hero accepting the first morpher from his menotr, Zordon... and soon after accepting the Gold Power Staff from the Triforian, Trey.
"You helped me find my destiny... and for that... I can never thank you enough."
Legacy
You know the deal, review, fav, and follow if you like it... I know its a sad story but this was endgame since I made the story a few weeks ago... You always knew that he would fall. but like I said... the cost of victory is high.
