A/N: Kuro here, chapter six is finally up and ready to go. And yes, the truth about Tommy's recent actions will come out next chapter. As soon as I get typing. *sigh*
Chapter 6:
Of all the things I've seen in my time as a Ranger, of all the enemies I've faced, of all the things that Rita, and later, Zedd, were capable of, there was always one opponent that stuck in my memory; the Green Ranger.
Of course, you can hardly blame me. When you're powerless on you back, literally a second from being run through with a sword, staring up at a person who had recently become your worst nightmare, it tends to leave an impression.
I can still remember what it felt like to feel the visceral fear that overcame me when the Green Ranger stood over me, ready to end my life at any time should he so desire, while I lay powerless to stop him. To feel like a tiny mouse in the claws of a jungle cat.
All these thoughts and more flashed through my head as I stared up at Tommy, eyes bright green and steady. God, I'd hoped, prayed, that this would never happen to him again, to any of us. But especially not him.
"NO!" A flash of pink had flown by me as Kim rushed to the base of the building. "No! Your name is Tommy! You're our friend!" He cocked his head to the side like a confused puppy. "Please! You need to remember!" She was too hysterical to notice the crackle of green energy that pulsed down his naked blade. But I did.
"Kim, LOOK OUT!" I only just managed to push her out of the way as a wave of emerald witchfire crashed into the spot where she was standing. As we rolled to the ground, I caught a glimpse of Tommy jumping headfirst off the building he was standing on.
My heart caught in my throat as he plummeted to his death, only to execute a perfect mid-air flip and land safely on the ground. But my relief lasted only a second as, in a blur of green and black, he charged.
The next few minutes were a blur of steel and witchfire, but I didn't need to be attentive to know that we were getting our asses handed to us. There was nothing of the shy, somewhat gentle boy I knew in the warrior that threw Zack to the ground, or the one that shattered Kim's bow, or the one who now stands over us, as we lay on the ground, beaten.
The memories rush through me again, and I realize what's going on. Looking up at the cold green eyes above me, I finally see why I'm so afraid.
Superimposed over the dark warrior above me, is the image of another, clad in green.
Please, not again. Please.
I slowly try to reach for my sword, but his boot comes crashing down on my wrist.
"I don't think so."
I don't think so. The memory whispers. But the illusion is shattered when Tommy cocks his head to the side.
"Doesn't this bring back memories?" Oh god, no… "C'mon, you know what I mean." Oh god... "I know you do…Jason." He remembers...
"Tommy?" He smirks, and it sends a cold chill down my spine.
"Hey, bro." He knows. He remembers. Oh, god, is what Zedd said true?
"What are you…Why are you…" His smirk turns into an evil grin.
"Why else?" He says, and cold fear creeps into my body, "Power."
"But… but why?" God, I sound like a moron. Tommy, why? The brother I knew would never say that!
"Never say that?" What? Did he read my mind!? "Of course I wouldn't. One wrong word and I'd be back in that damn cell Zordon put me in after the spell was broken." Cell, what cell!? "Oh, you didn't know? You never though to ask why I vanished for nearly a day after the spell was broken?" I thought you needed time to yourself! "Zordon locked me up. Alpha ran all sorts of tests on me to make sure I wasn't still under the spell. To make sure I had broken away completely." He wouldn't do that! "Oh yes he would. But you know? Even he never knew the truth." His grin grew sharkish, and I suddenly felt like a rabbit caught in the claws of the great Serpent.
"There was always a part of me that wanted what Rita gave me. One that wanted to reach out and snap dear little Trini's neck, just to see what it felt like. That wanted to dye your suit a true red. That wanted to see what makes Billy's mind so different than my own." He knelt, his knee crushing my sternum. "There was always a Dragon sleeping inside of me, Jase." The familiar nickname only served to make me colder. "Rita only woke it up. And you only put it back to sleep." He leaned close, and with a sharp crack, my morph exploded around me. "Give it up, little Rex. Tommy no longer exists. He was just a front I made to gain your trust." No… "Zedd has set my true self free." No!
He leans even closer, and whispered in my ear,
"I am Heir to the Emperor of the Dark Dimensions. I am Son of the Dark Empress. I am Master of the Emerald Witchfire. I am King of all Dragonkin." He stands sharply and places the edge of his blade at my throat. "I am Lord Tirthor." He holds out his hand, and a small device appears in a flash of green. "And a Dragon King has no use for a kitten's claws." He lets it fall on my chest. "Goodbye, Jason." And in another bright flash, he's gone.
I don't know how long I lay there, chest heaving. I don't even move until I hear the familiar six-toned beep of my communicator. I sit up, and Tommy's Morpher falls to the ground.
Tommy.
A brother that never existed.
On autopilot, I answer the communicator.
"Jason."
"JASON," Zordon. "TELEPORT BACK TO THE COMMAND CENTER IMMEDIATELY."
Numbly, I pick up the discarded Morpher and activate the teleport command on my comm. I don't even notice the non-sensation of the teleporter activating.
The five of us sat numbly where the teleporter dropped us. Kim is sobbing in Zack's arms, Trini in Billy's. I look up at the being that had become a father figure to all of us.
"Its…its not true, right? It's some sort of spell. It has to be!" I'm nearing hysteria myself.
"I AM SORRY, JASON, BUT THE SCANS I HAVE DONE INDICATE THAT NO SPELLS OR DEVICES HAVE ALTERED TOMMY'S NEURAL FUNCTIONS. IT APPEARS HE HAS TRULY JOINED LORD ZEDD AS HIS HEIR." No, Tommy wouldn't…
But he's not Tommy anymore, now is he? A voice sneers in the back of my mind. He's not your brother nor is he your friend. He's just another villain.
I quickly get up and make my way out of the command center. No one tries to stop me.
Overlooking the vast range of mountains before me, I come to a simple conclusion.
Tommy is gone…no, he never existed. Tirthor is just another threat to the planet, and the Rangers need to stop him.
As my mind sets firmly on this decision, I try to ignore the crying of my heart.
