Chapter 10 – Shades of a Whole

"Tommy, you are many things but subtle, you are not," Kimberly taunted as they arrived at the indicated board game box house. Bright multi colored stripes had been painted vertically on the outside of the box. Green, White, Red, a slightly darker shade of Red and Black adorned the home of the Tommy Brigade, as the building was referred to by the Ranger who had given them directions.

"Thanks," Tommy said, trying to keep the shake out of his voice. He was very nervous about this. These parts of himself were so much older than he was. They were all heroes where he was still trying to make up for what he did while evil. They were probably ashamed of him and what he did. They would most likely refuse to talk to him altogether. He wouldn't blame them.

"Come on," Kimberly said, pulling on his arm for about the hundredth time. "You'll age into them if we wait out here much longer."

"All right," he said reluctantly. "Let's get this over with." Squaring his shoulders, he marched up to the door and knocked on the cardboard cutout door.

"Who is it," a gruff voice called from inside.

"You," was all Tommy said.

There was a crash inside and the door was jerked open. An almost exactly perfect clone of her own Tommy stared at him. There was a tightness around his eyes that her Tommy didn't have, a few extra creases on his forehead. But those Red clothes he wore couldn't hide the familiar way he held himself and the confidence in the set of his shoulders. The way he leaned against the door as if lounging. His oh so familiar face split into a grin, "Yes it is." He noticed Kimberly and his face blanked, "Kim."

Suddenly feeling unsure, Kimberly smiled, "Hey Tommy. You're looking good."

This new Tommy was silent for a second then a strained smile forced his cheeks apart, "You too." He looked away and opened the door wider, "Come on in."

"Again, Tommy, your subtlety knows no bounds." The interior matched the exterior. Green, White, two shades of Red and Black dominated the colors from the painted eraser chairs to the blankets of cut up towels.

"I don't know," Green Tommy said, warming to the atmosphere. "I kind of like it."

"And you should," Red Tommy said, "You helped decorate it. Kinda."

"So which me are you," Green Tommy asked. This Tommy didn't look too far down the way from him. His face had aged only a few years and he wasn't too much taller than he was.

"I am the third future you. Tommy Oliver, Red Zeo Power Ranger," Red Tommy said, pointing at his red suit, white and gold circling his neck and gloves. "And, not counting the Alien Rangers, I'm the third Red Ranger period."

"Wait, Alien Rangers?"

"Oh yeah," Red Tommy grinned, "You get turned into a kid and aliens send you through time to find some powerful crystals!"

Green Tommy stared at him blankly, "Uh huh." He blinked a few times then shook his head, "I guess I've heard stranger things in my life."

"Like, wear this spandex and you'll get super powers," Kimberly asked innocently.

Green Tommy laughed, "Yeah, like that!"

Even Red Tommy smiled. Then his face turned right back into a frown, the way it had every other time he'd looked at her.

Green Tommy noticed, his eyes narrowed but before he could confront him, a feminine voice called out from the door, "Tommy!"

Red Tommy winced, "Hey Kat."

A blonde haired woman wearing pink and gold walked in the room. She spotted Kimberly first. She squealed, "Kim!"

Kimberly jumped up and hugged her friend, "Kat!" They pulled apart, both smiling.

"I'd heard the rumors that you guys had shown up in town and I figured that this was the place to come looking. It's just been ages since we hung out," Kat said. "We have to hang out sometime."

"Oh definitely!" Kimberly noticed her suit, "Wait, you're a Power Ranger?"

Kat grinned and gestured at the gold around the neck of her suit, "Well I'm the Pink Zeo Ranger but the other two me's are wandering around here somewhere."

"So, you're like Tommy?" Kat looked confused so Kimberly clarified, "There are more than one of you."

"Yeah. There's even one who happens to wear a very familiar uniform."

"There's another Pink Mighty Morphin?" Kimberly was slightly miffed at that idea.

"Yeah, I take up for you when you go off for the Pan Globals."

Kim laughed delightedly, "I had just decided to go!"

"Well, now you don't have to worry about who to pick."

"Oh, it was never a worry. I'd always kind of felt connection with you." Kim grinned and Kat grinned back.

"Looks like I'm just in time for the party," another voice said. Green Tommy saw a slightly older version of his own face standing in the doorway, also wearing Red. "Oh well, wouldn't be the first time I was late for something."

Green Tommy stood, "You know I think that joke's a bit over used, don't you."

The two Reds shook their heads in unison, "No."

"Don't worry about it kid," another Tommy said, walking in. "They're just not as fun as we are. They lose their sense of humor with age." This Tommy smiled widely, "Tommy Oliver, White Power Ranger. I'm the you you get to be next." He crossed the room and leaned down, embracing Kim warmly, "Kim! God I've missed you."

Green Tommy valiantly controlled his jealously for an entire ten seconds the 'accidently' pushed White Tommy away.

White Tommy smiled widely, challengingly.

Green Tommy scowled then took Kim's hand, squeezing it.

Kimberly looked between the two, bemused. Tommy had always been the jealous type but two Tommy's would just cause trouble. Although, she now had to wonder who she was technically dating. She could now remember Tommy losing his Green Ranger powers and becoming the White Ranger but both of them were here. She came to the conclusion that since they were basically the same person, she was dating them both. But they would both be jealous of the other. Well, this was a conundrum. She pointedly ignored them, focusing instead on the new Tommy in Red, she went over the list of Tommy's Dr. K had talked about. "You're the Red Turbo Ranger?"

Turbo Tommy nodded, "Yeah. Fourth Tommy along the line."

Green Tommy looked around, counting four out of five, "There's one missing."

"Yeah," Red Tommy said, "the latest model, Dr. O, the Black Dino Thunder Power Ranger, is still recovering from his attack."

"What happened?"

"When you arrived, he just dropped to the floor and started twitching. We all experienced similar twinges but he really took a blow."

"Is he ok," Kimberly asked.

"Yeah, he's ok" White Tommy said, taking her other hand and smiling. "He's a tough one."

"It's never been this bad before. Is something wrong with him?"

Dr. K leaned closer to the immobile figure on the table. She lifted an arm and watched as it flopped limply back to his side. "I do not think so." She poked his forehead, "None of the other Tommy's reacted this badly." She stepped back, "No, I believe that this more intense reaction is simply because of the separation in their times. This Tommy is many years into the originals future while the other three are much closer. The time difference stunned his mind. The dull shadows that make up his shared past became clear for the barest of instants, it most likely overwhelmed his conscious mind and spent his sanity spinning into oblivion. He'll be fine."

"But Dr. K," Conner said, stepping in front of her to prevent her from leaving, "he's in pain."

"There is nothing we can do Dino Thunder Red. Right now only patience and time will heal him." She left, leaving Tommy's team to worry about him.

"So the youngest version of Dr. O is here," Conner asked, staring down at his mentor.

"Yeah," Kira said, "He's actually kind of cute."

Ethan stared at her, "You do realize what you just said, right?"

Kira shivered, "Yeah, weird."

Conner turned to his teammates, grinning brightly, "Guys, I have a plan!"

"Oh no you don't," Ethan insisted, "no more plans, no more schemes, no more ideas! You may be the Red Ranger but you seriously have the worst ideas."

Kira nodded, "Seconded."

"But we can't just leave him here," Conner insisted, "we have to do something!"

Kira glanced at their teacher. The grimace of pain on his face tore at her heart. She wished Trent was here to offer a different alternative. But no, he had to be scrounging around in Arthur's sisters' room. Reluctantly, she relented, "All right but nothing crazy. We have to approve whatever madness is swirling through that mind of yours."

"Ok, here's what I'm thinking..."

"How old is he?"

"11."

"Wow." Green Tommy leaned back in the chair. "A little kid as a Power Ranger…"

Turbo Tommy nodded, "Yup. You should have seen the fights we had about him at first. Tanya and Kat thought he was so cute but me and Adam had to have a long discussion with Zordon."

Kat glared at him, "He's a good kid Tommy."

Turbo Tommy raised his hands defensively, "I'm just saying!"

"What did Zordon say," Green Tommy asked.

"That this was something that had been predestined and it would all work out in the end. The normal explanation, fate, destiny, he trusted us to handle it. You know what he said about why we're here? He had been afraid that this would happen." He shook his head, "Sometimes I wonder if he can see into the future."

"Wait, Zordon's here too," Kimberly asked. She'd love to talk to him about their current situation. He did always seemed to be one step ahead.

"Yeah, he was the last one to appear, about two months ago," Red Tommy said. He had really loosened up around Kimberly over the course of the evening. He actually looked at her now even though his tone was still tight, "You didn't know? He's in the back room of the Command Center with Dimitra and The Mystic Mother. Most people stay away from that room though. Some of their conversations are so over our heads, it's like the Zeo Ultrazord to a flea."

They were silent for the first time in hours. The Tommy's had had a lot to talk about, from their Zords to the different positives of their respective colors to the best hair care products. That had turned hilarious when Kimberly casually mentioned that she used the same flowery scented shampoo as Red Tommy. His blush had almost out reded his suit. Kat had promised to never let him live it down.

What Kimberly really wanted to talk about was why the last Tommy wasn't here. It had been hours since they sat down to talk and she was getting worried that something had gone wrong. That the future Tommy wasn't ok. "Shouldn't we go check on the older Tommy? I mean, I'd like to make sure he's ok."

White Tommy stood, "Well, he's probably still over with the Dino Rangers. We could stop by on our way to showing you where you two will be staying. It's a bit out of the way but not too much."

"I'm ok with it," Green Tommy said, also standing, "I'm kind of anxious to see what I look like with all my hair cut off."

The two Red Tommy's exchanged glances then Turbo Tommy shrugged, "Sure, why not."

Walking the streets of a town made of cardboard and cups lit by bright lights of many colors with three copies of her boyfriend and a friend from the future, was only another chapter in the strangeness that had been this day. But luckily they didn't have to walk far and Red Tommy soon stopped next to a small building with another, even smaller, building attached.

He stepped up and knocked on the door, "Open up guys, we're just here to see us."

The door flew open and the young man frowned, "Aw man. We were just about to act out our plan!" He leaned back inside the building and called, "Guys you can stop looking for the tape now!"

"Why," another voiced asked.

"Because they're standing at the door!" He looked back at them, "Seriously, are you guys psychic?"

"Not that we know of," Turbo Tommy said. "Is Dr. O here?"

"Yeah, he's inside."

"Is he ok," Kimberly asked.

Conner's eyes paused on her and widened, "Well, hello."

"Stow it Conner," Red Tommy said gruffly. "We're coming in." He pushed by the kid in the doorway, the rest of the Tommy Brigade plus Kimberly and Kat following.

Inside were two other Rangers, one of them was yellow girl they had met earlier.

Kimberly walked over to her. "Kira, right," she asked. Kat had been telling her about the poor lone girl on the eldest Tommy's team. "Yellow Dino Thunder Ranger?"

"Yeah…"

She smiled, "Nice to meet you. I'm Kimberly, Pink Mighty Morphin Ranger. Are you the only girl on your team?"

Kira smiled back, "Yeah."

Kimberly whistled, "That must be tough. At least I have Trini as a guy buffer."

"Ugh, it is. The only other girl I can remotely talk to is Haley but she usually sides with Dr. O!"

Kat walked over, "So what were you guys planning anyway? Why did you need tape?"

"Yeah, you probably don't want to know." Kira refused to meet their eyes.

They chatted a bit more about how some men were only good for lifting heavy objects, Kira specifically mentioned that Conner guy. A lot. In the process of discussing their teams, Kat informed Kim that Kira's DinoZord was also a pterodactyl at which point Kim laughed and hugged Kira tightly.

"I wonder if it's the same one," she wondered. "I mean, there can't be that many ancient mechanical flying dinosaurs."

"I don't think so. Mine was yellow, not pink," Kira pointed out. It was hard to believe that this girl was as old as Dr. O. The person in front of her was definitely a teenager. Oh time travel, you strange creature.

Kimberly shrugged, "Oh well, it would have been cool."

"What do you think they're talking about," Green Tommy asked, watching the trio of girls chat.

"Us," White Tommy answered, thinking the same thing.

"Actually, I would say, you," Green Tommy nodded at Red Tommy's.

"What did I do," Red Tommy asked.

"You've been glaring and frowning at Kimberly since we got here. You've upset her and if she starts crying, I don't care if you are me, I'm going to hurt you."

Turbo Tommy shook his head, slowly, "Just don't get too attached to her."

White Tommy laughed, "It's a bit late for that! I mean, even after she went off to train for the Pan-Globals, we stayed in touch."

"Yeah, keep thinking that," Red Tommy muttered.

"Whatever it is," Green Tommy said, "stop."

"But you don't…"

"And I don't care!"

"That's a real nice declaration," a new voice said. "but I completely agree. Drop it Zeo."

"Hey Tommy," Turbo Tommy said to the tall man who stumbled into the room.

"Hey." Short hair spiked, wearing a black version of Conner and Ethans' suits, the leaned against the door, apparently still weak. He shook his head, "Not that I'm not happy to see you or anything youngest me but it took you long enough."

Before Green Tommy could express his annoyance at hearing that phrase yet again, the walls shook and they heard a ear shattering roar.

The Tommy's ran for the door first, all of them trying to fit through it at once. They failed and ended up arguing until Red Tommy just tore a hole in the wall and bolted through it. The rest of the Tommy Brigade followed.

Kat, Kimberly and the Dino Thunder Rangers exchanged amused glances then ran after them.

*AN*

Talk about multiple personality disorder, the multi-Rangers are a psychiatrists dream!

Next Week: A Brief Connection!

*CL*

Green Tommy

Kimberly

Red Tommy

Turbo Tommy

White Tommy

Pink Kat – Pink Zeo Ranger

Conner – Red Dino Thunder Ranger

Ethan – Blue Dino Thunder Ranger

Kira – Yellow Dino Thunder Ranger

Dr. O – Black Dino Thunder Ranger, older Tommy