Rainbow of Friendship
August 27, 2006
3rd Person POV
The next morning, Jason, Trini, Billy, Zack, Kimberly, Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Katherine, Tanya, Justin, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Ashley, Andros, Zhane, Kendrix, Mike, Cole, Hunter, Tori, Dustin, Blake, Shane, Cam, Conner, Kira, Ethan, and Trent stood in the Command Center before Zordon's tube. Everyone else stood off to the sides, watching the interchange.
"FOR THOSE OF YOU HERE WHO HAVE NEVER GONE ON A QUEST LIKE THIS BEFORE, I WILL OFFER ONE PIECE OF ADVICE. LISTEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE. WILLIAM, KIMBERLY, AND TOMMY ESPECIALLY HAVE BEEN ON NUMEROUS QUESTS. LISTEN TO THEIR ADVICE, HEED IT, IT WILL GUIDE YOU WELL. BE SAFE, RANGERS." A bright glow entered the room as the Rangers were teleported out.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Rangers landed on what appeared to be a rocky shore. Water crashed against the rocks, causing a spray to shoot up. The Rangers spread out, inspecting their surroundings. Suddenly Aisha let out a blood-curdling scream. Rushing over to her, the others found what had shaken her up. There, on the sand before her, were the remains of a warrior who had obviously not survived his quest for the power.
"I think I'm going to be sick!" Ashley cried. Cam, closest to her, reached over and turned her head into his shoulder. "Thanks," she smiled at him. He smiled back and nodded, blushing.
"Man, that guy had a bad day," Rocky commented. Everyone glared at him.
"Tommy, tengas!" Kimberly shouted, pointing at the sky. Tommy looked up, and sure enough, there was a flock of tengas headed their way.
"Rangers, spread out!" Tommy called. They did, and took on the tengas, but it was a losing battle.
Everyone was so busy fighting that nobody noticed the warrior that jumped from a ledge and pulled off her cape. She pulled her staff out and, breaking it in half, began twirling them like batons. She was making such a noise that even Kira had to double over in pain. It worked, though. The tengas, unable to deal with the high pitch, squawked and flew off.
Tommy righted himself and held out his hand. "Hey thanks," he said. She spun around and whacked his hand with her staff, which was now pieced back together.
"If you want to thank me," she retorted, "go back to wherever it is you came from!"
"We can't go back!" Aisha cried.
"We heard there was a great power here," Cam explained. "Is it true?"
"Yes!" she said. "The ground is littered with the bones of those who have tried for it and failed!"
"Yeah, we noticed," said Ashley, still slightly green. Cam gave her another reassuring squeeze before turning back to the warrior.
"Well, we won't fail!" insisted Tommy, slightly cocky. The warrior tripped him from behind with her staff, then pushed down on his chest.
"Leave now!" she shouted. Then, more quietly, "Before it's too late." She gave him one final shove before turning to walk away.
"Look, we don't want any trouble," Kimberly began, helping Tommy up. "Our leader Zordon said-"
"Zordon?" the warrior interrupted. "What do you know of Zordon?"
"You know Zordon?" Billy asked. The warrior nodded.
"We were Rangers together many years ago. He was the White Ranger. I was the Green."
"Who are you?" Andros asked.
"I am Dulcea," she replied. "Master Warrior of the planet Phaedos. What has happened to Zordon?"
"Nothing recently," Trini commented. "He was kept prisoner by Lord Zedd and Rita for the last several years-
"Zedd and Rita?" Dulcea asked. Trini nodded, then continued.
"He has recently been recovered and is safely back in our Command Center, but Zedd and Rita were planning on launching an attack against us. They said something about calling in King Mondo and Prince Gasket, Divatox, Emperor Gruumm, Morticon, and a couple others, including something about releasing Ivan Ooze."
"Ivan Ooze is free?" Dulcea asked, incredulous.
"Not yet, but soon. You know him?" asked Adam.
"Ivan Ooze is a monster," Dulcea began. "If we don't hurry, your planet is doomed." She sighed. "Follow me."
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Do you think they're OK?" Angela Taylor asked Jen as they prepared lunch for everyone remaining at the Command Center.
"Your husband is still alive, isn't he?" Jen replied.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean he will be when this is all over. Look at what almost happened to Kimberly today."
"Angela, Zack is smart, and strong. We are still learning about things he accomplished as a Ranger in my time. He can handle himself, and he has the others with him to look after him. He'll be fine!" she insisted.
"I hope so." She didn't look convinced.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dulcea had the Rangers in a wide semi-circle around her. "Inside each of us is an animal spirit waiting to be released. Close your eyes and look deep inside." They did as she asked, and she pulled some dust out of a bag, blowing it over the Rangers. They opened their eyes and looked at each other.
Tommy, Rocky, Adam, and Billy were wearing pants in their colors similar to their old Ninjetti costumes with knee-high boots, and a steel mesh breastplate where their shirts once had been. They wore gauntlets on their arms, and headbands. Kim and Aisha wore new uniforms similar to Dulcea's, in their respective colors, with knee-high boots, gauntlets, and headbands. All six of them had a saber hanging on their left side and a whip coiled on their right. The others were dressed in uniforms similar to their old Ninjetti outfits in new colors.
Dulcea smiled and walked to each Ranger, explaining his or her unique animal spirit.
"Rocky, powerful, smart, you are the mighty Ape." Rocky grinned at her.
"Aisha, you are the Bear, fierce and unstoppable." Aisha smiled.
"Billy, you are the Wolf, cunning and swift." Billy blushed and looked down.
"Agile Kimberly, light as a feather. You are the Crane." Kimberly smiled and looked away.
"Adam, you are the handsome Frog prince." Adam looked confused, then smiled when the joke dawned on him.
"Tommy, you are the Falcon, winged lord of the skies." Tommy grinned.
"Andros, quiet and strong, you are the Buffalo." Andros smiled and fingered the medallion on his new, brown uniform.
"Cameron, wise and sage, you are the Owl," Cam, likewise, fingered the gold medallion on his new green uniform.
"Sweet Ashley, cheerful to all. The Robin is your animal." Ashley smiled at her and looked down at her new pearl-colored uniform. Cam reached for her hand and squeezed, blushing when she turned her smile on him.
"Trini, you are the Panther, swift and fierce." Trini fingered her lavender uniform and smiled.
"Jason, protective and strong, you are the Lion." Jason glanced at his new gold uniform.
"Gold again. Perfect," he muttered. Dulcea laughed before going on to the next Ranger.
"Zachary, lighthearted and brave, you are the Chimpanzee." Zack laughed and pulled at his navy colored uniform.
"Hey, it's cool," he announced.
"Gentle Katherine, the Giraffe is your animal." Kat blushed and looked down at the medallion centered on her coral uniform.
"Tanya, wild and free, you are the Zebra." Tanya giggled and fingered her new orange uniform.
"Kendrix, beautiful and smart, you are the Cheetah." Kendrix picked at her peach uniform, blushing.
"Kira, gentle songbird, your animal is the Canary." Kira blushed and looked at her pale yellow uniform.
"Still yellow…it's cool," she commented.
"Intelligent Ethan, the Elephant shall be your animal." Ethan inspected his gray uniform and grinned.
"Mike, generous and able, your animal shall be the Tiger." Mike glanced around, fingering his teal uniform nervously.
"Conner, confident and sure, you are the powerful Gorilla." Conner glanced at his brick-red uniform, then issued a thumbs-up.
"Trent, hardworking and honest, the Malamute shall be yours." Trent fingered the tan uniform.
"Hunter, honorable and brave, you are the Jaguar." Hunter looked over his midnight blue uniform.
"Fearless Blake, your animal is the Hawk." Blake smiled and tugged at his olive-colored uniform.
"Cassie, compassionate and loyal, you are the Goose." Cassie fingered her cream-colored uniform and looked away. Mike caught her eye and gave a reassuring smile. She smiled back.
"Dustin, lighthearted and trusting, you are the Panda." Dustin turned his head to the side, fingering his crimson uniform.
"Charming Zhane, your animal is the Mongoose." Zhane glanced down and noted that his uniform was, once again, silver.
"Justin, bright and practical, you are the Elk." Justin noted that his uniform was now forest green, and nodded.
"TJ, athletic and powerful, the Gibbon is your animal." TJ glanced down at his beige uniform and smiled at her.
"Cole, innocent and true, yours is the Deer." Cole laughed and looked at his slate uniform.
"Tori, logical and sharp, you are the Dolphin." Tori smiles and glances at her new aquamarine uniform.
"Thanks," she says.
"Shane, fierce and protective, you are the Eagle." Shane glances down at his bronze uniform.
"And you, Carlos, are the Seal, spirited and lively." Carlos took in his maroon uniform and smiled.
"Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Billy, and Kimberly, you will notice that your uniforms are different than the others and that you have weapons that you did not have before. Starting on the second leg of your Ninjetti warrior quests, you are granted the use of the Master uniforms, and the ability to begin to learn to use your Ninjetti weapons. On your left is a saber, the head of which is carved with your spirit animal. This makes a mighty defense in hand-to-hand combat. Also at your waist, on the right, is tied a whip, in your color, also with your animals engraved on the handles. Use these to pull yourself out of messy situations or to help a teammate with an especially difficult foe."
The Rangers smiled and fingered the new weapons. "In addition to these," Dulcea went on, "You each have a different weapon specific to you. They are tied to your backs and will be useful in combat." They looked at each other and noticed that there were, indeed, weapons on each other's backs.
"Rocky, yours are the swords. These longer versions of your saber are meant for combat with stronger or more numerous foes." Rocky pulled out the swords, turned them over, and nodded his thanks.
"Aisha, yours are the tsai. Like the daggers you are used to, these weapons are small but deadly." Aisha reached behind her and pulled out the yellow, three-pronged daggers.
"Billy, yours is the staff. Like mine, and your lance, it will break apart to become two smaller, but equally effective weapons." Billy pulled out his staff and nodded.
"Kimberly, yours are the nunchucks. Use them well, but take care, these weapons are very deadly." Kimberly reached behind her to pull out the metal weapons, smiled when she saw that they were also pink, and nodded her acceptance.
"Adam, yours is the bo. This powerful staff will help you with enemies bigger and perhaps stronger than you are." Adam pulled out his bo and smiled.
"And yours, Tommy, are the ninja stars. These weapons may be small, but used properly, can be a valuable addition to your arsenal." Tommy pulled out the white stars and smiled.
"Rest now, Rangers, for you must begin your journey at daybreak." Dulcea smiled sadly and turned.
"You're not coming with us, Dulcea?" Kira asked.
"If only I could, but one step beyond this plateau, and I would begin to age as rapidly as Zordon would if he were to leave his warp." Dulcea turned again, and walked away.
"Come on guys," Tommy said. "We have a long journey ahead of us. Might as well get some sleep."