Chapter 10: It's Showtime
(Author's Note: I was watching an episode from the last season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer last week that was the main inspiration for writing this chapter. The concepts of the final season of Buffy was what inspired most of the plot so far. Don't worry it's not like the last season of Buffy I can assure you and I hope you all are enjoying the story and appreciate the reviews.)
Tommy started making a recovery following his first encounter with the Turok Patroller. The others decided to give it the nickname Uber Putty and hit the research to learn more about their fierce adversary. Three days later four new potential Rangers showed up in Angel Grove. The Rangers were on full alert of the arrival of each potential making their way to Angel Grove and even Kat used her connections to the coven to locate anymore out there.
When one of the new potentials, an eighteen year old boy named Silas arrived from Mariner Bay three days he was greeted at the bus station by a trio of Dark Judges. Fortunately, the intervention of Tommy, Jason and Adam dispatched of them and also encountered a seventeen year old Romani girl named Bianca at the bus station. After the two new potentials were surprised by meeting three of the Original Power Rangers once they arrived at the house to find the other potential teens still awake in the common room.
"Guys this is Silas and Bianca," Tommy introduced the teens to the others, "They're the newest potentials to arrive in Angel Grove to be greeted by a welcoming with regards to the Dark Judges."
"So they know the other potentials are making their way here?" Rosaline asked.
"They're aware and thank god that Ellie and Francis were picked up in San Diego by Rocky and Aisha." He added.
"Trini and Billy are heading to Beijing in two days," Zack said, "An agent from Light Speed intercepted two more potential Rangers. They're going to teleport there but fly back home, to ease any suspicion but they got an alibi to cover up. I'm heading out in a few days to pick up another potential in Detroit."
"We need to be more cautious and try to find a way to maintain contact with discretion," Tommy added. "Lokar seems to be one step ahead of us."
"Yeah and we'll stick with the alibi that was created to get them here," Jason replied.
"The last thing we need is you guys being accused of kidnapping minors," Desmond slightly joked.
"Or for them to end up in the clink for harboring runaway teenagers," Penny added.
"It doesn't make sense you guys are teleporting to the destinations but why not teleport back?" the new potential Ellie asked.
"Because you guys aren't tied to the Morphing Grid yet," Kat added, "We still had a connection to the Morphing Grid even after giving up our powers but somehow they bonded with us over the years. We still had our communicators with us and we're still working on the technology to teleport you guys safely."
"But still that means we're still walking targets for the Dark Judges?" the other new potential Francis asked.
"Don't think of yourselves as targets because that's what Lokar wants," Tommy said in a solemn voice, "It will see what you're afraid of and use it against you guys. We're here to make sure no one ends up buried in a grave like Leanne. That maybe the possibility but you have to trust us that we're going to protect you guys. Believe it."
"So…we're assuming you guys are working on a plan to keep us from dying?" Francis asked again curiously.
"It's a work in process but we always have a plan," Tommy replied turning to Kenji and Aidan, "Kenji, why don't you show our new guests the kitchen. I bet they must be hungry and Aidan will figure out the sleeping arrangements in this nice, big boarding house."
Tommy watched the rest of the potentials leave the common room leaving him and the others left. He recalled his recent encounter with the Turok Patroller and from the research they obtained about the seal it was the monster that came out from the seal. Despite the brutal beating he took from the Turok Patroller once for a brief moment he could sense Kimberly's presence where he fought the Turok Patroller.
"I want to find a way to stop Lokar and personally I want to hurt it," Tommy replied with anger, "I want to hurt it really badly. As far as Lokar's insurance policy is concern we know it's not like any putty we fought before."
"The Turok Patroller? The putty time forgot?" Rocky slightly joked.
"Well time may have forgotten it but I haven't," he said solemnly. "We know Lokar is hiding underground somewhere and assuming that Downtown is a hot spot I think that is where Kim might be. However, as long as the Turok Patroller is walking around guarding the entrance there's no way we can help Kim until it's out of the way. We're running out of time, Kimberly is running out of time."
"Not if we have anything to say about it," Jason replied.
(The Lair)
Kimberly slowly starting losing count of time or how many days passed. Her face is still beaten and scarred from the torture she endured. She still finds herself shackled and chained to the cave wall. There was that glimmer of hope when she felt Tommy's presence nearby but because of the evil aura surrounding this place it's been difficult to communicate. Kim desperately continues to hold onto the hope of being rescue despite the illusions her mind has been creating lately making it difficult to distinguish fantasies from reality.
"Oh look Zeddy the little pink princess is daydreaming again," Rita sneers wickedly. "Poor Kimmie denying the realistic belief that no white knight on a white horse will charge in and save the day."
"Come to think of it my pet who would want to charge in," Zedd smirked looking at the Turok Patroller, "And face that? It wouldn't be enough to risk your own skin just to go one on one with this. Try asking Tommy Boy."
The two notice Kimberly's eyes are closed as she is muttering to herself. Eagerly, they lean in to listen to what she is quietly saying to herself.
"The falcon and crane will soar as one. The wings of fate will prevail. He'll come for me." She mutters quietly.
(Training Room)
The next day, Trini, Zack and Billy left to head to their respective destinations to bring back a few more potential Rangers. It was decided that Rocky, Adam and Aisha will spend today at the house training the potentials while Tommy, Jason and Kat did a bit of recon in downtown Angel Grove. However, the three of them found that their training session with the potentials prove to be anything but productive as some of them voice their concerns about the possible outcome of their futures. Rocky, Adam and Aisha decided to take a break for a bit while they left the potentials working on some of their karate exercises by themselves.
"What are we all doing?" Francis shrugs with frustration.
"It's called training," Kenji answered practicing some Tai Chi exercises with Bianca and Penny. "I'm surprise you two girls are picking up on this."
"Two weeks ago I was living in a loft on the Lower Eastside village of Manhattan when this guy shows up and tells me I'm in danger," Silas replied, "It wasn't until I ended up in Mariner Bay I found out what I might be and this whole thing with the Power Rangers."
"Why are we bothering? It's not like it's going to make a difference," Francis continues, "What are we suppose to do?"
"We have to try something or else we'll end up dead like Leanne," Desmond argued, "Think about Leanne and what happened to her."
"Are you sure you can prepare yourself being a Ranger when you know the fate of the world is in your hands?" Francis asked.
"What do you mean?" Bianca asked.
"I mean we're not remotely prepared to the next team of Power Rangers chosen to fight the forces of evil," Francis said. "Well are any of us prepared to put our lives on the line with the chance of possibly dying in the line of duty? It could anyone of us and they'll run through us one by one. Kind of creepy that we're all waiting to die."
"But we're too young to die," Ellie replied scared. "I mean we're just kids aren't we?"
Meanwhile, Rosaline stepped into the kitchen to get something to drink. She found herself being the only one who had the strong belief in the veterans, especially in Tommy that they'll be able to protect them. However, like the rest of the other potentials there was still the fear of the unknown. She could hear the conversation in the training room and wanted to excuse herself. Moments later the phone rang as she reluctantly picked it up to answer.
"Hello?" Rosaline replied seeing Rocky, Adam and Aisha walk into the kitchen, "Yes this is the place. What? When did this happen? Okay...I'll notify the parents of the situation. Yes thank you." The three veterans notice Rosaline's face go white with shock.
"Hey Rosaline something the matter?" Aisha asked as she told them to keep their voices down.
"Contact Tommy now!" Rosaline asked as the three nodded. "You have to contact Tommy now! Apparently there was a check in at a motel outside of Angel Grove two nights ago. The police found the body of a teenage boy. It was Francis the cops discovered. He died two days ago. You have to get Tommy here right now."
"Then who's in there with the rest of the potentials?" Adam asked as he quickly contacted Tommy and the others.
Moments later after contact Tommy, Jason and Kat teleported back into the kitchen as Tommy's eyes were on Rosaline. The others follow suit as Jason and Kat were simply told they needed to get home. Tommy walks to the training with the others following suit watching "Francis" and the potentials sitting in a circle with despondent looks on their faces.
"Get away from them!" Tommy glared gritting his teeth at "Francis."
"Is there a problem here chief?" "Francis" innocently replied.
"Get away from who?" Aidan asked with a confused look as the other potentials looked confused.
"I said get away from them now!" Tommy snapped one more time. "You're not Francis!"
"Tommy what are you talking about?" Desmond asked.
"Francis is dead." Rosaline bluntly answered to her fellow potentials.
"Oops one more down," "Francis" suddenly stands up grinning and morphs into Lokar as the potentials back away, "Oh well can't save them all Tommy Boy just like your little pink crane. I can assure you that the little bird is well fed and secure in a nice cage. Thanks for the slumber party guys, it's been real fun the last couple of nights. I learned a whole lot..."
"Shut up and get out!" Tommy yelled. "I'm going to get Kimberly out whether you like it or not Lokar!"
"Do you think you can pull it off? You're the one with the plan aren't you? No wonder why the little firecracker loves her white falcon so much?" Lokar mocked as Tommy's anger boiled and Jason trying to restrain his best friend, "Oh yeah my guest will be coming by to visit later, at nightfall. All I request is that you make him feel welcomed before he rips you all to pieces. Bye!" With that Lokar suddenly vanished leaving the potential Rangers despondent, the veterans speechless and Tommy irate than ever.
(Later On)
For the rest of the day it was nothing but despondent potential Rangers who were on the verge of believing the inevitable. After their surprising encounter with Lokar Tommy and the rest of the team began counting the hours until nightfall. They all gathered in the dining room to formulate a game plan however Tommy could tell that Lokar's visit scared them to the core. Despite his best efforts to assure them to stay together and not fall apart, the mention of the Turok Patroller just sent his efforts spiraling down. Just hearing them recount his first battle with the Turok Patroller he stared at his friends silently.
Tommy could feel that the potentials were losing faith in them, in particularly Tommy. The feeling of utter dejection started creeping in his mind again. Kat and Jason found him in the training room working out his frustrations by hitting the punching bag in the room. Rocky, Aisha and Adam soon joined them leaving the potentials in the living room. Tommy struck out twice and looking at his friends he was determine not to let it happen the third time. His mind started formulating a plan that will definitely result in two things: renewed faith for the potential Rangers in them and second that by the end of the night they'll get Kimberly back.
"Guys I will guarantee you that by the end of tonight a lot of things will change," Tommy promised his friends, "We need to show them what we're made of. When nightfall comes it's showtime."
(Nightfall)
It wasn't before long Lokar's prediction came true. Rocky and Adam peeked outside to find a group of Dark Judges surround the house. Desmond, Penny and Kenji take a glimpse outside of the Dark Judges standing outside waiting. Aisha comes in the training room along with Bianca, Ellie and Silas and tells the group that three more Dark Judges are waiting out back. Tommy and Jason open up the weapons cabinet handing each of the potential Rangers a weapon. Despite the reluctance, each of them took what was given to them.
"Can you trust us with these? I mean we haven't had much training with weapons," Aidan commented.
"Well consider this hands on training Aidan," Rosaline replied loading up a crossbow, "Besides, it's always good to practice."
"Nice point made there Rosaline," Tommy slightly smirked, "And sorry skipping a few lessons but I trust you guys with this stuff."
"I don't get it why are they just standing there?" Desmond asked.
"Because they want to make sure we don't get out," Jason replied as Rocky looked outside the window. "Hey Tommy that Turok Patroller did it look like some sort of Colossus looking imitation?"
"Oh God it's coming this way!" Penny yelled as she saw the Turok Patroller approach the front door. Everyone gathered in the living room as Tommy looked to Kat as the Turok Patroller was about to make it's way to the group. "KAT DO IT NOW!" Tommy ordered as Kat yelled out an incantation that caused a barrier to hold up preventing the Turok Patroller from approaching. However, they all notice that the spell was taking a toll on Kat as the barrier started failing. The potential Rangers started panicking as Tommy and the others gave the order to run.
Jason and Tommy led the group out the back door only to be greeted by a group of Dark Judges. The six veterans quickly morphed swarming around the potentials to protect them. The eight potentials Rangers try their hand at attacking the forces that have been hunting them down for months. Once they were a safe distance away from the house, Tommy and Jason led the group towards Angel Grove High. Tommy instructed Jason and the others to take the potentials and head towards a safe location while he diverted the Turok Patroller away. There was a lot of objections to Tommy's plan in splitting up, especially with the potentials. After much argument Jason reluctantly agreed and led the others and the potentials in one direction while Tommy went another way to get the Turok Patroller away.
The Turok Patroller catches up to Tommy on the street and have a brief standoff. When it once again starts delivering vicious blows once again to Tommy, he suddenly uses his sword and nails the Turok Patroller in the shoulder smashing one of his rubies. He retreats thinking it will follow him until he looks back and finds it suddenly gone. Meanwhile, Jason and the others led the potential Rangers to the construction site of the future Angel Grove High Auditorium. Everyone spreads out in different positions until they hear the eerie growl of the Turok Patroller advancing towards the potentials. Kat and Aisha instruct the potentials to climb up the scaffolding as Rocky, Jason and Adam try to hold off the Turok Patroller with little success. It menacingly makes it way towards the scaffolding where the potentials are situated until the floodlights.
"Looks good doesn't it?" Tommy calls out from the other side as he jumps down in the middle of the site in front of the Turok Patroller. "They're trapped in here like you wanted? Look at them all you see are nothing but terrified teenagers, fresh meat waiting to be picked off one by one. There is nothing they can do but wait and that's what they been doing for days. You see they have nightmares about monsters that can't be killed. But you know something...I don't believe that! We always find a way to kill them. We are the thing that monsters have nightmares about. And right now we're going to show them why. It's time. Welcome to the Thunderdome!"
"It's showtime!" Kat and Aisha smiled looking at the potential Rangers.
"You guys planned this didn't you? Bringing us here?" Rosaline asked looking ahead.
While Tommy and the guys took on the Turok Patroller, Kat and Aisha recalled the plan that Tommy came up with in order to regain the potential Rangers' confidence in them. However, this fight proved to be the potentials' first lesson as they watched the veteran Rangers continue to get beaten up by the Turok Patroller. But for Tommy he had one goal in mind. In order to get Kimberly back they needed to defeat the Turok Patroller and wanted the potentials to watch them defeat it. For them, it was the only way they can prove that idea that anything is possible. The potentials argued about intervening to help the veterans but Kat and Aisha simply told them to watch.
"Tommy you're up!" Jason replied as he, Rocky and Adam retreated. "Show him what you got!" Tommy found himself one on one with the Turok Patroller as everyone looked on. As it continued to add some more bruises to him he surprised everyone by finding the foe's weak spot. Despite the struggle during the brawl Tommy managed to deliver a two vicious blows to the the ruby jewels that were visible on the Turok Patroller's shoulders with his sword. It started staggering a bit losing energy as he spotted Jason's blaster on the floor and quickly started blasting it. In a quick swift movement he picked up his sword and decapitated the foe until it was left in a pile of clay and dust.
"See? Nothing but clay and dust!" Tommy replied demorphing looking up at his friends and the potentials. Despite another bruised face he smiled relishing at what he wanted. "Just like the rest of them. They say the night brings terror but you can face it if you conquer your fear of the dark. I don't know what's coming next or predict it but I know it's going to be like this. The road ahead will be hard and painful but in the end it will be us if we all do our parts. We fight together because we're stronger that way. If you believe it then hold onto it as your strength and then in the end we'll be the ones left standing. Here endeth the lesson!"
As the group leaves, Lokar silently glares at them speechless and irate at witnessing the defeat of the Turok Patroller at the hands of Tommy and the others.
(The Lair)
Inside the underground cave Kimberly still remains shackled to the wall. She notices a white shirted and bruised Tommy hold up a knife in front of her. "Oh, a knife today isn't it?" she sneers thinking that it's another illusion or trick her mind is playing on her. However, something was different when she sees her image of Tommy with tears in his eyes staring at the her current state. "You're...you're not real. It's all just a bloody figment of my imagination! You're...just a dream I created..."
Overwhelmed with Kim's state of mind and condition she suddenly finds herself freed from her tether bounds as she collapses on the floor. Kim waits for the illusion of Tommy to pass through her until he bends down towards her...and instead Tommy rests his head on her shoulder embracing her tight. Kim's realizing that she could feel his touch as she starts tearing up and returns his embrace.
"I got you Beautiful. I'm not letting go, not by a long shot. I'm here, God I got you," Tommy replies letting his emotions takeover as he lovingly continues to hold onto Kim for dear life.
"I knew you come," she murmur burying her head in his chest, "I believed it and I'm not dreaming it. Oh God I can feel you...my white knight. You're real and here Handsome."
"Don't worry it's going to be alright now. You're safe now that's all that matters." He takes notice of Kim's various cuts and bruises as he picks her up and gets up from off the floor. Kim passes out in Tommy's arms from exhaustion and despite his own injuries he quietly limps out with Kim safely in his arms. Her head is rested against his chest as he places a gentle kiss on top of her head as they continue to walk out.
"I love you...white falcon," she whispers.
"I love you too. You resst now my beloved pink crane. Your white falcon is here to protect you. You'll be safe and sound back home right where you belong," he assured her as they walked out of the cave.