Notes: This fic is well plotted out; I just have to get there. Expect the unexpected is my only advice for the future parts. Some dialogue in this chapter is from King for a Day Part 1. Talk about a different twist on that ep .
Kat, Tanya, Adam, and Rocky sat at a table in the Youth Center watching Tommy work out with a bag. Zordon had instructed them all to go home saying there was nothing else they could do for Jason at this point, as they could not track the brainwaves or determine if they were in fact Jason's. They had all gone their separate ways and decided to meet up at the Youth Center the next morning. When they had gotten there they found Tommy already working out.
"I've never seen him like this," Tanya said as she took a sip of her smoothie.
Rocky looked around to make sure no one was around before saying, "you and Kat never did hear about why Tommy stopped being a Ranger did you?" They shook their heads. "The day Angel Grove High burned down Tommy was kidnapped from the school and replaced. We all thought he had died. Turns out Zedd and Rita were erasing his memory and making him into their Gray Ranger. It turns out they also changed his brain chemistry and he had a lot of problems with his memory after he remembered everything. It's killing him to know that the same thing might be happening to Jason."
"Oh," Kat said looking at Tommy in concern. "That would explain his reaction in the Power Chamber yesterday. I thought he was in shock."
"Probably was," Adam said watching as Tommy hit the bag one more time as hard as he could.
Ernie walked up to Tommy.
"Everything all right Tommy?" He asked. He was very concerned about the teen. He hadn't seen him this worked up about something in years.
"Yeah," he said. "I'm just working out."
"So I see." He said with a nod. "If you need to talk let me know." He said before walking over to a twelve year old who had just entered the Youth Center.
Bulk and Skull entered the Youth Center looking smug about something. They walked past Tommy without giving him a second glance and stood in the middle of the room.
"You guys are never going to believe what we saw," Bulk said getting everyone's attention.
"What did you see?" A young kid asked coming up to them.
"We were at the lake and we saw something so amazing," Bulk continued. "We saw Zeo Ranger 5."
"What?" Tommy asked in mid punch.
"You saw Zeo Ranger 5?" Rocky asked.
"Yep. Saw him with our own eyes." Skull bragged.
"What was he doing?" Tommy asked.
"He was just standing there staring," Bulk said soaking up the attention. "The weird thing is we could see right through him."
"Kinda creepy huh?" Skull said to the young kid.
The other Rangers walked over to Tommy. "What do you think?" Tanya answered.
"I think we should go to the lake," Kat said.
"No we probably should talk to Zordon," Adam said.
Tommy hadn't said anything.
They hurried out of the Youth Center, made sure no one could see them, and teleported out.
"Zordon," Tommy said as soon as they arrived in the Power Chamber. "Bulk and Skull said they saw Zeo Ranger 5 at the lake."
"ALPHA START ANOTHER SCAN OF THE LAKE," Zordon instructed.
The Rangers turned and watched as data flashed on the screen as Alpha scanned the lake. None of them saw anything.
"I don't see anything!" Tanya exclaimed.
There was a beep. "The brainwaves are showing up again," Alpha said. "They could be Jason's but like before they are changing."
Zordon's face became grim. "RANGERS IF THESE ARE INDEED JASON'S BRAINWAVES HE IS IN GRAVE DANGER. AT THE RATE THEY ARE CHANGING, JASON WON'T BE JASON MUCH LONGER."
"That's not going to happen," Tommy said to his mentor. He couldn't let this happen to Jason. "I'm going down to the lake."
"I'll go with you," Kat volunteered.
Tommy nodded and they teleported down to the lake.
They looked around but didn't see anything. What had Bulk and Skull seen? He wondered.
"There's no sign of him," Kat said as she looked around the lake.
"Let's keep looking," Tommy said. "I can't let what happened to me happen to Jason."
Kat laid a hand on his shoulder. She could tell this was tearing Tommy up. "We will find him."
They continued to search the perimeter of the lake. "What if Bulk and Skull were lying?" Tommy wondered out loud. It wouldn't have been the first time.
There was a bright flash of light. "Tommy look!" Kat called.
Tommy turned and saw Jason standing there in his Zeo Ranger 5 suit.
"Help me," Jason said motioning with his hands. The pain in his voice had Tommy running to him.
"Wait Tommy!" Kat called. "I don't think its Jason!"
Tommy kept running. As soon as Tommy got a better look he realized Jason was transparent. It was a trap!
He tried to run away but he was sucked into a portal and disappeared.
Tommy landed hard on the dirt ground. He stood up and looked around. Monsters surrounded him. He turned around slowly trying to take everything in. "Where am I?" He asked.
"Surrender Gold Ranger!" A deep and very familiar voice said.
Tommy turned around quickly and saw Jason standing there morphed in the Red Ranger costume. He felt a very strong sense of dejavu. He hoped things weren't how they looked.
"Jason?" He asked his voice barely audible. No it couldn't be Jason. Gasket had to be tricking him.
The Red Ranger didn't answer.
"Where's Jason Gasket?" Tommy asked.
"Welcome to my arena," The Red Ranger said.
He sounds just like Jason. Tommy realized this wasn't a trick. There was no denying it. It was Jason.
Jason continued, "you will surrender to me or you will fight."
"Jason what's wrong with you?" Tommy asked moving closer.
"You can not speak to the King this way," Gasket snapped.
"King?" Tommy asked in confusion. What did he mean King?
"I can handle this Gasket. It seems I am not the only one who has a memory problem. I am the King of the Machine Empire and I plan to rid the universe of the Power Rangers. If you surrender to me, I will spare your life. If you refuse, you will have to fight the best warrior." His voice was as cold as it was when he was the Gray Ranger.
"Jase listen to me. Gasket's tricking you. You're not the King you're a..."
"Enough of this my king," Gasket said cutting him off. "Do not listen to him. He is just trying to trick you into sparing his life."
Jason nodded. "Send out our best warrior."
Tommy turned away from Jason and watched as a gold robot entered the Arena. The Monsters around him were cheering.
Tommy flicked his wrists and his zeonizers did not appear. He tried again and nothing happened. He was screwed.
"Ninja Ranger Power!" He called using the one power he had used when he went out to face Rita. Though that wouldn't really help him in a fight against a Robot.
There was a flash of white light and he was in his Ninjetti costume.
Gasket made a sound that Tommy couldn't quite decipher. He decided Gasket was not happy about that trick that Tommy still had up his sleeve.
Tommy turned to the robot and started to fight him. It was a back and forth fight. Tommy was surprised that the robot could match all of his moves. The moves were also very familiar.
He hit the ground with a thud pain going through his chest. Tommy was able to grab the staff, as he seemed to know just exactly what the Robot was going to do. It all made sense now.
"You transferred Jason's powers into this gold goon didn't you Gasket?" Tommy asked between gasps for air.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Gasket singsonged.
Tommy used the staff to get to his feet. "Jase is that you?"
The monster didn't answer.
"Bro?" He asked again. Thinking maybe Gasket had switched Jason's mind for the robot.
"I'm Altor!" Altor yelled.
"Good, then you aren't Jason." He said and hit him with the staff. He had to move out of the way of the blast.
He could feel his Ninjetti powers starting to weaken. They weren't really meant for huge fights. That's what morphing was for.
This was not going to go well at all.
"Your plan failed Gasket." Tommy said throwing down the staff. "Let Jason go!"
"What are you talking about Gold Ranger? He's not a prisoner."
"Are you ready to surrender Gold Ranger? Or is it White Ranger?"
"No I do not surrender."
"Then you and I will fight."
"Jason you have to listen to me. You are not the King. You are my best friend. Gasket's brainwashed you. You need to fight this."
Jason turned to Gasket. "I'm ready," he said and the next moment he was in front of Tommy.
Tommy's powers decided then to give out.
