Jason lifted his saber above his head, pulling his arm back and thrusting the blade through the air. It flew like a boomerang, its blade slicing through the horde of putties like paper. Jimmy brought his axe down on the putty assaulting him, and when it fell he glanced up, noticing his opponents lay decimated at his feet. His eyes traveled down the path until they came to rest on the source, the black-clad gold ranger standing in his midst. "Jason?" He asked, cocking his head slightly to the side as he stared at the ranger. Jason nodded, raising his hand to catch his saber.
"No time to talk Jimmy, we've got to go help Lin." Jason put his hand on the blue ranger's shoulder and then gestured to the hill where the yellow ranger was struggling to fend off Baboo and Squatt.
"Right." Jimmy rushed for the hill with Jason on his heels. Axe and Saber drawn they made quick work of the putties who tried to oppose them. The blue ranger reached Lin in time to catch her as one of Baboo's attacks fell her to her knees. 'Lin? You okay?"
"Jimmy?" She looked up at him and then glanced across from him, where Jason stood, fists clenched and blade ready. "Jason?"
"I'm here now, Lin. Can you still fight?" When his yellow ranger nodded in confirmation Jason slid into his stance. "Then let's finish this." Jimmy helped Lin to her feet and they moved in position just behind the gold ranger. Squatt and Baboo soon discovered they were no match for the returning Jason, especially with help from the yellow and blue rangers. They tried to retreat down the hill but were stopped by the blades of Lin's daggers and Jimmy's axe.
"Oh please." Baboo began as he and Squatt sank to their knees. "Please, we promise not to hurt you."
"Yeah. We're cowards, not warriors." Squatt put in, hoping it would sway the rangers minds.
"Jason?" Jimmy asked, glancing over to the veteran ranger. If he commanded him to kill, he would. His arm was steady. He had no pity, no remorse for the being whose neck was prone to his axe. Jason took off his helmet and strolled over to the two monsters. He stood in front of them, bending down so that he was eye level with them. He looked them both in the eyes and then he nodded to Jimmy. With a stroke of his axe and the power of the bull's spirit, the blue ranger decapitated Baboo. The blue spider's body fell to the ground and instantly decayed. Squatt let out a shriek of terror as Jason then signaled to Lin. She hesitated a moment, wrapping her fingers around the hilts of her gnawed daggers tightly. Whispering a prayer for strength to the spirit of both her sister and the jaguar within her the yellow ranger sliced her daggers across the monster's throat. His screams were cut off and he too disintegrated.
Jimmy and Lin looked down at the ground and then up at each other. They were breathing heavily, perhaps not fully aware at what they had done. Or perhaps they were. "Jason?" Lin asked softly.
"Go help Reby and Matt fend off Scorpina." He ordered, pointing across the park where the pink and green rangers were battling. He could not have them lingering on what he had just ordered them to do, there would be time for that later. Jason himself turned in the opposite direction, to where Kimberly, weakened and vulnerable, was taking on Goldar.
"It's good to have you back." Jimmy remarked before going to help his friends.
"Give it up, girl. You're no match for me." Goldar sneered. His blade racked along Kim's sword, the force of contact knocking the red ranger off balance. "Truth is, I find it hard to believe Zordon would send a girl to do a man's job." He shoved Kim roughly, laughing bitterly when she fell to the ground. "You're pathetic." She got to her feet, raising her sword and swinging it towards him. His sword make contact with Kim's winged blade again, this time he struck in such a way that it knocked the weapon from her hands. She clamored towards it, but the sharp slice of Goldar's sword stopped her. "I'm bored, Red Ranger." Goldar whispered seductively into her ear. He shoved his boot into the crease behind her knee. She let out a short scream as she was forced down to the ground.
Silently Jason crept towards the pair. Goldar was preoccupied with his red ranger, he failed to notice the newcomer drawing ever closer. Kim's sword on was lying on the ground and he silently picked it up. Armed with both her sword and his saber he rushed in, catching the blade of Goldar's sword between the two weapons before it could harm his girlfriend. Goldar bared his teeth and growled, trying to wretch his sword free, but Jason was stronger. With a grunt he ripped the sword of Goldar's hands and sent it flying through the air. "Don't move." He commanded, his saber and Kim's sword now both pointed toward the monster's neck. "You alright, Kim?" Jason asked softly, not taking his eyes off their enemy as he dropped his shoulder and wrapped an arm around her.
"Never better." She grabbed unto his arm and pulled herself up, taking back her sword as she stood at his side. Goldar put his hands up as if surrendering, but he made a side glance for his sword. "Don't, even think about it." Kim jammed the tip of her sword against the monster's golden chest plate, hard enough that it cracked around the blade.
"On your knees." Jason sneered, stepping away from Kim. He moved around Goldar who followed him with his eyes. The monster's hands trembled. "I said on your knees!" Jason stomped on the back of his knees, as he had done to the red ranger. He jammed the saber roughly against the monster's back.
"Go on. I dare you, Jason. Take your revenge." He used the gold ranger's given name in hopes it would give him pause for the act he was about to commit. But Jason would have none of it. He had not braved fear and weakness to be brought down now. But he would not allow his Saber to be for Goldar. "What are you waiting for?" He sneered.
Kim's sword still roughly positioned, Jason took off his helmet and grabbed Goldar by the hair, forcing the monster's head back. "You will look at me." He commanded. "I want to see your face when you die. Coward, you fled when our friends died, but I will watch the light go out of your eyes." Kim looked up at her lover and then she also removed her helmet. Her dark hair spilled out around her shoulders and she moved it back with an impatient hand. Jason glanced at her and then down at Goldar. Kim drew her sword forth.
She thought she'd have words for this moment. That she'd say something clever and epic, or at least smug or crass. It would be something that would declare that this was for her friends, for Zordon, for Earth, and for Jason and herself. But the red ranger found that silence spoke for her. Her lips curled back in a sneer as she drew her sword back and then plunged it hard and deep into Goldar's chest. The monster gasped, and Kim wretched her sword free, blood pouring forth from the wound. She swung the blade around and decapitated the monster with a clean blow. She then stared down at the corpse, breathing heavily, a look of disgust on her face. He looked down emotionlessly, so many thoughts going through his mind, but in the end he felt nothing, not even empty, just nothing. Kim took a few steps back and then picked up the black helmet from the ground. Jason stepped forward to take it and she looked up at him. He nodded, a slight smirk tugging at the edge of his lips. They stared into each other's eyes, both desperately wanting to hold the other. But the battle was far from other. She nodded back to him, handing over his helmet and then picking up her own. "Back to action." She muttered, putting the helmet back on her head.
"Back to action." He muttered back, doing the same.
Across the way the four other rangers had Scorpina trapped. Her putties were dead and now she was alone against the four teenagers who had blocked her escape. "Mistress!" She begged, looking up towards the sky for any sign of Rita. If Rita heard her, the witch was too shocked by what had transpired following the gold ranger's arrival to do anything. She had retreated back to her moonbase to observe the battle in what she perceived as safety. One of the arrows from Reby's howling bow pierced Scorpina through her shoulder. She cried out in pain, grabbing the wound with her other hand. Matt's staff struck her between the shoulders and she crumbled to the ground. "No, please. I surrender. I surrender. Please!"
The cry fell on deaf ears and the four rangers began to close in, but a voice stopped them. "Wait." They all pulled back and turned to see the red and gold rangers approaching them. "Wait." Jason said again.
"Jason, Kim." Reby grinned behind her helmet, happy to see both her leaders were safe. The pink and green rangers stepped aside, with the blue and yellow rangers following suit. Kim and Jason walked up to Scorpina and stopped in front of her. "Now what?" The pink ranger questioned softly. Kim held up her hand, gesturing for silence.
"Do you really surrender?" Kim asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Scorpina glanced up at the red ranger, looking pitiful and pained. "Answer me."
"Yes." The female monster announced. "I truly surrender."
Jason and Kim looked at each other and then turned back to her. "We'll let you live, if you agree to help us destroy Rita." Kim told her.
Scorpina's face fell into a scowl. She gasped in pain, but her eyes narrowed. "Never." She sneered, a final gesture of loyalty towards her mistress.
"Reby." Jason motioned to his pink ranger. Reby nodded, standing behind her leaders and drawing the string of her bow back. Jason and Kim side stepped to give her a clear shot.
"Wait! Wait." Scorpina begged, staring at the pink ranger's bow. "I'll help you." She said quietly.
"So we can hear you." Jason commanded, his voice hard.
"I'll help you! Just don't kill me, please." Tears actually spilled forth from the she-monster eyes. Reby, Matt, Jimmy, and Lin stepped back in surprise. They were rookies, yes, but it never crossed their minds that the monsters they were fighting could cry. They looked toward the red and gold rangers, all wondering what the couple would do.
"Matt." Kim signaled for her green ranger. He obediently walked over to her, still clutching his serpent staff. The red ranger gestured to his staff and swiped her fingers across her chest. Matt nodded, understanding what she wanted him to do. He crossed over behind Scorpina and shoved his staff against her throat. Scorpina coughed, her hands flying to the staff to keep it from choking her.
Jason's communicator beeped from underneath his black gloves. A second later so did Kim's. "Rangers." Came the sound of Zordon's voice. "You have done enough for today. Rita knows she has been beaten. Teleport back to the command center."
"Zordon with all due respect, shouldn't we go after Rita now?" Kim asked.
"No Kimberly. Rita has been beaten, but she is not defeated. Do not underestimate the power she still possesses. You and your rangers need to rest and recover your strength before the final strike."
Jason put his hand on Kim's shoulders. "We understand, Zordon. What about Scorpina?"
"Bring her here to command center."
A second later the teenagers and Scorpina appeared before Zordon. All but Matt unmorphed from their ranger forms. Matt remained in his ranger state, his staff still clutched heavily against the monster's throat. Alpha had brought a large cage into the main control room, and Jason and Matt immediately escorted their prisoner inside it. Matt moved his staff away from her neck, shoving her roughly into the bars. Jason grabbed the green rangers arm and gave a hard look, shoving him back as he closed the cage door and locked the padlock in place. Matt unmorphed and looked away. When Jason turned he bolted down the hall toward his chamber.
"Matt!" Reby called. "Matt." She followed him down the hall. Jimmy and Lin were staring at the floor when Jason approached. He was fiddling to get the key onto the chain around his neck. Kim looked over at the blue and yellow rangers and then to her boyfriend.
"What?" Jason asked, his voice harder then he intended. Jimmy and Lin were visibly shaking. Kim took a step towards them, and both backed away. "Jimmy. Lin." Jason held his arms out, his brow wrinkling in confusion. Both rangers ran past him, hurrying down the hall to their chambers. The gold ranger turned to Kim, his eyes wide.
"Do not be too distressed, Jason. Your friends have had a long and difficult day."
"They're afraid of me." He glanced up at his leader with skeptical eyes.
"You ordered them to kill Squatt and Baboo." Kim told him quietly. "They're young. They're new. It isn't like our first kills, we did it as a team." She put a comforting hand on Jason's shoulder. He sighed and then turned around and hugged her tightly. She hugged him back, pulling away and kissing him deeply. "I love you."
"I love you too." He picked her up, holding her thighs on his hips. They kissed again and he carried her down the hall to their room.