A/N: Sorry it took so long for this update to be released. I've been busy with my job and performing during halftime performances with the rest of my poms' squad. Senior year, as many of you may know, can become very busy and hectic with deadlines, college visits, and senior activities going on. So once again, I apologize.
Before I start the update, I want to clear something up from the last chapter that seemed to confuse some of you. The Putties that attacked in the park and the Putties that Kimberly and Conner fought off at the school were not sent by Divatox. I have yet to explain why they are attacking and who has ordered them to do so. There will be a few more chapters to come before you find out the big picture behind it all. So please, be patient until then :)
REMINDER:
- This story is an AU. It follows the events of the series; but for the sake of my O.C. Molly, the time frame in which each season of Power Rangers has lengthened. So yes, this story does take place during the season of Dino Thunder, but everyone's ages have been altered to better fit this original idea of mine. If you can't accept that, you might as well click away now.
- I have switched Tommy's profession to history at this point because I am HORRIBLE at science & chemistry and felt that writing about history would be a lot easier. Plus, I think that studying dinosaurs and fossils leans more towards the history side of the educational world.
- Tommy x Kimberly are the main pairing of this story, but there are SEVERAL other pairings that will be used during the course of this story as well. For starters, Hayley and Tommy are a couple when this story begins. As with most romances, theirs is going to take a while to blossom. So don't expect things to be all "sunshine and rainbows" in the beginning.
- Although I edit this story frequently, I do tend to make a few mistakes. So if you spot them, KINDLY let me know and I will take care of the issue immediately. Insulting my intelligence or skills as a writer for such minor mistakes is not only rude, but I will not tolerate it.
- Most importantly, I have made this story a personal challenge for myself and have written it ENTIRELY in the present tense so it seems like the story is happening right before your very eyes. It has proven to be a difficult challenge, but fun nonetheless. So I hope you guys like it too.
Disclaimer: I do not own the popular television series Power Rangers, which is based off of the Super Sentai series that air in Japan. I do not own the rights to any of the show's characters that are used in this story. Both aspects are being used for entertainment purposes only. I am the creator of Molly Hart, Samara and Austin Scott, and all other original characters featured in this story. The plot of this story was also developed by me. DO NOT REPRODUCE ANY ASPECT OF THIS STORY. Thank you.
"Secret Identity"
Kira winces in pain as Conner's hands carefully maneuver an ace bandage around her ankle. The gesture is rather sweet Kira thinks, but Conner isn't exactly a trained nurse with proper care and bedside manner. So she sits still and smiles encouragingly, secretly hoping that he'll work faster. Meanwhile, Ethan and Trent are watching the scene in amusement as they eat the plates of spaghetti and garlic bread that Hayley had prepared for dinner.
The teens look towards the doorway when the sound of Tommy's boots thudding against the hardwood floor reach their ears. The veteran ranger looks completely exhausted when he reaches the doorway. He pauses and the teens lean forward, all of them eager to hear his findings.
"There is definitely a third barrier being detected by the morphing grid." he says, earning displeased looks from his students. "It looks like Rygog and Elgar weren't kidding when they said Divatox is alive."
"So what are we going to do about all of these villains suddenly returning?" Ethan asks as nervousness fills his stomach. "From what you recorded in the Power Rangers' history video, Lord Zedd, Rita, and Divatox were fearsome opponents. There are only five of us. We aren't going to be able to take the three of them down while dealing with Mesogog and his goons at the same time."
"Maybe we could ask team Ninja Storm to help us out?" Conner suggests. "They helped us to defeat Lothor a few months ago."
"I'm not sure if they'll be of much help to us." Tommy says. "Their powers managed to hold out for that last battle after they were freed from the Abyss of Evil, but it's to my understanding that they weren't able to use them again after that. Unless we can find an alternative power source for their morphers, we can't rely on them for help."
The doorbell suddenly rings, bringing the conversation to an abrupt halt.
"That must be Molly." Tommy says as he heads into the hallway to let his daughter in. The teens exchange a glance, silently letting each other know that ranger talk must be shelved until Molly is no longer around. The brunette and her father appear in the room a few seconds later and the teens do their best to put on happy faces.
"Trent, Kira, I'm so glad you guys made it out of the park. How's your ankle feeling Kira?"
"It's a little swollen, but I think I'll manage." Kira says with a grateful smile, pleased by Molly's concern. "If it's still swollen in the morning, I'll have my parents take me to the emergency room."
Molly nods before lifting her nose in the air and taking a whiff of the delicious aroma coming from the kitchen. "Somethings sure smells good."
"Hayley made spaghetti." Tommy says as he motions his head towards the doorway. "Why don't you grab yourself a plate. We were all just about to watch Saw. That is, if you like horror movies."
"I love them." Molly says. "I guess I'll grab a plate and join you guys."
Molly heads out of the living room while Ethan stands up to grab the movie from its clear rental case. Just as he pops it into the DVD player, Tommy's phone rings.
"I've got to take this guys." he says when he sees Andros's name on the caller I.D. The others nod as he heads for the stairs to have the conversation in his room. "This is Tommy. What's going on Andros?"
"I'm sure you're getting a little tired of these unexpected surprises." Andros sighs on the other line. "Zhane and I managed to find another barrier, and you won't believe what's inside."
"It's Divatox." Tommy states as he shuts his bedroom door behind him. "Rygog and Elgar appeared in Reefside Park after a Putty attack and tried to kidnap Kira. They made it clear that she was alive, so Hayley and I ran another scan and found her."
"Oh...that's surprising." Andros says, surprise evident in his voice. "It would seem there are four barriers now."
"Wait, what do you mean four? Divatox's barrier isn't the one you found?"
"King Mondo and the Machine Empire are being healed in the southern arctic. Zhane and Karone managed to find their barrier's energy signal an hour ago. I decided to run a few more tests just to be sure they weren't mistaken, but it's legit. Things are starting to get dangerous Tommy. I know that you and your Dino Rangers are more than capable of handling your own; but with this many enemies appearing, you're going to need all the help you can get. So after some serious thought and consideration, Zhane and I have decided to come out of retirement. We're going to ask the rest of our team to help as well, once we get them up to speed."
"Andros, you guys don't have to help just yet." Tommy protests as he sits down on the edge of his king-sized bed. "I mean, you all have families to look after now. You locked your morphers up almost ten years ago and you have your own lives to lead. Let me and my rangers handle this."
"Tommy, I'm not giving you any choice in the matter. Divatox was an enemy that TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Ashley all faced in the past. They know her tactics and how to handle her and her lackeys. They will be a lot of help to you and you know it. There isn't another option at this point Tommy. With the way these barriers are appearing, it won't be long before someone outside of us figures out that the earth is in danger; and then, we'll have to get every past ranger on the planet to help out."
Tommy bites his bottom lip as he runs over different scenarios in his head; but in the end, he can't find a reason to oppose Andros's idea. With a sigh, he nods his head. "Fine. You guys can help out. For now, we'll monitor the barriers and keep an eye out for anything suspicious."
"Right. I've got a few phone calls to make on my end. I'll talk to you soon."
Tommy nods before ending the call and tossing his phone to the other side of the bed. He groans before falling onto his back and staring up at the ceiling over head. This is a lot to take in and he isn't sure how to begin handling the situation. With this many villains coming back, the chances of him having to tell his former teammates is rising, and that would be another issue other than Molly's paternity to deal with.
"Doctor O, we're starting the movie!" Conner calls from downstairs. Remembering his daughter and students, Tommy rises from the bed and heads downstairs.
"Dinner was delicious Hayley." Molly says with a smile as she grabs the dishes Hayley has set aside to place in the dishwasher. "I'm usually pretty picky when it comes to spaghetti sauce that isn't my mom's, but yours made the cut. I'm impressed."
"Why thank you." Hayley says with a small laugh. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now that I've warmed you up to my cooking, I'll have to find something to impress you with tomorrow."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
Tommy walks into the kitchen and smiles at the girls, pleased that they're both getting along so well. "I'm glad your evening went well." he says, pulling Molly's attention to the doorway.
"It was fun." she says as her smile softens. "I'm glad you decided to include me."
"It's no big deal." Tommy shrugs as he shoves his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "I want you to feel at home when you're here, not like a stranger."
Tommy smiles before turning to leave, but he pauses when Molly calls out to him. With a raised eyebrow, he turns around to face her. Molly wipes her wet hands on her jeans before walking over to him and rocking on the balls of her feet nervously, her top row of teeth sinking into her bottom lip.
"Can I talk to you for a sec?"
Tommy blinks a few times in surprise, but nods before motioning for her to follow him into the living room. Molly moves to claim the armchair while Tommy opts to stand, his back leaning against the wooden door frame.
"What's on your mind kiddo?" he asks as Molly begins to fidget in her seat.
"I was kind of wanting to talk to you about the Power Rangers." she says, hopefulness in her eyes. "I had never even heard of the Power Rangers until they came to save me, Kira, and Trent from those clay creatures earlier. I guess I'm kind of curious about them. Mom told me that there were a group of Power Rangers that used to protect Angel Grove and few other cities in the country."
"That's right." Tommy says cautiously, not entirely sure of how much information Kimberly divulged to their daughter. "They're a group of superheroes with secret identities. They have powers and a heavy artillery to keep Reefside safe from Mesogog and his monsters. They work hard to maintain order and peace, no matter the cost."
"So I saw a white, red, and black Power Ranger today. Are there more?"
"Yes. There are also a white and a yellow ranger. Sometimes, the rangers split up when there are attacks in more than once place."
"What about a pink ranger or a green ranger?" Molly asks as she leans forward onto the edge of her seat.
Tommy shakes his head. "Sorry, not here in Reefside. Just the five that I mentioned. Why are you suddenly interested in the Power Rangers."
Molly looks away nervously, not sure as to whether or not she should discuss her dreams with her father. Deciding that he would listen to her regardless of how crazy she would sound, she sighs.
"I've been having these strange dreams for almost two months now and they involve the Power Rangers. I didn't realize that the dreams were about the Power Rangers until earlier today though."
"What kinds of dreams?" Tommy asks as he walks into the room and finally takes a seat in the love seat just across from her.
"The Power Rangers are always fighting off enemies like a wolf in a golden suit with wings, those clay-faced creatures that attacked us in the park, a witch with white hair in these pointed pigtails, a creepy monster made entirely of muscle with a metal mask and suit, and a comedic purple guy with a curled beard. I know it sounds crazy but...now that I know these Power Rangers are real, I guess I'm a little worried about what my dreams could be telling me, if they're telling me anything to begin with."
Tommy blinks a few times as he lets Molly's descriptions settle in. For some reason, she's dreaming about the Power Rangers' past battles with Goldar, Rita, Zedd, and even Ivan Ooze. An uneasy feeling settles in his stomach as he wonders if the appearance of the barriers are somehow influencing Molly.
"In most of my dreams the green ranger defeats the enemies and saves his teammates before they're killed. Recently however, the green ranger has started to look different - almost like a female. Their costume has changed and it looks nearly identical to those of the Power Rangers that rescued me in the park today. She has two daggers and she moves with such grace and agility. It's truly remarkable. I want to know more about the Power Rangers and more about this green warrior I see in my dreams. Who knows? Maybe there's a green ranger out there somewhere and these other Power Rangers have no idea?"
Molly stands from the chair and stretches her arms above her head, sighing in satisfaction when she feels her shoulders pop. "Anyway, thanks for listening to me ramble. I guess I should head to bed."
"Actually Molly, wait a second." Tommy says as he stands up and holds a hand out to stop her. Molly raises an eyebrow and turns to face him, unsure of what's bothering him all of a sudden.
"Everything okay?"
"There's something you and I need to discuss...and it might change the way that you see me and your mother. All I'm asking is that you listen and hear me out until the end. Can you do that?"
Molly's eyes widen with worry. Surely, there couldn't be more secrets and lies that her parents have been keeping from her. Deciding against walking away, she takes her seat again and folds her hands neatly in her lap.
"Okay, I'm listening."
Tommy takes a deep breath and spares a glance up at the ceiling as he silently prays for things to go over well with his hormone-driven daughter. He then looks down to meet her brown-eyed gaze and sighs.
"Molly, I'm the green ranger."
Karone stifles a yawn as she closes the door to her dental office and locks the doors. It had been an exhausting day for her and Dr. Morales, the head dentist at the office. Together, they had taken care of four fillings, an oral cancer screening, and thirteen monthly checkups. Needless to say, Karone's feet hurt, her muscles ache, and if she were to inhale anymore fluoride, she would probably barf.
Reaching a hand up, she pulls the black hair tie from her hair, allowing her back-length blonde locks to cascade down her back like a waterfall. She combs her fingers through her hair as she makes her way towards her parked minivan across the lot. The streetlights flicker as she walks along the pathway humming to herself, not noticing an ominous presence lurking in the shadows. She reaches her car and begins turning keys on her key ring in search of her car key. She smiles when she finds it and unlocks the door; but just as she gets the door open, a strong pair of rough, muscular arms encircle her upper torso from behind.
"What the hell?" she shrieks, startled by the action. She struggles in the unknown person's grip as she tries to free herself.
"Now, now, calm down my princess." a very familiar and deep voice greets her ears.
Karone stops her struggle at its familiarity. "Ecliptor...?" she says in disbelief.
"If you try and resist, it will only make things worse." Ecliptor says, an edge of sadness in his voice. "Now please Astronema, you must come with me before it is too late."
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" she shouts as she gathers every ounce of strength she has to push herself out of his grasp. His arms give way and Karone turns quickly, sending a spinning kick into his stomach with the heel of her shoe. Ecliptor grunts in pain as he stumbles back, grasping his sore stomach.
"Listen to me Astronema-"
"I am not Astronema." Karone growls angrily as she raises her hands in defense. "Look, I don't know how you're alive or what you're doing here, but let's get one thing straight. I have long since turned from the dark side and I have no intentions of going back. Now get out of here before I give you an ass kicking you won't forget."
Ecliptor growls as he charges towards her like an enraged bull. Karone sees him coming and jumps out of the way just before he can grab hold of her. She springs back into action quickly as she sprints back towards him and jumps up, sending a right hook to his face. She ignores the pain throbbing through her right hand from punching his chiseled jaw before dropping down to the ground into a sweep kick. Ecliptor jumps over her extended leg before landing and kicking her in the side, causing her to skid across the gravel. Karone hisses as the debris and stones on the ground cut through her scrubs, leaving scrapes and a few bruises on her skin. Just as she prepares to stand up and attack again, she freezes at the sight of Ecliptor holding his sword in hand. Quickly thinking back to her evil ways, she raises her right hand to the sky in an attempt to summon her staff, but she is stopped as Ecliptor strikes her with a single energy blast. Karone screams in agony as a wave of green electricity claws over her skin, shocking all of her nerves away and sending her pain sensors into overload.
The last thing she sees before everything goes black is Ecliptor walking towards her.
Molly is staring at Tommy with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open in shock as his words continue to repeat over and over again in her mind. The green ranger she has been dreaming about for months, the green warrior who took down every evil goon and crook within the very depths of her mind couldn't possibly be the same person as the man standing in front of her - her father. Tommy is staring at her, his look unfaltering letting her know that he is being truthful, but she just can't seem to make sense of it all. How is any of this possible?
"You aren't saying anything." Tommy says after five minutes of tense silence. "Please, tell me what you're thinking?"
"How is this even possible?" she manages to choke out, her throat feeling unbelievably dry. "Is this some kind of joke."
"It isn't a joke." Tommy reassures her as he moves and takes a seat on the armrest beside her. He rests his hand on top of hers and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Although I haven't been the green ranger in over twenty years, I was the green ranger that helped to protect Angel Grove when I was around your age. I was kidnapped by the evil, pointy-haired witch you saw in your dreams. Her name is Rita Repulsa. She observed my fighting talents from her base of operations and brainwashed me so she could use my skills to fight against the other Power Rangers. Eventually, they freed me from her spell and I joined them in helping to defeat her and the brood of villains that came after her."
Molly lets his words sink in, completely silent through it all as she listens to him explain. He doesn't seem to be lying and he isn't holding anything back. So for now, she allows him to speak without jumping in.
"The Power Rangers were led by a powerful being known as Zordon, who hails from the planet Eltar a few galaxies away from here. Zordon and his robotic assistant Alpha 5 recruited a group of teenagers to fight against Rita Repulsa and her minions and I was selected to join them. Along the way, we all became friends - Jason, Trini, Zack, Billy, Kimberly and I."
"What?" Molly says as she jumps to her feet. "Mom and Uncle Jason...they were Power Rangers?"
Tommy nods. "They were, for a while. As life became more complicated, they each relinquished their powers to a new team of rangers to go on living life as normal. I, on the other hand, am still working as a Power Ranger to keep Reefside safe. I was actually the Black Ranger that came to save you today. I'm sorry that you've been kept in the dark about all of this Molly, but you have to understand that as a Power Ranger, it is one of my main duties to keep my secret identity a secret. I guess I sort of broke that code just now, but I don't want there to be any secrets between us anymore. Do you understand where I'm coming from?"
Molly nods before looking him in the eye. "I need you to do something for me."
"What is it?" Tommy asks as he stands to his feet, eager to do whatever he can to make this situation easier for her.
"Prove to me that you're a Power Ranger. I have to make sure you aren't just making all of this up for my sake. Please?"
Tommy looks at her hesitantly, but decides that this is the best option in order for them to stay on good terms. With a nod of his head, he lifts his sleeve to reveal his Brachio Ranger Morpher.
"Dino Thunder, Power Up! Hah!" he shouts as he inserts his key into his morpher. Molly watches in amazement as Tommy is covered in a flash of black light. A few seconds later, standing where her father had been standing seconds before is the Black Power Ranger she had seen earlier.
"Well...?" Tommy asks as he holds his arms out to his sides. "Do you believe me now?"
Molly nods her head as she begins to circle him, taking in every detail of his suit. "So my dad is a crime fighting superhero. Definitely something I can add to your 'cool' list."
Tommy smiles at her joke, but his smile quickly fades away as another thought crosses his mind. "Molly, you cannot breathe a word of this to anyone, not even your mother. If the wrong people were to find out my secret identity, I could be put in danger, but so could you for being my daughter. You have to promise that you will tell no one what you saw here today."
Molly moves so she's standing in front of him. With a smile she draws an invisible cross across her heart with her index finger and smiles. "I promise."
A/N: Tommy has just revealed a huge secret to his daughter about not only his past, but about the pasts of every adult Molly has known for entire life. What issues will arise now that a non-ranger is aware of this big secret? Leave me a review and wait patiently for the next update. I promise, you'll find out soon!
-KairiAngel13
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