A new monster is going to cause havoc for the team just as Trent and Kira realize their feelings…love and pain are still so close. And Tommy is a father…
Chapter 28 – Children
Tommy sighed as he sat back in the chair on his patio, it had been a tough day so far and despite the fact the afternoon was wearing on the heat was still infusing the air. They hadn't got much training done but it was only to be expected in this heat and after the whole thing with Kira the others hadn't really felt like continuing.
Trent had gone after her a little while later and Tommy could only hope that if Grace hadn't managed to sort it out than Trent would, he and Kira were close and he hoped for their sake this didn't ruin anything else they might have. Tommy wasn't blind; he knew they both liked each other which was what made their argument worrying; Kira must have been really upset to yell at Trent. Actually that she yelled at all was worrying; she never really came across as an angry girl and she was never unkind, but heat always made people waspish.
Conner an Ethan had initially worried about what they had said but Tommy had managed to persuade them that the heat had blown their teasing way out of proportion and Kira didn't meant it. He had of course pointed out that it would be difficult for Kira to be the only girl sometimes; he remembered only too well how Trini, Kim and Kat as well as the others had liked their 'girly time' together and it seemed like they were always meeting to go shopping and stuff. Tommy had worried about it before and although the team had Hayley she wasn't really a brilliant substitute in that area; firstly she had a business to run and then stuff for the Rangers, on top of that she and Kira weren't exactly close age wise. It hadn't seemed to really bother Kira before today which was how he knew that the heat was a large factor but such things wouldn't have been said unless there was even a tiny bit of truth behind them.
A familiar beep made him sigh and he lifted his wrist to his mouth. "Go ahead."
"Dr.O," Trent's voice tinny voice sounded worried. "You'd better get to the park, there's something you should see. In fact I think you should get the others too, this doesn't look so good."
"I'll be right there." Tommy shot out of his chair, his muscles complaining that he'd only just sat down and should stay there for a while. It seemed the day wasn't really going to get much better; Trent hadn't exactly sounded optimistic about their odds.
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He skidded to a halt at the sight before him; Trent was helping Kira up and both he and the yellow ranger were covered in smudges of soot and there were rips in their clothes. Conner and Ethan on the other hand had obviously only just arrived and were staring at the monster before them.
There were a dozen tyrannodrones bobbing around and in the midst of them stood the latest of Mezagog's creations. It stood well over six feet with a blocky stature and was stained a deep crimson like drying blood, the thick legs were a dark green and lined with dark red curving thorns like the stems of a rose. The body seemed to be made of deep red ruffles like petals facing him edge on and upon each ridge was a row of thorns in varying sizes, the arms bristled with giant red thorns like a giant mace and the long thick fingers ended with thorns that curved like talons. The head seemed molded out of the body like a piece of clay; tall and thick as though stretched from the neck and was comprised of the same deep ruffles these too were edged with tiny thorns and in the middle was a large mouth. At least that was what Tommy thought it was; it was a dark red bowl filled to the brim with teeth that looked like they were uncurled thorns, the eyes seemed to be nonexistent unfortunately it appeared that he could still see.
"AH! MORE PEOPLE TO HURT!"
Tommy grabbed Trent by the arm. "Are you guys okay?"
"Sure Dr.O," Said Conner as he limped over; apparently he and Ethan had actually been there a while and were not unscathed. "We were just having a little fun." Tommy shook his head at Conner's warped humour.
"Is this normal?" Trent asked gingerly touching his red and puffy eye. Tommy winced inwardly at the sight of the white ranger's ragged appearance.
"I didn't think we could really get hurt." Ethan said wiping at the scratch on his arm.
Tommy's head was whirling in disbelief; nor had he. "I think it's best if you power up guys; being a Ranger doesn't make you invincible but this…" He trailed off and turned back to the suspiciously quiet monster.
"What, no words of wisdom to impart?" He asked scathingly.
The monster laughed. "SO YOU'RE THE GREAT DR.OLIVER? ARE YOU SAD BLACK RANGER?"
Beneath his helmet Tommy frowned. "Sad?"
"YEAH, BECAUSE I'D SURE LIKE TO MAKE YOU CRY!" With that the monster lunged for him letting out a deafening roar.
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Tommy remembered very little of the battle later on; he vaguely remembered that the drones were easy to get rid of but the rest was just flashes of thorns and pain. Despite its size it was an agile creature but it really did very little; it just stood there and slashed at them when they came near. He knew that it was over fairly quickly though.
He watched as Kira span past him through the air with a yell and Trent went running after her in alarm, Tommy turned back to see Ethan lying on the floor at the monster's feet and Conner dangling from one clawed hand as he attempted to help his blue friend.
"Let them go!" He yelled angrily and called up his Brachiostaff, charging towards them and seeing red.
"SURE," It said with a laugh. "I WAS GETTING BORED ANYWAY!"
All Tommy saw was Conner soaring through the air towards him yelling at the top of his lungs and then he was knocked backwards by the force with which the red ranger hit him. When he struggled into a sitting position, Conner draped over him, he watched the monster laughing.
"THAT WILL MAKE YOU THINK TWICE ABOUT PICKING FLOWERS LITTLE GIRL!" It crowed to Kira, and then it turned back to Tommy. "GUESS I'LL BE SEEING YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN LATER!" In a flash of green light it disappeared.
Tommy quickly turned back to the matter in hand; he powered down and he slid Conner off of his lap and gently pulled off the boy's helmet. "Conner? Conner can you hear me?" The boy groaned and opened his eyes.
"Did we win?" At the sight of Tommy's worried face he groaned again. "Let me guess, stupid question."
"You're always so full of those." Ethan limped over with a bitter smile and lowered himself gingerly to the ground by his friend. To his credit Conner managed a half hearted chuckle. Trent slowly made his way over supporting a limping Kira who looked ready to sleep for a century.
Tommy sighed and put his mouth to the communicator. "Hayley can you get to the command center and bring a medical kit with you. On second thoughts bring several."
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Tommy remembered vividly each of their wounds as though he had committed them to memory, unable to forget. He sat down carefully on the edge of his bed and closed his eyes.
Ethan's clothes had been splattered with blood, blood that came from the hundreds of tiny scratches up his arms; he had mentioned something about being twirled through the air and grabbing hold of the nearest thing…unfortunately it had been the thing's head. Trent was sporting an already impressive looking black eye and a several slashed items of clothing. Kira had a long scratch along her cheekbone and a twisted ankle, Conner was acting like he had concussion or was at least very dazed as well as having an enormous bruise on his shoulder again and another on his thigh.
He and Hayley had fixed them up as best they could. He opened his eyes again and began to unbutton his black shirt, he had sent them home with the best excuses they could think of and reassured them he was unhurt before turning in himself. Hayley had wanted to examine him but he had finally gotten rid of her without her plan coming into effect.
He sucked in a breath of pain as he carefully shrugged out the shirt, he looked down at himself. His chest and stomach were a mass of bruises where the creature had thrown Conner at him; that kid got heavier when he was hurtling through the air. He hissed as he tried to straighten, it was possible he had broken a few ribs as well and there was a cut across his shoulder and collarbone. There were tiny scratches everywhere but they were barely noticeable like paper cuts, they only stung occasionally; the bruising was definitely the most painful.
Too tired to undress he lay back on the bed, whenever he closed his eyes all he could see was the way they had been thrown around and the injuries that marked them. Life had begun to become normal again, where was Jason now? He was a leader again and this time he couldn't have his friend's help, he'd never experienced anything like this before; wounds for Power Rangers were almost non existent, the occasional scratch or bruise but blood and cuts, broken ribs? It wasn't normal.
He had to protect them; he was their leader, their teacher, their protector. What was he going to do? After all it had been right; they were all his responsibility as though he were their father, and they were still only children…
A/N Oh my that was scary; they can get hurt!
Part of this idea was inspired by my Gemini Muses; Nellie and Splatalie, they are part of the 'PR United' forum chat rooms and stuff. Apparently one of the topics of conversation is currently Power Ranger injuries; it had come to our attention that nowadays Power Rangers never get hurt. I don't mean blood guts and gore and hospitals after all this is a children's program and they're Power Rangers for goodness sake, but would it be too much to ask for a little authenticity? I mean when they get beaten to the ground could they at least STRUGGLE to get up? Or if they get slashed across the arm could they NOT hold their leg?
Anyways they're thinking of writing to the producers and asking for it to be put back in like it used to be, so is anyone interested in signing a petition or something or at least indicating support? Let me know or go on the aforementioned site and as always read and review because everyone knows that reviews are like chocolate! xxx
