Disclaimer: Just to keep it simple: A. I don't own Power Rangers. B. I just make fun of them; so don't get upset if I mock your favorite. C. Please review. I don't mind constructive criticism. D. Thanks to Writer's Guide to the Universe and Power Rangers Central for providing a lot of the information that I need.

If you haven't done so, please read the first hundred and fifty stories in "When Rangers Meet," "More of When Rangers Meet," and "Headquarters Where Rangers Meet."

This is story number thirty-five. It was requested by PurpleLeopard.

Adam and Zack

by

Eileen (Psycho Tangerine)

"Oh, my head," groaned Adam as he finally regained consciousness. He looked around as he slipped off the gigantic air mattress that his assistant had filled with liquid cement. Perhaps if the idiot would focus on his work rather than just jump around and brag about how he could kiss better than the actors... Adam frowned as he realized no one had stayed to help him. Well, he knew which bar he'd be drinking their Christmas bonuses at.

"Damn!" he groaned even louder as he looked at his watch. "I'm late!" The last thing he needed was for his domineering wife to harp at him for missing dinner. Who knew that a few years hanging around with lions and hyenas would change Aisha's personality so much? He knew he should've married Tanya when he had the chance. Besides, Rocky was coming and he just didn't want to miss his chance to rub it in his former best friend's face for not marrying Aisha when he had had the chance. As Adam started to head off the studio lot, a figure stepped into his path.

"Hello, Adam," greeted Zack. "Long time, no see."

"Uh...hello," stammered Adam. This guy looked so familiar, where had he seen him before? He noted the other man's dreadlocks and wondered if he had traveled back to the past to hide even more stolen goods. "...uh Jack."

"Zack, that's Zack, you idiot," exclaimed the original Black Ranger in exasperation. "What, did Rito pass his idiocy onto you?"

"Oh, right, how...uh...stupid of me," murmured Adam as he rubbed his still sore head.

"Ok, give it back now," demanded Zack as he held out his right hand.

Adam stared at him in confusion. Then he reached into his back pocket and handed Zack a slip of paper. "Thanks for the number, but Angela wasn't interested in me, either."

"I don't mean that," said Zack as he shoved the old number into his pocket for future use. After all, he was certainly more irresistible than ever before. "Now, give me my morpher."

Adam hesitated. There was no way he was giving up his morpher to this guy. "Uh, I don't have it on me at the moment."

Zack just stood there waiting with his hand held out.

"It's...it's home. Somewhere in a closet."

"Fine, then I'll just go there and get it." Zack was getting desperate. That hot chick at his dance school was only interested in dating super heroes. He wasn't sure why, but who was he to question this Mira girl?

Adam blanched. "Oh, did I say home? I meant Aquitar. I uh, accidentally dropped it into Billy's luggage. Yep, that's it. It's gone forever."

"Oh, no problem." Zack pulled out his cell phone and pretended to make a call. "Hey, Billy!" he said to the no one. "Yeah, it's me Zack. Say, did you find my old morpher among your bags when you got back to Earth? No? Adam's a big liar? You think Rocky's much smarter? Well, I'll see you at the next Ranger Party that we don't invite morpher stealers...hey!" he cried as the phone was yanked out of his hands.

"Billy?" cried Adam into the phone. "Billy, don't believe him. He's nuts. We're still best friends, right?" Adams eyes filled with tears when he got no response. "Billy? No, not the silent treatment again. I hate that. Look, I already cleaned up and replaced the stuff I broke in your garage from my drunken karate practice last year. Billy!" bawled Adam. "Say something, anything!" He dropped to the ground in a fetal position and sobbed.

"Geez!" exclaimed Zack as he grabbed his cell phone back. "Some people are just a tad too sensitive." He decided to practice a few hip-hop kiddo moves while waiting for Adam to finish. He began to dance and jump around. Two minutes later, he was flat on his back. "Ohhhhhhhh," moaned Zack.

"That's for trying to even indicate that Rocky's smarter than me with that phony call," growled Adam who had grabbed Zack's ankle and flung him over. "And I'm not giving you my morpher. You gave it to me. So finders keeper losers weepers." He stuck his tongue out at the still moaning Zack.

Zack got up gingerly. "You'll be hearing from my lawyer if any of my cool moves are ruined! And it's my morpher. I had it first. Zordon gave it to me!" With that, he grabbed Adam and began searching his back pocket. Two young men holding hands walked past them with smiles of approval. "Jackpot!" Zack cried as he held the morpher in the air. He began to dance. "I got the morpher and you don't. I got the morpher and you don't. I got the morpher and you don't. I got the morpher and you don't. I got the morpher and you don't. I got the morpher and you don't . I got the morpher and you don't. I got the morpher and you don't. I got the morpher and you don't. I got the morpher and you don't. I got the morpher and you don't . I got the morpher and you...Hey! Why's it all burnt like this?"

Adam shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, it just got a bit used. Those Space Rangers really needed my help."

"Uh huh, go on," said Zack.

"Their Pink Ranger was injured..."

"...and you volunteered to take her place," smirked Zack. "I always wondered about you."

Adam shot him a dirty look. "...and Carlos, who was blaming himself, quit. So they begged me to use my morpher to become their new Black Ranger instead of that loser."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes," continued Adam who was getting a bit too into his own fantasy. "And after we destroyed that big monster, Andros begged me to stay forever and take over as leader. Cassie and Ashley both pledged their love to me. And TJ and Carlos asked to be my personal servants."

Zack narrowed his eyes. "Then why weren't you in Space with them?"

"Because, uh, because I get space sick. Yeah, that's it."

Zack shook his head. "Ok, then why aren't you with them now that they are on Earth?"

Adam tried to think of another excuse. "Because...because...Okay! Okay!" He cried. "They didn't beg me to use my morpher. They told me not to."

"Why didn't you just say so in the first place? Boy, some honorable ninja you turned out to be."

"I went out of my way to help those ingrates!" whined Adam. I almost killed myself morphing to show Carlos he shouldn't give up being a Ranger. And what did I get in return? Nothing. Not even a thank you. I heard they even invited Justin to their Christmas party that year, but me? No, I'm not good enough for those jerks!"

"You...used...my...morpher...when...you...were...told...NOT...to?" growled Zack.

"Well, I had to you see, I..."

"YOU...USED...MY...MORPHER...WHEN...YOU...WERE...TOLD...NOT...TO?" shouted Zack. "No fair! Now I don't have a way to show off to the hot ladies!" He flung the burnt piece of metal back at Adam. "Here, keep this worthless thing!"

"Uh, thanks," said Adam as he quickly shoved the morpher back into his pocket. "I really should be getting home." Then again, maybe if he were lucky, Rocky and Aisha would've gotten sick of waiting for him and run off together.

"You do that," replied Zack. "I've got to hurry to the party store." He hoped they still sold Black Ranger costumes. "And expect a call from my lawyer! I think that Zeonizer of yours will be just compensation for my loss! Or better yet, I'll just call my cousin Curtis to hang out with you all day and night. He's composed some new songs for his trumpet."

"No! Anything but that!" Adam grabbed his old Zeonizer out of a pocket dimension and tossed it to his predecessor.

"Alright!" cried Zack. "Now I can go impress that hot babe!" He ran off. A half hour later he was being arrested for indecent exposure for attempting to morph while naked...with a morpher that didn't work.

Adam took his burnt out morpher and kissed it. All it needed was a little metal polish. He had never bothered to tell Zack it had been fully recharged. After all, maybe he would get asked to lead a group of Rangers from other teams to help a new team of Rangers who had lost their powers. Adam shook his head at that silly thought and headed home.