Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-seven of "Don't Run Away." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has more elements from "Green With Evil." It has some action in the form of Goldar and Jason battling each other in the Dark Dimension, but it switches over to Tommy and Jason. I put many scenes from the mini-series together because I didn't want to jump from one scene to the next too quickly. It makes things very choppy. I may feature a smutty Jason/Trini scene very soon. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-eight.

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Chapter 37: Meeting Scorpina/New Duel/Relief

Tommy reached the Oliver residence within thirteen minutes. He approached the front door and got out his keys. He searched through them, finding the correct one. He unlocked the door and opened it. He closed it behind him and locked it. He set his duffel bag on the floor next to it before walking into the kitchen. He grabbed a glass from the cabinet next to the refrigerator.

He licked his lips and sighed in relief. He was glad Kim didn't get angry with him over his revelation. In fact, he had longed to see her ever since he left her house last night. He felt fortunate to have run into her. Seeing the worried look on her face made him feel sorry for her. That pushed him to reveal the truth about Jason.

He made his way to the sink and turned on the water. He stuck his glass underneath the faucet. He filled it up until it was nearly full. He switched off the water and took a long sip. He smacked his lips and went over to the counter. He set his water on it. He tried to suppress a yawn, but he was unable to. Just then, he felt something in his head. He touched his temple.

"Tommy, I want you to come to the palace immediately," Rita said.

Tommy couldn't help but smile. He saw this as the perfect opportunity to execute his plan to get Jason out of the Dark Dimension. It was to request that he be the one to get rid of him. Once he got there, he would fight him for a time until the Red Ranger could get his Morpher and morph to even the odds. After that, they would resume fighting until Jason was clear and could teleport out.

He went to the living room window and looked out it. He saw the coast was clear. He returned to the kitchen. He closed his eyes and concentrated deeply. He felt Kako and the spell rise to the surface. They entered his mind, taking control. Kako laughed evilly. He opened them, green flashing in them. He smiled sinisterly.

Tommy teleported to the Lunar Palace. He appeared close to the balcony stairs. Rita, Dragontor, Scorpina, Squatt, and Baboo turned around to face him. All five of them smiled at him. Rita grabbed her wand and headed down the stairs. Scorpina, Dragontor, Squatt, and Baboo joined her side. Dragontor snorted fire from his nostrils.

"Welcome back, Tommy," Rita greeted in a warm voice.

"It is good to see you, my empress," Tommy said with a respectful bow. "What did you want me for?"

Rita looked at Scorpina. "I wanted to tell you that I finally summoned Scorpina. Scorpina, this is Tommy Oliver, my Green Ranger. Tommy, this is Scorpina, my old friend."

Scorpina held out her hand. "It is nice to meet you, Tommy. I have heard so much about you from Empress Rita."

"It is nice to meet you too, Scorpina," Tommy answered, taking it and shaking it. He released his hold on her. "I have heard so much about you too."

"Just don't let her stinger get me!" Baboo cried nervously.

"The same goes for me!" Squatt added.

"You two are such scaredy cats," Dragontor teased and snickered under his breath. "Yep, yep, yep."

Tommy chuckled. "You got that right."

Squatt and Baboo stuck their tongues out at Tommy. They pulled them back into their mouths when Rita shot them a glare. She turned to him as they went up the balcony stairs.

"Those two can be so annoying, my empress," Tommy commented, rolling his eyes.

"My fellow warriors and I had to deal with their annoyance during our first invasion of Earth almost every day. They would make dumb comments or mess up ambushes whenever they insisted on accompanying us on missions," Scorpina grumbled.

"I can imagine," Tommy replied, eyeing her. He shifted his attention to Rita. "Empress Rita, I want to be the one to put an end to the Red Ranger in the Dark Dimension."

Rita expressed happiness. "That is another reason why I wanted you to come here. Great minds think alike." She cackled.

Tommy exhaled slowly. "Yes. I better get the ball rolling."

Tommy reached into his pocket and pulled out his Power Coin. He wrapped his hand around it. He closed his eyes and put in deep concentration. Green lightning bolts shot upward from between his fingers. They spread all over his body. He morphed into the Green Ranger. He went into a fighting stance.

"I am ready to take care of that Power Brat once and for all," Tommy growled in determination. He returned to a straight posture.

"Go, my Green Ranger," Rita insisted. "Time is wasting away."

"I am going, my queen," Tommy replied with a sinister chuckle. "Red Ranger will be surprised to see me again."

Tommy teleported out of sight. Rita, Scorpina, and Dragontor looked at each other. Scorpina touched the back of her neck.

"I think Tommy will toy with Jason before he ends him for good," Scorpina suggested.

"I think so too," Dragontor agreed. "When will Scorpina and I carry out the next attack, my queen? I am ready to cause some damage."

"I haven't decided yet," Rita answered and groaned annoyingly. "Be patient, all right? Your chance to cause mayhem again will come."

"Okay, okay," Dragontor muttered disappointingly and kicked at the floor. "Jeez. All this waiting sucks ass." He shook his head in disbelief. "I hate it. I hate it."

"I do too, Dragontor, but Empress Rita knows what she is doing," Scorpina assured gently. "We will get our chance to kick those petulant children's asses." She formed an evil smirk on her face.

"Yeah," Dragontor answered with a nod. "How about we visit Finster in his lab for a little while?"

"I say that's a good idea," Scorpina said gleefully. "Come on."

Dragontor and Scorpina walked out of the throne room. They proceeded to sing nonsense. Rita headed up the balcony stairs. She came to Squatt and Baboo's side at the railing. They stared at the Earth.

"Earth looks so beautiful, doesn't it, Rita?" Squatt asked.

"It does, Squatt, but it will be a barren wasteland after I conquer it. Humans will either serve me or perish," Rita snarled in great malice.

Baboo held up a finger. "Had you conquered Earth the first time around, the barren wasteland would be different. Instead of ruined cities, there would've been burnt forests, scorched plains, and destroyed villages."

Rita smirked. "Yes, but it doesn't matter now. I am more than willing to lay waste to the cities humans have built over the centuries. I want lots of ugliness in the universe."

Rita let out such a loud cackle that it echoed throughout the throne room. Squatt and Baboo gibbered to themselves.

00000

Jason kicked Goldar in the side in the Dark Dimension. Goldar stumbled sideways, but he stayed on his feet. He snarled very angrily and charged at him. He swung his sword at his enemy's feet. Jason jumped over it, barely avoiding it. He spun around as his opponent stopped. He punched him in the back. He jumped over him. He bounced off a pillar. He performed a dropkick to his chest. Goldar fell on his back. Jason landed gracefully.

"A little down on your luck, aren't you, Goldar?" Jason wondered.

"Not a chance, you bastard!" Goldar yelled, sitting up. "I will make you pay by doing this!"

Goldar shot a lightning bolt from his finger. Jason was struck in the shoulder. He grunted at hitting his back on a pillar after he was thrown into it. He ended up on his side. Goldar rose to his feet. Jason delivered a kick to his stomach, knocking him back. He jumped upward and attempted to punch him. Goldar caught his fist in his hand. Jason tried to pull away. Unfortunately, his opponent's grip was too strong.

Goldar flipped Jason over on his back. He tried to step on him, only for him to roll aside. Jason found himself on his side. He aimed his foot for Goldar's chest. The golden warrior held up his hand, catching it. He threw it aside. Jason began to get to his knees. Goldar kicked him in the stomach before shoving him with his foot. Jason felt his back hit a pillar. Goldar approached him, raising his sword. Jason held up his hand, his body trembling badly.

"You are not begging for mercy, human!" Goldar yelled ferociously. "You know I would never grant it!"

Goldar was about to stab Jason when Tommy appeared next to him. He looked at him, as did the Red Ranger.

"No, Goldar. Stop!" Tommy commanded firmly.

"What?" Goldar asked with much confusion. "I thought Rita wanted me to finish him off."

Tommy laid his hand over his chest. "She wants that pleasure to be mine and has ordered me personally to see to his end."

Goldar growled irritatingly. He didn't want to leave Jason to his comrade at all. At the same time, he knew not to question his queen's orders. He decided he would leave. He disappeared from sight. Tommy looked toward Jason, who stood up.

"We meet again," Tommy said as he and Jason encircled. They didn't dare take their eyes off each other. "I've been looking forward to this."

"You wear a Ranger costume, yet you are on Rita's side," Jason responded and gritted his teeth.

"I am her Green Ranger, and she is my empress," Tommy commented with a smirk.

Jason pointed his finger at him. "She's evil!"

Tommy chuckled. "Yes, she is. So am I."

Tommy aimed his foot at Jason's head. Jason blocked him with his arm. Tommy went for the same area, but Jason rolled out of the way. They spun around to face each other. Tommy threw punches at him. Jason blocked every single one of them. He slammed his fist into his face. He kicked his feet out from underneath him. Tommy ended up on his back.

Tommy flipped to his feet with a loud growl. He performed a spinning heel kick. Jason jumped back, narrowly avoiding it. He tried the same move with him. Tommy ducked, returning to his full height. He grabbed him by the arm to give him four uppercuts to the neck. He let go of him and did a roundhouse kick to his chest. Jason was knocked on his back. He rolled to his side as he stared his enemy down. He panted heavily.

"You and your friends will be a memory soon," Tommy sneered and laughed in an evil manner. "Yes, you will."

Jason became determined and kicked his opponent in the chest. Tommy stumbled backward. Jason jumped to his feet. He did a roundhouse kick, nailing him in the same spot. Tommy flew into a lion head with a loud grunt. He ended up on his stomach. He rose to his feet. He charged at him, a loud yell leaving his mouth.

Jason swung his arm at his feet, sweeping them out from underneath him. Tommy landed on his back. He grabbed Jason's ankle, pulling his feet out from underneath him. Jason grunted at hitting the floor on his back. They stood up and faced each other. They encircled again, neither one daring to take their eyes off the other.

"You are a skilled warrior," Tommy complimented.

"Let's end this. I really don't want to fight you," Jason insisted, his body still trembling a bit.

"Because you know I will win," Tommy responded. "I am sure the first brutal beating I gave you is burned well into your memory."

"It is, but that's not it!" Jason yelled angrily. "If you were truly a Ranger, you would fight on Zordon's side and not Rita's!"

"Zordon is just a memory," Tommy said, shaking his head. "Rita will soon rule the world."

Tommy targeted his foot at Jason's side. He missed at his jumping back. He tried a roundhouse kick, but Jason dove for the floor. Jason jumped upward, a soft growl escaping his lips. He took hold of Tommy's arm and delivered two punches to his head. He grabbed it with his other hand. He twirled him around four times before releasing his hold on him. Tommy collided sideways with the bars. He screamed in agony as electrical surges went through him. He dropped to one knee. He looked toward Jason, who gazed at him defiantly.

"Just like Goldar, you got electrified," Jason growled, his hand balling into a fist so tight that he would break a glass if he were holding one.

"You won't get away with that!" Tommy yelled, getting up.

"I never thought I'd hear that line twice in one day," Jason replied, flaring his nostrils. "It doesn't matter now. I'm not backing down!"

"Neither am I!" Tommy snarled and gritted his teeth. "Here I come!"

Tommy and Jason charged at each other while yelling like maniacs. The former performed a roundhouse kick. The latter rolled out of the way with a loud grunt. He got to his feet and breathed hard. He licked his lips. He saw the mist in front of him clear, revealing his Morpher. He looked over his shoulder to see Tommy turning around.

Tommy glared at his opponent and raced at him. Jason did a roundhouse kick, nailing him in the chest. Tommy was thrown backward into a lion head. He dropped to his knees. He groaned in a loud manner. He shook his head rapidly. Jason looked toward his Morpher and charged toward it. He picked it up. He put it out in front of him as Tommy stood up and leapt into the air.

"It's Morphin Time!" Jason yelled. "Tyrannosaurus!"

Jason looked up in time to see Tommy coming at him with his foot aimed at his head. He dove for the floor, causing him to miss. Tommy landed gracefully. Jason stood up, and they spun around to face each other.

"You managed to get your Morpher back," Tommy commented with a small chuckle. He was glad Jason managed to get his Morpher. He wasn't about to show that to him, though. "I have to admire you for getting it without me seeing it."

"We can fight fairly now," Jason said, forming a fighting stance.

Tommy unsheathed his Dragon Dagger. "I'd rather fight fair. It doesn't mean you will beat me."

Jason summoned his Power Sword. "We'll see about that."

Tommy rushed toward Jason, who responded in kind. He swung his Dragon Dagger at him, only to miss when he ducked. Jason returned to his full height. They spun around, letting out determined growls. Tommy raised his weapon high, rushing it downward. Jason held up his, catching it. They struggled to gain the upper hand. Tommy pushed downward, forcing Jason on his knees.

"It's too bad you are down right now, Red Ranger," Tommy taunted.

Jason emitted a loud snarl. "I don't think so, Green Ranger!"

Jason grunted with effort and managed to make it to one knee. He became very determined and rose to his feet. He jerked his weapon upward, which knocked Tommy back. Jason jumped over his opponent's head. He bounced off a pillar, delivering a dropkick to his back. Tommy flew forward, colliding with another pillar. He fell to the floor. He ended up on his back. Jason landed as Tommy rolled over on his stomach and stood up.

"I hope you and the pillar had a nice meeting," Jason said, holding his Power Sword high.

"You will pay for that," Tommy snarled, raising his Dragon Dagger above his head. "I mean it!"

Tommy and Jason raced at each other. They clashed their weapons together. The former moved back and swung his at the latter's head. Jason jumped out of the way. He rolled to his feet. Tommy ran at him. They continued fighting each other.

00000

At the Command Center, Billy and Trini were working on restoring the communicator's functions. Alpha was pressing buttons at the console on the Viewing Globe's right. Just then, the RADBUG came down and landed. This caused everyone to look up. Zack turned off the engine. He and Kim undid their seatbelts. They came out of it. Billy gestured for Trini to go to them. She made her way to them as they came to the center of the room. He returned to working on his communicator.

"Did you guys have any luck in determining Jason's whereabouts?" Trini asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't find Jason anywhere," Kim answered grimly.

"We had to leave without him," Zack added and mumbled inaudible words. "Damn. I wish that wasn't so."

"We haven't been able to locate him either," Trini responded, sighing sadly.

"I really do believe Rita is behind Jason's disappearance," Kim suggested, crossing her arms.

"I believe that too, Kim," Trini agreed, hints of fear showing in her voice. "Any of her minions could be torturing him, including the Green Ranger. She could be doing that herself."

"I'd rather you not talk about that, Trini," Kim said, feeling a bit disgusted. "It's making me sick to my stomach."

"The same goes for me with mine," Zack agreed.

"I'm sorry," Trini apologized with much guilt. "I didn't mean to make both of you feel that way."

"It's all right," Kim assured in a gentle voice. She titled her head somewhat. "We know you didn't."

Zack, Kim, and Trini looked toward Alpha as he went over to the console in front of the plasma tube. Alpha pressed three buttons.

"How long until the computer is ready to locate Zordon?" Zack wondered.

"Fifteen minutes," Alpha answered with a little uncertainty.

Billy walked up to everyone while touching his communicator. "I did it. I fixed our wrist communicators."

Trini sighed in relief. "That's great, Billy."

Billy went to Alpha's side and began pressing buttons. His teammates gathered around them. They looked very hopeful.

"Now, we can get a lock on Jason and teleport him back here," Billy commented and emitted a sharp exhale. "It's been tiring working on repairs for six days, but it's worth it."

"At least this weekend gave you more time to make the final repairs," Trini pointed out. "Your dad won't be getting back from his fishing trip until later this afternoon."

"Thank God for weekends," Zack whispered, his voice lined with relief. "How would we function if we didn't have them?" He gave a shrug.

"Not very well at all," Kim responded with a loud shudder. "Some people work seven days in a row before they get a day off from work. This is especially true for lawyers like my father." She let out a sad sigh as she remembered all the times Daryl worked late at his law firm.

"It's unfortunate, but people do what they have to do when it comes to their jobs," Billy said, yawning. "It is the way the world works. We'll be out there making our way one day along with the rest of our peers."

"Some of us will do better than others will. That's for sure," Kim admitted.

"Exactly," Billy agreed and suppressed another yawn. He continued pressing buttons as the others looked on.