What if Tommy should have never been a Power Ranger? What if Skull was the one to be one?
A/N: This is making me cry just by writing this. I'm sorry for the bad grammar. Inspired by Golden Homecoming By SilverRider.
"Zordon, be honest with me?" The Zeo Red asks his mentor. The alien looks at the young man with weariness. He does not know what is wrong with the Zeo Red Ranger. He is healthy, yet something is bothering him.
"OF COURSE TOMMY!" The alien tells the leader. Zeo Red or Tommy looks at his mentor with a void of emotions. It caused the mentor to wonder what was happening to him.
"Was I meant to be a Power Ranger?" Tommy asks bluntly. He had a feeling, not a good one, but one that makes him almost sick. Tommy could feel it in his bones, that the Power was not fully there. Once Zordon heard the question, he fell silent.
Zordon knew that he made a mistake in taking Tommy in. He was not a Power holder, and Zordon knew it. He wonders if the young teen felt it too. He made a mistake in giving the leadership to Tommy when it should have stayed with Jason.
"NO, YOUNG ONE! YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN A POWER RANGER! SKULL SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN YOUR PLACE!" The intergalactically being tells the teen. Tommy nods in thanks.
"TOMMY WAIT! EVEN IF YOU WERE NOT MEANT TO BE A POWER RANGER, YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON, THAT THE POWER IS GLAD TO HAVE! THE POWER WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU AND PROTECT YOU!" Zordon tells the Red, knowing that this is affecting the young human. Tommy didn't say anything.
"Jason should have been leader, even with me being the White Ranger?" Tommy asks, pushing all of his emotions down. He needs to hear this. He knew, but he wanted confirmation from his mentor. Unknown to the two, a shadow was listening. The shadow is angry with what they were hearing.
"JASON SHOULD HAVE BEEN STILL THE LEADER UNTIL SKULL WAS READY TO BE THE ZEO RED!" Zordon conforms. Tommy could not look at Zordon and teleports away. Zordon knew that the truth is now out, and Tommy would be unstable. He had a wish to say differently, but he couldn't. The wizard knew that Tommy wanted only the truth.
The being in the tube had wished that Tommy was a Power Ranger. He wanted this young human to be apart because Tommy is a kind person who would do great once the Power is gone. Zordon knew that the trust Tommy has in him is no longer there. He vows to help the young human what the hardship that is going to be in his life.
The shadow leaves as well, they used to be so pissed with Tommy, now hearing everything, he wants to comfort him. The shadow decides to leave Tommy alone. They didn't want Tommy to know that they overheard a privet conversation. However, they are going to regret it, for after Zeo, would be the last time in a long time to ever hear from him again.
In 2002, the shadow got a call from the InSpace Red, asking for his assistance with the Machine Empire Generals. They agreed, not knowing if Tommy was going to be there. They wanted to talk to the man, to see how he was doing, but knew that their relationship is gone. The person arrived late, on purpose of witnessing who was there. To their happiness, Tommy was the one leading the mission.
Once they were on the ship, the shadow goes to Tommy. The Zeo Red looks at him with weariness, and they cringe. He pulls the man into a hug, showing the Zeo Red that they forgive him. Both pull apart, and they see Tommy pushing his emotions down. He nods and walks away. After the fight is gone, it was the last time they will see each other, or so they think.
Tommy feels a tug on his arm and sees Patricia looking at him with concern. He's tugging on his wrists and forces them to pull away. Patricia is his therapist after his suicidal tempt in college. Hayley forced him to see a shrink, and Patricia told him that she knew that he was a Power Ranger.
Tommy broke down, telling her everything. That is the first, but not the last time Patricia had to comfort Tommy after a breakdown. Patricia made it her mission to help him. She had never felt pain like his. She wanted him to know that she wants to help him. After school, Tommy and his rock Hayley went to Reefside. They saw the Dino Gems, and Tommy felt dread in the bottom of his stomach.
During Dino Thunder, the Black Dino Gem chose him as a Ranger, and Tommy cried that night. The feelings coming up to him, ripping him apart. Hayley comforts him, to the best of her abilities. She stays by his side for a long time. She wants to make him get through this without a dark thought. After Dino Thunder, Zordon called all the group back together. This time, it's with all the Rangers.
"This is the last time Zordon. After this, make them forget me. I don't want to do this anymore, pretending to be something that I'm not. Make the Power forget me." Tommy tells Zordon. He knows that Zordon can do this. It hurts for him to be asking this, but it's time to move on.
They will never be his friends. They didn't want or need him. Skull fits in tremendous and makes Kim happy. Tommy wonders, if Skull was on the team, would Kim be and stay with Skull. Tommy shakes his head because it doesn't matter anymore. He moved on, and so had they. Zordon looks at the man in front of him, with sorrow, eyes, and nods.
"I UNDERSTAND TOMMY! I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK!" Zordon tells the young man. He feels sadden that this man will no longer have people that care for him remember. Zordon has kept in touch with Earth, and to his sadden heart, sees Tommy away from the group. He knows why Tommy is doing this, but that makes it not right. Unknown to them, the same shadow listened in and heard what was asked.
For the first time in years, Zordon feels tears. He knows it's his fault, and for this young man to ask Zordon to do this breaks his heart. He could only help make up for his mistakes with his team. After the fight, the teams were sad to see Zordon go. Tommy left after the battle, and the Original Red pleaded him not to go. Tommy looks at him and smiles and leaves.
After the fight, everyone went their way. None of them remembered Tommy. Unknown to them, Jason remembers, and he cries over the loss of Tommy. Jason had to live knowing that Skull was not his actual sixth. Tommy was. Back to Reefside, Tommy is in Hayley's arms, crying. Knowing that the debt is paid. He doesn't have the Power.
It hurts, but Tommy was able to move on. He met this group of people that became his friends. He's happy and not in pain for the first time in a long time. They are in Hayley's cafe when the door opens, and to Tommy's shock, all the Rangers and their kids come in. His blood runs cold, and memories come rushing back.
To his luck, no one can see him as his group, and he is in the back. Jason looks around and sees his friend. He wants to go to him and asks for him to come back, but he knows that Tommy deserves peace after the hurt that was done to him. Jason sees the redhead calling to his forgotten sixth, and he goes and helps his wife.
People see Kim going to the man. Tommy looks at his fist ex-girlfriend in the eyes. It doesn't hurt anymore, knowing that this woman was his first love, but won't remember it. He smiles at her, and she looks at him with confusion. Kim feels like he was familiar, but at the same time, not really.
"Have we met before?" Kim asks Tommy, and he shakes his head. Kim hums and walks back to Skull. That was the final day the Rangers would ever see the man. Tommy looks at his team for the last time and smiles. He feels his wife's hand on his arm and smiles at her.