Author's Note: To anyone who has added this story to their favorites, following it for the latest chapter, and/or is still reading The Mysterious Power, I deeply apologize for the long hiatus and not updating.
Unfortunately, several complications have happened in real life over the years, causing me to either have little time to write the next chapter on any of my stories on , or I had either suffered from writer's block, or simply lost passion to continue.
In the future, I might actually rewrite The Mysterious Power (and with a better title).
But to try and conclude this story and offer some form of closure, I will go ahead and provide a summary of one direction I had planned to go with this story:
Despite making an effort, Skull finds moving on and changing quite difficult. Despite that Kimberly and the gang treat him differently, he is still remembered for his old ways and being Bulk's lackey. Skull powers through, but when trying to impress Kim at the Youth Center by being more like Tommy, he only ends up embarrassing himself and runs away. Kimberly runs after him and tries to comfort him, but Skull cries out he doesn't know who he is without Bulk, revealing his identity crisis.
Alone to his thoughts in Angel Grove Park, Skull comes across a shimmering blue coin-like stone and pockets it, planning to give it as a gift to Kimberly to apologize. On his way home, he stops at a 7-11 to get a few things, but with his luck, a pair of armed gunmen rush in. When one gunman threatens the clerk's life, Skull intervenes. The robbers turn their sight on him and decide to use him as an example. To their shock, after a shotgun blast goes off, Skull is not only completely unharmed, but is wearing knight-like armor that somewhat resembles the Power Rangers. Skull's body moves on his own, guided by the suit, and he disarms and catches the robbers. Shocked, he quickly escapes. After Skull stops for a breath, the suit dematerializes, with the blue stone glowing in Skull's pocket. He puts two-and-two together, and realizes he may have just become a superhero.
Not sure what to do next or who to turn to, Skull requests the help of Billy, with the reveal that the two used to be friends back in elementary school and used to pretend they were Star Guardians after their favorite TV show as kids. Concerned by Skull's predicament, Billy agrees to help, but doesn't tell Skull he is a Power Ranger. Managing to keep this a secret while helping Skull to unlock the basics of his suit, including how Skull morphed when he felt he was in danger, Billy promises not to tell anyone. And even sticks to it.
As night falls over the city, Skull goes around trying to be a superhero, but Angel Grove is surprisingly peaceful. The only thing he manages to do is help an elderly woman across the street, and that's the end of his night. Despite going to bed late, Skull wakes up to lots of energy. He doesn't even sleep in any of his classes. At Ernie's bar, Skull learns of a monster appearing in Angel Grove. Seeing this is his big chance, Skull hurries to the location, not knowing the Rangers are in the process of morphing and teleporting there as well.
Skull joins the Power Rangers. Summoning a sword-staff he calls the Guardian Blade, Skull makes quick work of the monster by slicing it right in half. The Rangers awkwardly thank him, but the situation takes a turn when Skull turns to them, and in a menacing voice, declares he will have their heads as trophies.
Skull attacks the Rangers, overpowering them. Even Tommy finds it difficult to keep up with him. It isn't until the Blue Ranger cries out to Skull and removes his helmet, revealing himself as Billy, when Skull stops fighting. Struggling with himself and screaming as if he's in pain, Skull retreats.
At the Command Center, Billy reveals everything he knows to Zordon and the team, apologizing for keeping it a secret. Zordon is empathetic, and reveals he recognizes Skull's suit as the armor of a Guardian of Eltar, Zordon's home planet. Also known as the Power Guardian-the predecessor of the Power Rangers. Zordon grows horrified and warns the Rangers their friend Skull is in grave danger.
Demorphed, Skull finds himself sitting by the lake, unable to remember the previous battle. With his luck, he thinks he was knocked out during the fight and landed at his then-current location. Just as he is about to head home, Goldar, Scorpina and some Putties arrive, demanding Skull come with them. His life threatened, Skull morphs again. The combined might of Goldar and Scorpina manage to stun him, but again he overpowers them, and rips off Goldar's wings. Before he can strike them down, the Rangers arrive just in time, demorphed as advised by Billy and Zordon earlier. Goldar and Scorpina retreat, while the gang try to talk sense into Skull.
A flashback in the Command Center from moments ago shows Zordon revealing that the Guardian armor was experimented on to maintain the memories of its previous wearer to assist with combat skills and knowledge. However, the experiment went haywire and the suit maintained the rage-filled memories and bloodlust of its last wearer.
Back to the present, Kimberly asks Skull to go with them, but he hesitates. Tommy tries to reason with Skull in turning over the Guardian Stone, the source of the Guardian's power, to them. Tommy's forceful approach alerts Skull, and the Dark Guardian persona takes over again. The Rangers have no choice but to morph to protect themselves, but the Dark Guardian still proves too much. Just as the Guardian readies to deliver the final blow to Tommy, he is hit from behind with a stun blast and falls over. Alpha-5 apologize for the delay, having teleported to their location mid-fight.
At Zedd's palace, Lord Zedd punishes Goldar for his failure instead of healing him, deciding not to give his warrior back his wings. Through a conversation with Finnister, it is revealed Zedd had been in possession of the Guardian Stone and had it planted on Earth so Skull would find it, knowing the Power Rangers would be unable to harm a friend. Surprisingly, Zedd admits he may have made a mistake.
The Rangers take an unconscious Skull back to the Command Center. Billy and Alpha try to retrieve the Guardian Stone from him, but are unable to. As he feared, Zordon reveals the Stone has chosen Skull as its wielder, and the only way to separate them is for Skull to reject the Stone. After Skull awakens, the cat is out of the bag on secret identities. Though Skull somehow knew already that Kim and the others were Rangers and must have forgotten it, for some reason. What he doesn't remember is how he ended up at the Command Center. Zordon is disturbed by this, and reveals that the memories of Zell are suppressing Skull's consciousness in favor of his own, and should Skull continue to morph, Zell will continue to grow in power and overtake Skull as the dominant persona. The Rangers ask again for Skull to turn over the Guardian Stone, but to their horror, Skull is still hesitant. Skull admits he has always been jealous of Billy's intelligence, and how he secretly wants to be strong like Tommy. Skull used to be afraid of being no one, until Bulk came along and befriended him, protected him. Gave him a purpose. No matter what it culminated into, at least he had that, and he wasn't alone. Kimberly reassures Skull that he is never alone, and the group agrees they all see Skull as a friend. Skull hands over the Guardian Stone… only for it to be revealed as a ruse by Zell, who has started taking control over Skull's body. Zell frees himself and injures Alpha. Before he can do any damage to the Command Center, Zordon teleports him away. Realizing it will be only a matter of time before Zell finds the Command Center, the Rangers argue over taking drastic matters to stop him, but Billy has another idea.
With the exception of Billy and Kimberly, the Rangers teleport to Zell's location, which is outside of the Command Center, to confront him. When a Zell-possessed Skull asks the Rangers if they have what it takes to get the job done, they hesitate. Tommy is the one who promises to save Skull. Zell morphs again. The Rangers are still no match for him, when Goldar appears...and saves Tommy from Zell's blade. Enemies join forces and manage to stun Zell. But the Dark Guardian recovers and pulls out his trump card, with his armor growing, transforming Zell into his own zord. Goldar grows as well as the Rangers summon their zords, but Zell is more powerful than ever. Before he can claim victory, Kimberly and Billy arrive with help: Bulk. Bringing up their memories together, Bulk calls Skull his brother, but reminds him that people can change and part ways, and it's up to them to find themselves. He reminds Skull that the kind of man he wants to be is all up to him, no one else. Also, Kimberly had a crush on him back in the sixth grade! Zell shrinks back to normal size. Demorphed, Skull quickly throws the Guardian Stone away. Goldar tries to sneak in and take the Stone, but Tommy stops him. Goldar begrudgingly agrees to leave empty-handed, but reminds the Rangers they are still enemies.
Skull and Bulk are welcomed into the Command Center so Skull can receive medical treatment. While Bulk geeks out at such a place, he repeats Skull's claim that he somehow knew the gang were the Power Rangers, but somehow had forgotten it. Plus, they're unusually color-coordinated. Skull is medically cleared, and he and Bulk agree to take the pledge of secrecy to protect the identities of their friends. Bulk reminds Skull that he was serious about it being up to his buddy of what kind of man he wanted to be, and no one else. Billy takes Bulk back home, while the others take Skull.
Meeting up with the others at the Youth Center, Skull is dressed in a mix of his old and new self. While getting some food, he bumps into a new girl named Candice, and the attraction sparks. The story concludes with Skull introducing himself as… "Skull."
END