A/N: A very pleasant Friday from the Great State of Texas. Welcome to the main event of the Project Phoenix series. As a disclaimer, this series is inspired by Kctimes2's The Adoption. Before reading this, you should read The Crane's Destructive Path and its accompanying one shot, Granted Wishes. Hope everyone is staying safe in the middle of the coronavirus. America is seeing the second wave of the virus in force, as is much of Europe.
A/N 2: For those who are asking about my plans for Mia and trying to use her against Jayden...settle down. I have a plan. That plan begins...now. Also, Kimberly has a talk with her mother which produces major results for the battle ahead.
A/N 3: Couples featured are Jayden/Mia, Memily, Lantonio, Jason/Kat, Adam/Tanya and a slew of other old-school pairings. You'll have to read on to see if there is Tommy/Kim at the end...hehe.
A/N 4: Usual disclaimer. Power Rangers doesn't belong to me. Used to be Saban, then Disney, then Saban, now Hasbro owns them.
Chapter 39 - Captured Dove
November 22, 2012
The Moon Palace
The only thing worse for Scorpina on this Thanksgiving Day, this wretched holiday that the awful American Earthlings celebrated, was hearing what Kimberly had just said.
They were all in trouble now. If the Crane was successful in calling her mother and burying the hatchet, then every single one of the Flame of Destruction's goals was in great peril.
This was the one thing that the humans were great at, she thought, that the side of evil never could get right. They all banded together like you wouldn't believe when the chips were down, and it was like that with the Rangers. The more you tried to divide them, she thought, the more determined they were to stay together, and that was of course true with the brats that wore the spandex.
Meanwhile, the side of evil hated each other and never could truly be together as a team when they needed it most. Even though Flammia's team was a family, even they turned on each other at times. Scorpina and her boss had done that with Draco when he'd gone rogue; as good as that felt, at the time, he'd almost succeeded in his plan.
Almost, Scorpina thought. That horrible word again. Almost.
Scorpina suddenly smiled as she heard someone knock on her door and saw who it was. There was the guy. Draco.
"Come on in, Draco," she said as the huge dragon walked into her chambers.
By the look on his face, she knew he had heard what Kimberly had just said too.
"You heard what she said," Scorpina said. It wasn't a question so much as a statement.
"Yes, which is why I'm here," Draco said. "I don't know what to do, Scorpina. I'm out of answers. We've got this damn confluence against us so we basically have no power, we lost KO-35 and Triforia and now Kimberly's little talk with her mother could destroy everything. I know crying seems like weakness but..."
"I don't blame you, Draco. For once, I don't. We were so close..." Scorpina said softly, she had to admit, the strain of everything had brought her to the point of tears also. "I don't think it's over yet though. We should let this play out..."
"And let Kimberly just destroy her evil half?" Draco shouted in exasperation.
"That may be but the prophecy says there is still a final battle those brats have to fight," Scorpina said. "I'm taking a chance that even if Pinkie and her mother bury the hatchet, her evil side still lives on despite our situation. I may be evil but I don't ever bet against prophecy."
Hmmm..." Draco said as he started to think. "That...could actually happen. And then in the final battle either Pinkie wins her freedom in full or her soul is completely destroyed and the Crane belongs to us."
"Exactly," Scorpina said. "Besides, I have a mind to do a little eye for an eye on those brats if Kimmie's talk with her mother goes bad for us. They take something we hold dear, we can take something they hold dear too."
"I'm listening," Draco said.
"There is one thing we haven't done that we need to exploit, and I should have thought of it sooner," Scorpina said. "Jayden's heart."
"Go after the one he loves to get him off his game," Draco said. "The Dove."
"Indeed," Scorpina said. "If I know the original Ranger lovebirds like I think I do, then the son will definitely be like them both. The Phoenix will do everything to rescue the Dove. We will use that impulse to not only bring the Rangers to their knees, but to make the Phoenix one of us."
Draco's eyes lit up. Wow, he thought.
"The Phoenix's power on our side...We would be unstoppable," Draco said. "There is no greater power than the Phoenix one...those Rangers all got their powers back when the Phoenix power was claimed."
"How much torture do you think we would have to implement on the Dove or one of the people they love to get the Phoenix to step over the line and walk into our plan?" Draco said.
"I admit, he is tougher than I thought he would be. He is the son of the Falcon and Crane but has only been a Ranger for a year and a half. However, fighting Xandred and his idiots appears to have prepared him well for this moment," Scorpina said. "Still, everyone has a weakness. We just have to work to keep finding it."
"I assume we let the humans have their fun right now?" Draco said.
"Yes. Let the puny humans have their fun for now, because at the moment they don't expect it, then the fun can begin," Scorpina said.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Just outside Angel Grove, CA
Things had settled down quite a bit since the festive Thanksgiving about a week ago.
Jayden had returned to his GED studies almost immediately after the holiday; Kimberly had been briefed on his studies, and that the Rangers galactical travels to KO-35 and Triforia had put him behind the eight-ball but that he could make it up quickly.
Meanwhile, Kim had made her way to Angel Grove the week after Thanksgiving, as she said she would, to help the Olivers set up for Christmas. Tommy hated not having her around the house in Reefside, of course, but the understanding was that she would return soon, as soon as things in Angel Grove were squared away.
The days had generally become more mundane for Kim the longer she had been back on Earth, but today was not an ordinary day. Today, her mother was coming to Angel Grove and Kim was hoping to bury the hatchet once and for all.
She had meant it when she told the Olivers she wanted to see Caroline and Pierre during this holiday season. Did she like what they did to her, no, but she also knew she needed them to rebuild her life.
The knowledge that her mother had been chewed out by Zordon previously, while she found it bizarre on a number of levels, gave her a sense of peace. Being around Zordon was a humbling experience, she knew.
Her opinion was bolstered by the fact that Tommy had told her that it was Caroline herself that was instrumental in stopping Draco's Lost Dimension plot by alerting Jayden and the other Rangers.
Until then, Kimberly was helping the Olivers put together their Christmas decorations. It was still only midway through the day but Kim was already worn out.
"I don't ever remember you guys having this much stuff when I was growing up," Kim said. "Since when did you guys start getting this many decorations? I thought Tommy was a big packrat, but wow!"
"Yeah, we changed a lot in the time you've been gone. Times change, Kim. A lot of our friends have a lot more decorations than they used to as well," Mrs. Oliver said.
"You have been running around quite a bit this morning. If you need to take a break, by all means, do it," Mr. Oliver said. Kim nodded and went to sit down in the kitchen, which she noticed was more spacious than the previous Oliver house in Angel Grove, or Tommy's home in Reefside.
That made sense to her, she supposed, as this place was larger and covered more land than the old Oliver house in town.
About 30 minutes after, right as Kim was finishing her lunch, the doorbell suddenly rang.
"Guys, I've got this one. It's Paris," Kim said to the Olivers. "My Ranger senses indicate this."
Both Mr. and Mrs. Oliver nodded, indicating they understood, as Kim headed for the door, smiling slightly as she opened the door...sure enough, on the other side were her mother and Pierre, who had been married to her since the late 90s.
"Cherie," Caroline Hart breathed.
"Mom," Kimberly responded. Surprisingly for the older woman, Kim smiled warmly at her.
"Do I know you?" Caroline suddenly asked.
"You expected an ass kicking didn't you?" Kim said.
"Yes, and it would have been deserved," the older woman said.
"Until recent events, I probably would have agreed," Kim said. "Times change though, and I feel the winds of change blowing. I think we should go in the living room and talk."
While they were talking, no one noticed a crimson teleportation beam streak into the room. As soon as he landed, Jayden quickly activated his invisibility powers and watched what was about to go down.
Sitting down on the couch, mother and daughter faced each other for the first time in about 17 years...which was about the length of time, Kim thought, that she and Tommy had been apart.
"I notice you seem a lot more humble these days," Kim said. "Zordon's influence, I take it?"
"Yes, Cherie," Caroline said. "I know we've had our issues and I didn't think it could be worse than my daughter not trusting anything I said or did. I was wrong. Zordon and the power he possessed, even from the grave, absolutely terrified me. To my core."
"Probably did it for a reason," Kim mumbled. "You're going to be surprised at what I'm about to say, and I love that man and consider him my surrogate father still to this day, but I find his actions bizarre. And somewhat inappropriate."
"Honestly, though, he was right in everything he said. I was in the wrong, for many years. That's why you switched sides, in the end," Caroline said.
"I don't doubt that, and yes that is a reason why I switched, but when we were Rangers he was always peaceful, serene, calm," Kim said. "This angry side of him I find a little disconcerting. He did the same thing with Zack's now wife."
"Angela?" Caroline asked.
"Yeah, he basically told Angela to get back with Zack or else, or at least apologize. He never gave us any ultimatums like that," Kim said.
"Honestly, there are a lot of things I wish I could take back. The last two months, it's been very hard for me to go to work, because there isn't a moment of the day now that I don't think about everything I could have done," Caroline said.
"You shouldn't live like that. It's very dangerous," Kim said. "Mental problems and suicide, as I understand it, are just as big an issue today as when I was growing up."
"Suicide is one of the world's leading causes of death, and I understand that, but I will never forget how terrified I was in front of your mentor. The power he possessed was off the charts," Caroline said.
"If you're going to express regret then I'm going to surprise you with a couple of things. I have regrets too," Kim said. "I should never have went to Florida. What a horrible mistake that was."
"It was hell, wasn't it?" Caroline said.
"It was," Kim said. "I remember every day those gymnasts who gave me those dirty looks because Coach Schmidt brought me in late. When my second boyfriend got shot, I knew it just wasn't going to work."
"Sometimes you have to just cut your losses," Pierre said. "I've had to learn that many times, Kim, over my time doing artwork. Sometimes things just don't work out and you just have to end it."
"In any creative business, it seems to me, you have to be ultra flexible," Kim said.
"That brings me to my second surprise. You do have some blame for what happened to me, yes, but one thing that isn't flexible is prophecy. Unfortunately, it was fate that I was going to become evil. To regular civilians, it may sound goofy, but to mess with prophecy is really, really taboo. This was a fixed event," Kim said.
"So there is such a thing as fixed destiny?" Pierre said.
"There is," Kim said. "There is a long standing prophecy which stated I'd become evil, and that if Zordon couldn't save me when Astronema attacked in 1998, that it would be up to Jayden to save me," Kim said.
"I still see Astronema's goons in my nightmares," Pierre said. "They were all over Paris on that November day. That was four months after France won the World Cup too."
"Zordon sacrificed himself for your freedom, Mom, Pierre," Kim said. "Had he not done that, Earth would be enslaved by the Alliance of Evil right now."
Both Caroline and Pierre looked with pride at Kim. She'd made mistakes, as had they, but she'd managed to make the best of her situation despite them, against all odds.
"Can Jayden win this?" Caroline asked, cutting right to the chase.
"Unsure," Kim said. "This could go a lot of different ways. Ultimately, there will be a final battle at the end of everything where everything will be decided."
"I could easily send you both back to Paris now that we've had this talk," Kim said, "but the more I think about it, if we're going to win this war, I need you both back in my life. You're still human after all, and being under the influence of evil but still managing to keep your humanity gives me a different perspective."
"You really want us back in your life? After everything?" Pierre asked. He seemed like a genuinely good man, Kim thought.
"Yes, but the decision is up to you. I've already made mine," Kim said. Tearfully, for the first time in what seemed like ages, parents and daughter embraced. And then something incredible happened. A screeching sound came from inside Kim.
"Stand back!" she suddenly ordered her parents. Still invisible, meanwhile, Jayden prepared for action.
"You little pink parasite! My power gave you unlimited ability...oh but you've reclaimed your humanity! YOUR SOUL WILL BELONG TO ME, one way or the other!" the voice screeched. When the light died, no one could believe their eyes. Before them were two different Kimberlies.
One, which the parents recognized immediately, was wearing her traditional pink with black outline. The other one, which had just appeared when the light died down, was laying unconscious and was wearing black from head to toe.
Then, another voice ripped through the room. It was male and it was strong.
"Ninjetti! The Phoenix!"
Appearing from his hiding place was Jayden, in full ninja uniform. He wasted no more time.
"Impostor, leave!" he shouted as he formed a crimson fireball and hurled it at the black clad "Kimberly" that was lying on the floor. When the fireball made contact, the woman vanished instantly.
Kim shrugged and looked at her parents as if to say, "this is who he is. That's what he does."
"How long have you been standing there?" Kim said. "Aren't you supposed to be studying GED stuff?"
"Atsila my spirit animal told me to come here and act when the time is right," Jayden said. "What you just saw is your evil manifestation separate from your body. You are fully good again, Mom, with some caveats that will be explained in due time."
Then, his communicator chimed.
"Go ahead," Jayden said.
"We've got trouble," Tommy said. "Downtown Reefside. They took advantage of what's going on with Kim and her parents to launch an attack. It seems they're trying to isolate Mia. Get over here, fast!"
"On my way," Jayden said, next looking at his mother. "I brought you some gifts, Mom. Welcome back to the fight."
In the next instant, he tossed a morpher with a power coin already inside it at Kim which she easily caught.
"We've been saving this for when you came back to the fight. We didn't think it would be this soon. Can you help us. I know this was emotional..."
"Of course," Kim said. "Mia's in trouble, so I'm coming."
"Ranger power, now!" Jayden said as he and his mother got in position.
"Crimson Ranger Power!"
"Pink Ranger Power!"
As soon as they left, Caroline and Pierre turned to Mr. and Mrs. Oliver.
"So this is who they are?"
"That's who they are. And I have no doubt they'll be successful in the end," Elizabeth Oliver said.
Downtown Reefside
Her first encounter with Scorpina had been bad, but this was almost as terrible. Ever since the start of this fight, they'd successfully isolated Mia from the rest of the Rangers and had taken turns battering her, whether it was Scorpina, Draco, footsoldiers or someone else.
Now, she was being held by four Tengas and it looked like a very dark road ahead. She knew they were trying to capture her and she knew it was probably to get at Jayden, but still had been unable to stop their plan.
Then, as she was about to lose hope a wave of fire and four pink arrows came raining down on the Tengas, forcing them to break the hold and Mia gulped in breaths that she desperately needed. In the next moment, another pink arrow shot out and caused Scorpina to drop her stinger as she was about to launch another attack.
As the Rangers regrouped around Mia, the attackers gasped in shock and a touch of worry as they saw the Pink Ranger come on to the scene.
"How do you even exist Pink Ranger, especially with such evil power in you!" Draco roared in anger.
"Newsflash, you big ugly monster, I'm back in full and I'm here to right the wrongs my evil half created," Kimberly said. "Now leave Mia alone!"
"We'll see about that, Pinkie," Scorpina said. "Get them. And don't let the Turquoise one loose this time!"
The Rangers re-engaged their enemies, but Kim and Jayden quickly found out their presence didn't make much difference this time. The creatures were literally swarming everywhere and easily outnumbered the Rangers, and within minutes had isolated Mia again. As Mia prepared to engage Draco, five more Tengas jumped on her again.
She was able to get two of them off her, but the remaining three held on to her tight, as Draco readied himself and launched a major fire blast at her from point blank range. The blast hit dead on; she was still morphed, but her armor had taken a huge hit from the power of the blast.
One of the bad things the Rangers had just learned was that while the confluence still existed and still would for several weeks after, Kimberly's break from her evil half, making Flammia a singular being separate from Kimberly, gave the side of evil a temporary boost in which they could use their firepower.
"Say goodbye to your boyfriend, Turquoise Ranger," he hissed. He saw Jayden and Kimberly break free of the mob of foot soldiers and rush at him from the side, but he was ready. He launched another fire blast, causing them to crash to the ground. Tommy made one last run at the monster, but it was too late as Draco teleported out with Mia right before Tommy got there.
"Damn!" Tommy hissed. "Not again..."
"I'd say that too, but that's how they want me to react," Jayden said. "They want me to rush in there and try to rescue Mia at all costs, and no one knows better than me how hellish the Moon Palace is. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that's very wise."
"It isn't, and we will find her," Kimberly assured her son. "It's been a while since I've worn this, but Rangers don't leave Rangers to the wolves. Besides, that's my future daughter in law."
"I wish rescuing my girlfriend was the only thing that happened today, but there's more. And I'm not sure if it's good or bad. We probably should go back to the main headquarters in Angel Grove."
"Your big fancy new place?" Kimberly said.
"Yes, and now that you are free from evil's influence, there is a room with your name on it," Lauren said from the side, before speaking into her communicator.
"Rhiannon, teleport all of us now. The Pink Crane is back, but the news is not all good," Lauren said.
"Got it. Teleporting all of you," the voice of Rhiannon said before they all vanished.
Flammia's Dark Dimension
The cell she was in was damp and cold.
And she hated damp, cold weather. It was suffocating. She supposed that was how the bad guys wanted it.
She tried to rattle the cell bars to hopefully break something loose, but the second she touched one of them, electricity coursed through her body, sending her flying all the way back across the cell.
She somehow managed to stand up after all that, only to hear a sinister voice laugh.
"If I were you sweetheart, I wouldn't do that again," she heard a female voice smirk. Instantly, she knew who it belonged to.
"Let me out of here now, Scorpina!" Mia shouted as the scorpion female came into view.
"Save it, little girl," Scorpina said. "The only thing you are going to be allowed to do is lead the Phoenix to the demise of his soul. Have fun, little dove."
Mia shivered, unnerved at how confident Scorpina was. They were up to something, that much was certain.
The death of Jayden's soul...what did that even mean?
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