Tommy
The sound of the battle drones above head seemed to echo for miles. I caught sight of it between the trees, the red lights on the bottom of it giving it away against the ink-black sky. It hovered for a moment, circling the area to see what was around. I kept low in the bushes, hiding behind a large rock that was nestled in some tall grass. It would hide my heat signatures from them while they swept the area, something I learned from an old military tech video my father had shown me as a kid. Once it was done with its sweep, it climbed higher in the air and then shot off like a bat out of hell through the sky.
It was the fifth ship I had seen just today, telling me that Drakkon's forces were growing here in this world. It's been two weeks since he attacked Angel Grove and his presence has grown ever stronger. He's shipped off every able body man to his camps to join his army and he's taken the women and children into shelter camps to make him goods and harvest food for his forces. The rest of the country had turned on California, hoping to avoid the chaos that was ruling here. It was like a scene straight out of a dystopian novel, guards are in nearly every corner of the town. I looked down at the Morpher that was clipped to the side of my bag. It felt like a whole lifetime had passed since I had been able to morph. The Grid had weakened so much now that when I do morph, it doesn't hold long enough to do anything. The only thing I was able to do was to hold on to the Dragon dagger, its disconnect helped since it did not require the Grid to function as a weapon.
With the drone gone, I moved up the path and headed closer to the wooded area on the outskirts of Angel Grove. Drakkon's defenses have been seeking out the Power Rangers and wanted to wipe us all out. His main focus was me. My picture was posted everywhere in town and his men were seeking out areas where they think I might be. I was forced to hide in abandoned warehouses and homes, hoping they wouldn't find me. It had been the best decision to break free of the team. I was a walking target and would be a risk to them. Granted, the main reason I had left was to find Kim. Jason had made it clear that they were fine with believing she was dead.
Through the wooded area, I came across a small building. It seemed like it was a hunting or fishing shack, set up for a hunter during the seasons. A faint light was coming from the window and I could hear what I thought was music coming from it. Gripping the dagger in my hand, I crept towards the window and peeked in. I didn't see any movement inside and now could smell what was I thought something burning. I could see a pot on top of the woodstove in the corner. Checking the area, I slowly walked around the corner of the house and headed towards the front door. I saw it was opened a crack, maybe three inches or so. It was enough to allow light to pool out on the wooden planks serving as a small porch. I walked closer and could hear heavy breathing. I held the dagger up, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open all the way.
Looking around the room, I didn't see the source of the breathing at first. But then, my eyes swept over the corner by the woodstove. I saw that there was a person who was leaning against the wall here. It was an older gentleman, greying black hair on the top of his head that matched the mustache on his face. He wore a red and black flannel shirt and black pants, hunting boots on his feet. He was on the floor of the small cabin, his hand clutching his stomach. In his other hand though, he held a handgun that he was pointing directly at me.
"I suggest you walk right on out that door." He said, a raspy voice coming from him. There was a thin layer of sweat on his brow and he had some labored breathing. I noticed that the hand clutching his stomach was coated in blood and that there was a small pool of it on the ground around him. I put my dagger back at my waist, holding my hands up to show I was friendly.
"I'm not here to hurt you. Did the soldiers do that to you?" I asked, pointing at him. He nodded, his eyes not leaving me.
"They sure did. Man can't even scavenge in town without worrying about getting shot at." He winced, readjusting his legs. He narrowed his eyes, getting a better look at me. "You're that kid."
"What kid?" I asked, playing dumb.
"The one they are looking for. Your face is all over town." He smirked, shaking his head. "Hard to believe that someone is in a worse position than me right now." I stepped in, shutting the door behind me.
"I'm Tommy," I said. "Can I get you anything?"
"Yeah. There's a bottle of whiskey over on the shelf." He nodded towards the area behind me as he let his arm holding the gun drop. Turning, I saw a glass bottle with Jack Daniel's label on it on the shelf over the table. I slid my bag off, setting it on the floor by the door. Grabbing the bottle, I walked over to him. I twisted the lid off and held it out to him. He set the gun on the floor next to him and took the bottle from my hand. He took a long pull from it, wincing as he swallowed. He offered it to me but I shook my head.
"I can help get you to one of the camps. You can get some medical help there."
"Nah." He replied, shaking his head. He took another sip of the liquor. "I've fought in two World Wars and know what those kinds of camps can be like. I'll walk into there and end up in a group grave. I'd rather just die right here." He tipped his head back, looking at me. "Seems you've done something to make that fella mad enough to want your head."
"You could say that," I muttered, sitting on the floor across from him. I saw there was a pot cooking on the woodstove and carefully, I pulled it off to stop it from burning. Inside, there was some type of soup.
"You can have it. I don't think I could handle it right now. It would be a waste of good venison if someone didn't eat it." The man said, sipping his whiskey again. "What did you do to make you Enemy Number One?"
"It's a long story. He's kidnapped someone important to me though and he's out for blood." I said softly, staring into the fire of the woodstove. "I'm trying to save her."
"Ah. It's always about a girl." He smiled, looking over at me. "Such a young kid too. I'll never understand how war seems to target kids. You'd think these adult conflicts would leave the bulk of you younger kids out of it."
"We did cause it." I said. "Well, he did. He attacked us first just to take over our world. My team and I were trying to stop him peacefully. That's still my goal I suppose."
"Peacefully? Have you seen Angel Grove? Doesn't seem like this guy even knows what the word means." He turned his attention to the window above the stove. "When I was your age, the idea of this happening here seemed like a possibility thanks to those overseas. I never did imagine it like this though." He shifted, gazing back at me. "So? Do you know how to stop this guy or what?"
"Not yet. I have to figure out how to take him down in the most peaceful way possible. It's part of our oath we take on."
"War is no time for an oath, kid. War brings out the worst in people and makes good people make hard decisions no one has dreamed of. If this girl you care about is being held by him, I think being peaceful should be the last thing on your mind. Some people don't deserve to be given mercy as it is, really. After everything this dick has done to our home, it's safe to say he doesn't deserve it."
"Everyone deserves a chance," I said, shaking my head. "Just because we're at war doesn't mean that everyone working for him needs to die."
"It does when it comes down to saving yourself or them." He said, grabbing his gun again. He cocked it and pointed it at the door again. "Like when this guard that's about to come back to see if he actually did kill me in about thirty seconds, I'll have to decide if it's going to be him or me that makes it out of here."
"What?" I asked. As I did, the door of the cabin shot open. A yellow-cladded guard stepped in. Before they even had a chance to make any demands, the old man fired his gun at the soldier. It caught him off guard, the bullet hitting him directly in the Adam's apple where the armor doesn't cover him. Blood splattered everywhere, droplets landing on the ground. My eyes widened as the guard slumped to the ground dead as a doornail.
"Look alive. They come in twos and I only had one bullet left." The man said to me. The sound of footsteps came closer and I clambered to my feet. Another guard entered, this one in black armor. His gun was at the ready and he aimed it directly at us when he came in. Quickly, I swiped my leg under him and sent hims sprawling to the ground. His weapons slid across the floor out of his reach and I moved over to him. I gave him a swift kick to the back of the head, leaving him moaning and clutching his helmet. I looked around for something that I could use to tie him up. "What is it?"
"Do you have a rope or something?" I asked the man, looking in the cupboards over the small sink.
"Dead men don't need to be restrained." He said, eyeing me. Shaking my head, I continued to search.
"He doesn't need to be killed," I muttered. "We can use him for intel."
"And then what? Send him back to his leader?" He asked. "He's as good as dead then too."
"I'm not just going to kill him because he works for the bad guy," I said, glaring over at the old man. "It goes against everything I was ever trained and taught to do." As I bent down to look in my bag, I heard movement behind me. I turned just in time to see the guard roll over quickly and grab his weapon again. He shifted, facing it towards the man in the corner. Without thinking, I ran towards him with my Dragon dagger out. He moved to fire the weapon but I moved quicker, jabbing the dagger into the space between his chest plate and helmet. He made a loud gurgling noise as blood began to seep from the wound. I pulled the dagger out and took a step back. He brought his gloved hands up to the wound, trying his best to cover it as he dropped to his knees. I stared down at him in disbelief, flashbacks of my time under Rita's spell coming back to me. He flopped over to his side, landing next to his partner.
"What did I do?" I whispered, shaking my head.
"Tommy, don't beat yourself." The man said, letting his gun hand drop to his side. "You had to do it. It was either him or us. You made the right decision."
"It's not supposed to be like that. I"m supposed to be the hero."
"Fools are just heroes who were too slow to react."
"It's Morphin' time!" I called out, holding the morpher and crystal in front of me. A white light enveloped my entire body and I felt that surge of power that comes with morphing. This was more powerful though and I suddenly felt like I could leap a tall building if I needed to. As my vision cleared, I saw that I was completely dressed in white armor now. It consisted of white, black, and gold, reminding me of the colorings of a white tiger. Around me, the rest of the team was morphed as well. It had been so long since we had been morphed together, especially Kim. It felt nostalgic seeing her pink petite form next to me. The Rangers who didn't have the means to morph stood a few feet back, giving us space. They were in their own armor, the sets they had made after becoming the Coinless in their realm.
"Rangers, the time has come. Our sensors are detecting that Lord Drakkon is in the area." Zordon said. "Act swiftly and may the power protect you." Nodding, I turned to everyone.
"Let's finish this once and for all." There was a group nod as William grabbed a telepad for him, Tri, and the unmorphed Zack. He set it on the ground and secured the bag at his waist. Saba floated down and secured himself into place on my utility belt. Pressing the button on the side of my morpher, I teleported out of the Command Center. The streaks of colored lights followed me out of there and towards the remains of the old Command Center. We landed on the outside of the building, the telepad appearing next to us as well.
"That's Tommy!" Kim's voice exclaimed, pointing at a little boy who was doing his best to hide among the debris in the sand. He perked up at the sound of his voice and I was amazed to see the three-year-old version of myself in front of me. Kim walked forward, kneeling in front of him. Removing her helmet, she smiled at him. Once he seemed to recognize her, he moved closer. "Hi, Tommy. Remember me? I'm Abby's mommy." He nodded. "Is Abby here?"
"She's inside." He replied. "He brought us here."
"We're here to take you guys home, okay? These are my friends. We're going to save the day."
"Like superheroes?" He asked. She nodded.
"Just like superheroes. Can you do me a favor and stay with my friend Trini though? Just to make sure you're safe." He nodded. Trini walked forward, removing her helmet.
"We'll go back somewhere safe and wait for everyone. How's that?" He nodded. Trini bent down and picked him up. "I'll take him to the Command Center and see if we can figure out how to send him back to his time."
"I'll see you soon, buddy." Kim patted the top of his head before putting her helmet back on. Trini teleported away, heading back to base. Kim nodded in my direction, telling me it was time to make our move.
Running forward, I led everyone into the building. We found ourselves in the control room. Everything had either been destroyed or left behind, cobwebs hanging from everything. Dust was flying through the air and there was a musty smell. I hadn't been in here since right before Drakkon sent the Dragonzord to attack the city. It had been the last place I saw Kim before I thought she had been murdered by him. It felt like I was walking into a time capsule filled with memories that weren't tainted with Drakkon.
To my horror, I saw that Drakkon had the Ranger Slayer strung over the View Globe. She was bleeding heavily from two wounds on her torso that resembled that of stabbings. She was pale and blood was oozing from her mouth as she tried to speak to him. His blade was against the bruised skin of her throat and he looked poised, ready for the final kill strike.
Next to me, Kim raised her bow and fired an arrow directly at Drakkon. He never even saw it until it collided with the middle of his chest. I pulled Saba out as Drakkon flew backward off his feet. He landed partly on one of the broken control panels and the Ranger Slayer slid headfirst off the Viewing Globe. Older Trini and William were able to grab her before she slammed headfirst onto the floor. Her blood was everywhere, dripping down the Viewing Globe, as Drakkon scrambled to climb to his feet. I stepped forward, the Rangers around me.
"Good to see that Zordon let you play with some new toys, Tommy," Drakkon said, wiping blood from the corner of his lip. "Though, I must say I prefer the green. Suits you better."
"This is it, Drakkon," I called out. "If you come with us, we will bring you in alive." He chuckled, shaking his head.
"It's ironic that you believe that is something I would be willing to do." He said. "And that you would think I would come without some backup." Behind him, I saw something move in the shadows. A large figure appeared that resembled Goldar. I realized this must have been his brother, the ugly features on his face confirming that for me. He had a sword that looked like Goldar's as well but everything he wore and armed himself with was silver instead of gold. There were three of Drakkon's guards with him as well, all of them in black armor and carrying battle axes turned into firearms. "I brought a friend to help finish off these pesky tramps we can't seem to shake, Oliver."
"Just like Rita's puppet to have one of her flying monkies fight your battles," I called back. Silverback glared at me, holding his sword in both hands. Kim prepared another arrow as Jason pulled his sword from thin air.
"I'll take Silverback and his little entourage with Zack and Billy. You and Kim fight with Drakkon." Jason said in a low voice. I nodded.
"Remember our agreement," I replied. He clapped me on the back to show he understood. I turned my attention back to Drakkon.
"Where's Abby?" Kim called out, aiming her arrow at Drakkon. "I know she's here."
"Kim, I really thought we had gotten along better than this back home. I thought we had a connection." Drakkon said, shrugging. "It's a pity it's come to this, really. I thought we might have been able to come to an agreement that works best for our daughter."
"She's my daughter," I growled, glaring at him.
"Oh, I'm not sure about that one. A father is the one who steps up, Tommy. Not someone who runs around California for fun. But trust me. Abby knows the truth."
"What is she?" Kim asked again and I could hear the growing frustration in her voice. Drakkon smiled a deranged look, a ball of energy appearing in his hand. I stepped forward, putting myself between him and Kimberly. To the side, I saw that Trini and William were working on the Ranger Slayer who lay motionless on the ground.
"Seems like the Ranger Slayer is down for the count. Guess I'll need to take destroying you into my own hands." Drakkon called, lofting the ball of energy towards Kim and I. This caused us to jump out of the way and then Jason, Zack, and Billy to charge forwards toward Silverback. There was a loud clang of metal on metal as their swords collided and the ball of energy hit the column behind where Kim and I had been standing. She released her arrow, narrowly missing Drakkon's shoulder. He laughed, dodging it and sending another ball towards us.
"Split up," I said to Kim, jumping in the other direction as her. She nodded, jumping up onto the control panel next to her. It wobbled under her weight but she managed to keep her footing. She sent another arrow as I swung my sword towards Drakkon. He deflected Saba with the dagger, shifting out of the way in time for Kim's arrow to fly past him. She loaded up another one and fired it off again. It missed Drakkon and almost collided with Billy who was fighting with one of the soldiers behind us. Gripping Saba in my hand, I twisted him to break free of the lock between the sword and dagger. Drakkon pushed off of me and zapped me with a bolt of energy. Flying backward, I nearly took out Kim as I landed against the control panel.
"Tommy!" She exclaimed, jumping down and grabbing my arm.
"I'm alright," I said as she helped me stand.
"How pathetic," Drakkon said, walking towards us. The noise in the room was growing from the fighting happening. Drakkon himself seemed to be almost glowing a gray light, his eyes looking deeply sunk in and empty as he glared at Kim and I. The energy and power that was radiating around the room seemed to come from him. Whatever fueled Zedd's power was not liking being contained in Drakkon's human body. It seemed to be raging inside of him, leaking out through every opening it could. "So much potential. So many chances. And you choose to squander it on a woman." He hissed.
"Seems like you did the same thing, Drakkon," I replied. "The only difference is that if the Ranger Slayer dies, her blood will be on your hands. I could never cause Kim's death."
"No worries. I plan on doing that as well. I have some help with that though." He raised his hands in the air, energy forming in them. As he did, a light began to shine around the room. Behind him, I saw that the tube that how once housed Zordon was glowing. It started out dim but grew a brighter yellow glow. Inside, I could see a figure of a person appear at the top. They floated down, long hair flowing around their head. They stopped midway, suspended in the air. As the light faded, I saw that it was a teenage girl. She was about fifteen or sixteen, long dark brown hair on her head. She looked around the room, shocked about what was happening below her.
"Who is that?" I asked Kimberly. Drakkon laughed loudly, letting his hands drop to his sides.
"What's the matter, Tommy? Having troubles recognizing your own daughter?"