Disclaimer: All the Rangers and related characters an' ideas are property of Saban; I am but a humble servant. ..Aside from the original characters. ^_~ Then, I become a rebel, AKA someone with nothing better to do than (gasp) think.

Note: All words contained in underscores ( _ insert word _ ) are thoughts.


Chapter 2: Lost and Found


Zack looked back and forth from his watch to the forest, becoming rather anxious. Tapping his foot and glancing from Zack to the woods, Jason finally spoke up, his tone concerned, "C'mon, Zack. They've been in there for over half an hour!" In response, Zack nodded eagerly and put his book on the table, both of the boys jogging in the direction the girls last went in.

At first, their search was fruitless; it seemed as though the girls had never even come through the same thicket. It was hard, because they had not examined the forest before Kimberly and Trini went through it. Without a memory of what it looked like beforehand, how could they notice the subtle changes?

Finally, they found crumpled leaves in the pattern of a footprint on the ground. Assuming that they were on the right track, they followed it. Carefully stepping over shrugs and ducking under low branches, they somewhat noticed a small broken branch without the broken piece anywhere in sight, but that was only stored in short term memory. After all, how was that even related?

"Kimberly!" Zack called.

"Trini!" Jason chorused. Their echoes were scarcely heard by their own ears, much less Kim's and Trini's. They called long after they had lost sight of the sky through the high branches of the California redwood trees, not yet realizing that they, too, were becoming lost. Twisting, turning, and avoiding rocky parts in their path, Zack had trouble believing they they were still in the park's vicinity. Finally, a clearing was found. Moreover, it was the end of the woods in this direction! Zack glanced at his watch while walking out with Jason, giving a startled cry,

"Jase, it's five past six! My students are gonna be ticked! Look, Jase, I know that the girls are missing, but they can take care of themselves..."

***

*Clank!* Commander Oasis loudly clamped a lock down belonging to the chains around Trini's feet, then threw her down on the cold stone floor of the dungeon. She gave a slight grunt of discomfort, but her expression was still resolute.

***

"Yeah, you're right, but I'm gonna keep looking. They're bound to be around here somewhere." Jason added, sighing.

***

Kimberly was thrown down roughly by guards, skidding across the floor on her back, already bound and gagged with rope. She could hardly move, much less utter a few choice words at the moment. The guards that brought in her exit the cell, slamming a gate of iron* shut. For some odd reason, this new location made her woozy and lightheaded, her being feeling repelled by the bars.

***

Feeling bad, Zack added before he ran off, "I'll be back later to help. Drop by the Youth Center if you find them or something." Jason nodded as he watched Zack run off. Not knowing what to think, his eyes trailed downwards. That's when he realized that this place probably hasn't been traveled by many and wondered how Zack will find his way back to the Youth Center.

However, something on the ground caught his eye -- two small trails of footprints in some mud from the most recent downpour. He looked into the directions they led to. One way, they led back into the forest. The other way, they led toward where Zack headed, only branching off a bit. Curiously, Jason followed the latter footprints away from the thicket, still worried about his teammates.

***

Trini sat back up in her cell and glared at Scott. Oddly, the cell he accompanied her to wasn't made of iron, but of a smoother, unknown material that had a mixture of a silvery and whitish glow. "Why won't you believe me?" The door was not shut, for Scott was still applying chains with double locks to make sure she can't get free. He has not bothered to gag her, somewhat enjoying her pleading.

"Because," he answered, not looking up from the locks. "I have no reason to believe you.You have chosen to fight for the Dark. Now, you will be punished." Turning his head, he called, "Sergeant!"

A young man with black hair, hazel eyes, and a buoyant expression on his face ran to the commander, skidding to a swift soft in front of him and rising a hand in salute. "Yes, sir?" He asked with a forceful tone.

Immediately, Scott called out the order, hardly looking up. "You may now tell Major... Er, the scientist, that we need the potion for Kali now."

"Will all due respect, Commander, he has requested of seeing this for himself."

Scott smirked and shook his head. "Let him do whatever he wants. He can give it to her, for all I care. Just get it here, now."

"Yes, sir!" The officer dashed off to get Major Richard Nyte.

***

Jason, in the meantime, got jumped on from behind, a wild banshee-like cry startling him right before the attack. He fell with the assailant sitting on his back, her fingers warily placed between his collar bones, just below his neck. But then... the woman seated there got a good look around.

_Trees? Grass? What in all the Hells?_ She thought to herself. _Wait a.. my clothes! _ The blue jeans and yellow tee were examined in a mindful state of surprise. She leaned down to Jason's face, who was gazing carefully, or trying to, at her fingers. _Uh oh..._ he thought, _This person knows exactly what they're doing... I'm more for strength, but am I fast enough to get up?_

"Wh-where am I?" She asked aloud, then slowly got off of Jason, standing up and looking around.

He rolled onto his back and swiftly shifted his weight from his chest to his legs, jumping up professionally, then got a good look at the confused female. "Trini!" He pulled her into a tight hug. "Where've you been? Where's Kim? Are you two alright?"

Kali hissed seethingly during the hug and interrogation, pushing him away. "Scott, don't touch me! Tell me where I am!"

_Scott? 'Where am I'? Oh, man... She has amnesia or something!_ "Trini, I'm Jason, remember?" He started slowly, watching her eyes for any sign of recognition, "We live in Angel Grove; we are in a very 'elite' group; and we go to high school together..." Kali's mouth dropped open, then it clenched shut.

"Lying, you're lying! Don't play mind games, Commander!"

"'Commander'? Trini..."

"I said Stop!" She tried to lunge at him and draw a weapon, only to realize that her weapons were gone, too. This gave Jason a chance to grab her arms and restrain her, keeping her anterior pushed against a tree.

"Calm down..."

"Let go! I will not let you take me prisoner!" She struggled, growling with exasperation of finding herself so vulnerable. _This body has no wings, no fangs, no weapons... Ugh!_

"No one's going to take you prisoner. You're ill, Trini. Please, stop struggling and let me take you to the Command Center or the hospital."

"Huh? What nonsense are you babbling; you would never help me, you or your Light comrades!" She was cold to him, skeptic.

"I'm serious, Trini."

"Like sprites you are*." She snorted, trying to pry into his thoughts.

"Huh?" _Trini's really scaring me with all of these weird things she's talking about... If she hit her head, why don't I see any blood? Maybe I should take her to Zordon instead of a hospital._ His fingers cautiously sifted through her hair, looking for a bruise or bump along her scalp. This touching prompted her muscles to tense even more.

_Uuugh! No magic, either! I can't hear a thing!_ "I may go on one condition. Tell me where you have put Natilie!"

"Who's Natilie?"

"Natilie Lentuse, my apprentice! Tell me where she is!" Again, hostile defiance entered her voice.

"I don't know... We've lost Kimberly, so maybe that's who you're talking about."

She didn't reply reply to that. He began to whisper into his communicator, which she listened to quietly, curious.

"Zordon, come in. This is Jason."

"YES, JASON?" came his booming response.

"Something's wrong with Trini. Please teleport us both to the Command Center, and put her in a forcefield."

Hearing this, Kali growled and resumed struggling, preparing to flee after she jammed the heel of her boot into Jason's shin. He let out a surprised yell of pain, but --

"AS YOU SEE FIT, JASON, BUT I WILL QUESTION YOUR ACTIONS ONCE YOU ARRIVE."

-- Alpha entered the coordinates, and they *whooshed* away in teleportation before she could get past him.

***

"Zordon! ZOR--" Billy was cut off while calling for help by a gag. The culprit brushed back her chestnut hair, grabbed the boy's wrist, and brought the portion he was talking into to her mouth...

***

"Ack! You said you'd help me!" _Not that words were ever worth trusting,_ "Let me out of this cage!" Kali shrieked, grabbing the electrical bars, only for her shocked hands to jerk back at her. That's when her eyes lifted to the giant floating head in a tube. Before anyone else could say anything, Billy's cry rang throughout the Command Center, then familiar voice followed,

"Who am I speaking to?" questioned the 'stranger'.

"KIMBERLY, DO YOU NOT REMEMBER US?"

"Natilie!" Kali shouted, not exactly sure where the microphones were for the communications system, "Nat, are you okay?"

"Kali? Kali! By the gods, I was so scared that I was lost!"

"You still are... WE still are, but at least we found each other." This prompted a glance around the room by dark eyes. "Sort of."

"Where are you?"

"I'm in a so-called 'Command Center' with a huge floating face, a rickety little robot that looks like something out of the mines, and an imbecile who denies the fact that he's Commander Oasis, using the codename of 'Jason'. Where are you?"

The aforementioned three just listen, trying to learn more about them.

"I'm in a juvenile laboratory with a geek that I managed to tie up."

"With a WHAT?" Kali growled.

"Oh... Sorry, Colonel."

"If you call someone a geek again, I Swear... Anyways, since these people are somehow connected, well... What's the last thing you remember before the sudden change?"

(Mmph! Mmphfft!)

"I was crawling through the vent to get to the ballroom, then I was suddenly in the woods with a guy snooping around nearby with technicolor leaves, so I followed him. Gathered some info, though!"

(Mmphfehff! Mmffpt! Mmem!)

"..." There was a small pause, then mumbling.

"Zordon?" Billy's voice was now heard, but he was still bound with rope. "Natilie and Kali here are almost definitely from an alternate, luckily Parallel universe. I was trying to work out some kinks in my invention during experimentation in a secluded woodland area when I undoubtedly produced a 'tear'. Upon realizing what I had done, I had to get a few precautions worked out with carrying equipment, then tried to remove the tear to see if it was portable, and success! It is, central to the axis of a single evergreen leaf."

"And Kim and Trini were in the woods at the time looking for the football, must've somewhat touched the leaf, and are now lost!" Jason finished, now more worried than before for his teammates.

"Exactly. I had forgotten some of the transporting materials needed, and since it was a marked-off course from the perimeter of the recreational area, I ran home to retrieve it. When I began to port the branch, Natilie must have followed me home, and, well... here we are."

"BILLY, THIS IS A VERY DIRE SITUATION. PLEASE TELEPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTER WITH NATILIE IMMEDIATELY."

"Ah, affirmative, but..."

"YES?"

"I'm still in restraints."

"Kals, should I...?"

The 'captured' person pursed her lips with her friend's question, glancing around at the two humanoid faces in the area for a lingering moment.

"If this is some sort of plan, it's too elaborate not to follow. Besides, these people will teleport you here either way... I learned that the hard way. Untie him."

"Yes, ma'am." Moments later, they, too, were teleported away.

To be Continued...

*Author's Notes: "Gate of iron*" -- According to fantasy references, iron repels magic, so if a being is a mythical creature with magic coursing through their veins, they shouldn't be around it for obvious reasons, AKA weakening side effects or worse.

"Like sprites* you are" -- another phrase of the Starre Metropolis dimention. A different version of "Yeah, right," or "Like Hell you are." A phrase of unbelief. Sprites can be water sprites, etc., not the drink Sprite(tm). :P