Pawns
Chapter Nine: The Rage
All he could hear was the crackle of liquid flame, churning in the pit before him. That, and the grating screech of Divatox's triumphant laughter.
Through a film of standing tears Tommy watched the smoke rise; all that remained of Kimberly and Jason.
Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he remembered that the sacrifice had been completed. That soon, the Flame of Destruction himself would rise, seeking to lay waste to humanity. Somewhere, he realized the Turbo Rangers were all that stood between Divatox and ultimate power.
Yet all he could do was sit, hands and knees buried in sand, desperate for someone to wake him from this chilling nightmare.
The Pink Ranger shook herself from her frozen stupor, arms trembling as she threw them around him. "Oh God, Tommy… I…"
She fell wordless, a sorrow unlike anything she'd ever felt choking her. Yet he didn't hear her anyway. He simply sat there.
The Yellow and Green Rangers stood at either side of the pair, helpless to provide any other comfort than their protective presence.
The Blue Ranger lingered back, wide eyes staring at the stone pit of eternal flame.
He didn't know who those people were. He only knew his teammates in passing, mostly thanks to their participation in the martial arts contest to benefit his orphanage. Yet, he felt an overwhelming loss. Those two… must have been special people.
His mind weirdly detached, he watched the fire leap from the pit. His eyes narrowed curiously.
The fire's intensifying. Does that mean Maligore's waking up?
"Guys!" he cried in warning, "Look out!"
His shout came just as two plumes of fire erupted from the volcano, the force of the explosion knocking everyone meters away from the opening.
Mesmerized, everyone watched the flames stretch out, slowly spreading into arms, legs…
Suddenly, Tommy snapped out of his daze. "Kim! Jason!"
He was right. As the two shapes gradually became solid, everyone was shocked to see the former Power Rangers standing at the edge of the pit, heads hanging and eyes closed.
"Whoa," Elgar gasped, clapping his hands, "That's a neat trick!"
Rygog scratched his head. "I thought Maligore was gonna eat them, or something."
"Yeah," Divatox noted, tapping her chin. "The scrolls said he needed to feed on Purity to give him the strength to break free from his prison. I figured the humans wouldn't survive." An eager grin lit her face. "Let's see what happens when two goody-goods lose their purity!"
As Divatox's forces took a back seat, the Turbo Rangers hesitantly approached their friends.
They froze as Kimberly lifted her head.
"Kim?" Adam called.
She stretched her neck slightly, and suddenly, her eyes snapped open.
The Rangers gasped.
Her eyes… once a soft shade of brown… blazed red.
A cold smirk spread onto her face. It seemed so out of place on such a kind, caring person.
Tommy suddenly felt sick.
She lifted her slender arms, still bound in heavy iron manacles. With a flick of the wrist, she shattered the chain.
Horrified, the Turbo Rangers turned to Jason, whose eyes also swam in crimson flame. A brutal sneer darkened his face as he too tore his chains with little effort.
Justin was the first to recover his voice. "What's wrong with them?"
Adam swallowed, his mind swimming. "Divatox said something about Maligore feeding off their purity. They must be under an evil spell!"
"Well, we've beaten evil spells before," Kat pointed out, trying to sound reassuring.
Tommy watched carefully as Kimberly and Jason stretched their muscles. Is this just another spell? he wondered, his heart sinking.
Divatox then stepped forward, raising the sacred Golden Key high above her head. "Maligore's children… destroy them!"
Kimberly leapt off the edge of the pit, crouching into the sand like a cat. Jason performed an aerial somersault impossible for any normal human being.
Adam, Tanya, Kat, and Justin took a cautious step back. Yet against all reason, Tommy rushed toward them.
"Kim!" he called anxiously, reaching for her, "Can you hear me?"
The former Pink Ranger responded with a wordless snarl, catching his fingers within bizarrely-powerful hands. He winced as she squeezed his fingers, then shoved him aside.
Justin watched the powerhouse the others called Jason. He moved to approach, but the young man caught the boy's hand within a vice-like grip. Justin fought the urge to scream as bones ground together, until a punch sent him reeling.
"Leave him alone!" Katherine hissed. She braced herself as her erstwhile teammate landed a punch that would snap a redwood into splinters. Stars shot across her vision, making it impossible for her to avoid the thunderous snap-kick the martial artist landed beneath her chest bone.
The Pink Turbo Ranger stumbled, struggling for consciousness until the Power could reorient her. When her vision cleared, her blue eyes widened to see her predecessor stride purposefully toward her.
"Kim," she pleaded, "you have to fight the evil!"
Maligore's child responded in a foreign voice… a voice so deep and unabashedly wicked Katherine shivered. "Evil is as evil does."
"Don't do this!" she begged. Kimberly grabbed her arm, squeezing so tightly the Pink Ranger feared she might lose it.
"Leave her alone!" came a sudden shout. Kimberly had no time to react as the Red Ranger grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to release her prey.
He abruptly released her, tearing off his crimson helmet. Red-rimmed eyes stared at her, holding her in a powerful gaze. "Look at me, Kim. Look at me!"
Tommy didn't blink as the red orbs bore into him. He was so close he could actually see the angry fire burning in her eyes, tingeing them red, creating the blazing aura he could feel through his protective gloves.
"It's me... Tommy."
"Yes!" Katherine added, "We're your friends!"
Tommy felt the heat rise within his former girlfriend, forcing him to back away. "What makes you think I don't remember you?" Kim wondered, tilting her head. "Oh, I know who you two are… and you're certainly no friends of mine"
Her words were so heavy with venom the two Turbo Rangers had no idea how to react.
Kimberly took advantage of their momentary stupor, firing a bone-crunching roundhouse to Tommy's jaw. The Red Ranger managed to lift his arms in an instinctive block, but the sheer force of the assault sent him reeling. Kimberly then turned her attention to her successor, easily ducking her retaliatory swing. She then bent low, and kicked the Pink Ranger in the back of the knees. She chuckled as the taller girl fell onto her back, and jammed her heel into Kat's stomach. "You know, Kitty… you really suck at this."
Tommy watched, his torment naked in his eyes. He'd lived this before… hurting the people he cared for, powerless to fight the evil…
"Kim, please," he croaked, "I don't want to hurt you."
Her smoldering gaze slid from the girl who stole her boyfriend to the two-timing bastard himself. She took a deep breath, reveling in the complete lack of guilt at pummeling the people who hurt her so much.
For the first time, there was no conflict. No stubborn affection lingering under the surface, reducing her to tears. No weakness. No naïveté. Just raw power. And justified rage, flowing through her body in an inferno, augmenting her strength to a level that would actually threaten her enemies.
"Don't worry, Tommy," she drawled, her deep voice sending chills down the Red Ranger's spine, "I swear to you, you can never hurt me again."
She stepped away from Kat, and turned to her first love. And to think- she'd actually been afraid of this moment…when confronted with the man who both captured, and shattered, her heart!
Tommy's face was the very picture of ignorance. "Again? When did I hurt you, Kim? When!"
Incredibly, she released a long, indulgent cackle. "Do you really think I'll justify that with a response?"
Then, she leapt at him. Tommy was completely unprepared for such a vicious assault, and just managed to catch her wrists as they both crashed to the ground.
They rolled along the hard-packed earth, Kim grunting in fury as she managed to overpower the Ranger, pressing down on top of him and wrenching her wrist free from his desperate grip.
Teeth bared, the spellbound young woman punched Tommy soundly in his exposed face. The pain was blinding, leaving him dazed and bloody.
An indulgent smile spread across her face as she watched blood trickle from his nose and lip. She then leaned toward him, pressing her elbows against his powerful chest.
Tommy's breath caught. She was pushing the air right out of his lungs!
"You owe me, you know," she whispered, her breath tickling his ear, "For every night I cried myself to sleep. For every nightmare I had… picturing you with HER, fighting beside HER, kissing HER. For every morning I woke up, my eyes swollen, my body even more exhausted than I was when I'd gone to bed."
His eyes stung as accusations hit into him one by one, words cutting deeper than Goldar's blade ever did. He thrashed beneath her, struggling to respond. He felt the need to deny doing anything with any girl; to shout back, defend himself, make her see the truth.
But he couldn't even breathe… much less argue.
What is she talking about?? His frenzied mind demanded. Did this spell plant false memories into her mind, turning her against her friends?
Kim leaned back, relieving the numbing pressure on his organs, allowing him a breath. She smiled sweetly as he sucked in air, coughing through a dry throat.
The sight of him in tears was oh so satisfying… so she let herself enjoy it.
"Wh… what about the letter?" he wheezed.
What right did she have to be upset? Spell or no spell, she had no reason to doubt him. He didn't do anything that could even remotely be considered unfaithful. She broke up with him!
She cocked her head curiously, letting her long hair slide over one shoulder. It was a gesture Tommy once considered adorable… a lifetime ago.
"I didn't get anything from you," she informed him, "No letters, no calls, nothing. But if you tried to apologize in a letter, instead of actually speaking to me, then I'm glad I never got it."
Tommy stared at her blankly, watching in disbelief as she lifted her hands, nails outstretched. She was preparing to drive her fingers into his flesh-
-when sudden pink blur flashed above, knocking the spellbound girl off him.
The Red Ranger was shocked to see the Pink Ranger, standing tall over her predecessor. Her breath came in deep gulps as she watched Kimberly lift her head from the sand, rubbing her jaw painfully.
"Kim," Katherine muttered, her voice unusually harsh, "Stop this now! I don't-"
"Oh please," Kim snapped, lifting her head from the sand, "If you dare say 'I don't want to hurt you', I'll make sure you linger before you die!"
Kimberly flipped onto her feet, and closed the gap between herself and Kat. Tommy stared in horror as his ex smoothly blocked a jab from his girlfriend, leaving the Ranger open for a powerful knee in the stomach.
Kat fought to regain her footing, and managed to gather enough strength to throw another punch.
Kim received the blow to her chest, snarling fiercely. Yet she bent backwards, just barely dodging Kat's follow-up swing. As Kat's momentum pushed her forward, Kim performed a kick that gravity should have deemed impossible: she leaned so far back, she planted her hands onto the sand, and lifted her knees.
Katherine groaned as she received both knees in her abdomen, tossing her yards across the chamber.
"Oh, and sweetie," Kim drawled, "Pink is out."
Kat didn't respond.
oooOOOooo
Through the fire dancing in his eyes, Jason surveyed the damage his own hands had caused. He strode across the sand like Goliath, a bestial grin pulling his lip at the chaos surrounding him.
The power… it's like nothing I've ever felt before! I've even defeated the Rangers!
Without breaking a sweat, he embarrassed the Yellow Ranger. Tanya was new to martial arts, and a few brief lessons from Adam certainly couldn't grant her the skill needed to take on a true master.
Adam himself was too distracted to do much either. While incredibly fast, he didn't have the heart to do any damage to his former teammate. After a brief confrontation, the Green Ranger fell to the wayside.
And then, there was the Blue Ranger.
Jason didn't even need to hear his high-pitched voice to discern it wasn't Rocky beneath the armor. The new guy was too anxious… he didn't have any of the poise in battle that was Rocky's signature. And his style was atrocious; it looked more like the Blue Ranger was mimicking moves he'd seen on television than executing strategic strikes.
It was sad.
Deep down, in his heart of hearts, Jason had wondered if he still had 'it'- that unique, nameless quality that won him the Tyrannosaurus coin all those years ago. Once upon a time, he was the leader of the Power Rangers. His teammates looked up to him, respected him, depended on him. And he'd given his all to guide them through battles, protect them against threats, and shine as a living example to inspire them.
Then, Tommy arrived. In less than a week, the Green Ranger did more damage to Angel Grove than all of Rita's previous monsters combined.
Sure, it wasn't Tommy's fault. He was under a spell… conveniently free from blame. Free from conscience.
Jason couldn't let himself be angry with Tommy. His conscience burned him whenever the thought crossed his mind. After the months passed, the Red and Green Rangers became inseparable friends; but Jason couldn't always quiet the nagging voice in his mind, warning him that Tommy was doing more harm than good to the team. His reckless need to fight solo was damaging to the team chemistry Jason had worked so hard to encourage. Tommy always stood on his own, delaying his arrival until the Rangers desperately needed him, only to perform some over-the-top rescue to save the day.
Hmph. Probably just to impress Kim…
But it was more than that. For Tommy managed to impress someone other than the Pink Ranger: Zordon.
And Zordon made the White Ranger the leader.
Jason had swallowed his pride, and shook his new leader's hand. He'd buried the hurt that cut him to the quick, as he struggled to understand why he'd been punished. What did he do wrong to deserve the demotion… and what did Zordon see in Tommy? Couldn't he see the harm in putting the Lone Ranger in charge of a team?
It grew even worse. For not only did Tommy take over the leadership… he'd done irreparable damage to the Power Ranger team.
Jason had no idea how bad things had gotten while he was in Switzerland. Thousands of miles of distance always turned one's attention elsewhere. But when he returned, and donned the Gold Ranger armor, he'd gotten the unique opportunity to relive his glory days. Become the armored superhero, fighting as a Power Ranger once again.
And he was disappointed. What had Tommy done to the team?
Trini was a kung fu extraordinaire, studying styles ranging from the artistic to the devastating. Graceful and lithe, with a quiet wisdom that more than once pulled the Rangers out of the fire. Aisha, her successor, was an accomplished fighter, a black belt in karate with a smattering of kung fu mixed in to add some flavor.
But in comparison, Tanya was slow and uncoordinated.
Granted, she was a nice girl, with a lot of spirit and commendable intelligence. She was even a decent athlete. But that didn't make her Power Ranger material.
Kimberly was the most agile person Jason had ever known, with the grace and speed to win championship trophies in gymnastics and cheerleading. Plus, she'd taken several self-defense classes from her friends. She had no true martial arts experience when she first donned the Pink armor, but she eagerly subjected herself to intense training from Trini and Jason, in an effort to brush up her skills and create a style all her own. While she didn't have an official belt standing, Jason was confident Kimberly could tousle with the best of them.
Katherine had all of Kim's grace; but where was the spunk? She spent her time dancing in the Youth Center… did she ever work out? Again, a nice girl- but she'd proven in her confrontation with her predecessor that she didn't have the fighting rhythm. And she'd been the Pink Ranger for nearly a year.
And then… the rookie. Jason approached Justin, who was desperately staggering to his feet.
As the former leader of the Power Rangers, he was nauseated the team he helped forge could become such a joke!
"I can't believe Tommy let a kid be a Power Ranger," he hissed, lifting the Blue Ranger with his collar. "Rocky was a force to be reckoned with, and Billy learned how to hold his own. Let me guess; you picked up your moves from Saturday morning cartoons, right?"
Justin didn't bother to answer, latching onto Jason's wrists in an effort to force the former Ranger to release his death grip.
"Pathetic. I'm strong… but I shouldn't be strong enough to rout three Rangers. If some capable people were fighting, you guys might have won. How does it feel to fail your planet? See, I wouldn't know. My team never failed."
Jason snarled viciously at the kid, tossing him out of his way. Frankly, the kid wasn't the source of the problem.
He tensed his muscles, pivoting and walking purposefully toward the young man that ruined his legacy. That stole his legacy, humiliating him by taking the role of leadership. That posed as his best friend, but showed little loyalty when it really counted.
The question always lingered, from that long ago afternoon when they tied at the Martial Arts Expo: Who was the stronger of the two?
Finally, without his conscience buzzing in his ear, without the consequences weighing down his shoulders, without affection restraining him, Jason was free to get his answer.
oooOOOooo
Tommy watched with bated breath as Kim hovered over Kat, laughing deeply. "No! This has to-"
"You're mine!" declared a powerful voice, as suddenly a vice latched onto his neck from behind. Tommy didn't have a chance to react as Jason lifted him off his feet, and catapulted him into the thick dust.
Tommy sprawled to the ground dangerously close to the pit of flames. Struggling to orient himself, he rolled onto his stomach, and lifted his head.
His eyes narrowed as he watched his best friend approach, heat billowing off his entire body.
"Come on, Ranger!" he taunted, "Your entire team is a waste of my time. Can you face me?"
Tommy pushed himself to his feet. As he noticed his hair hanging over his forehead, he mutely cursed himself for taking off his helmet. From the bloodthirsty glare Jason threw at him, he knew he needed all the help he could get.
The Red Ranger surprised himself by easily taking his favored ready stance. He wasn't able to lift a finger against Kimberly, even as she nearly took his head off, but deep down, he'd been waiting for this confrontation.
Gritting his teeth, he tried desperately to rein in the fury. Stop it! I can't get distracted! Jase is under a spell… he doesn't really want to hurt me! And I don't want to hurt him. Do I?
With a ferocious scream, Jason dove for Tommy, launching a roundhouse with enough power behind it to snap a man's spine. Tommy ducked the high kick, firing a snap kick Jason swiveled to block.
Dust kicked up from the ground as their battle increased in speed, inching the pair ever closer to the pit of fire.
Finally, Tommy found an opening in Jason's near-flawless defense, and made contact with Jason's nose.
The former Red Ranger stumbled back, blood gushing from the injury. He shook his head to clear it, his eyes erupting into fresh rage as he steadied himself.
As Tommy glanced at his bloodstained knuckles, horror suffused his face. No… I didn't want this! I… I wanted to talk to Jason, clear the air… find out the truth!
He and Jason had sparred countless times… and while a few bruises were to be expected, he'd never shed his best friend's blood. Even when he was evil, he never had the opportunity to sink that low.
Yet lately, as he wrestled with his suspicions, Tommy had to admit that deep down, he'd wanted vengeance. In a blind jealousy that surpassed all reason, he wanted to see Jason suffer for his attachment to Kimberly.
What's happening to me? What am I turning into??
So deeply immersed in his own mind, Tommy was unprepared for Jason's renewed assault. The former Ranger fired a series of body punches that slowed his opponent down, and finished with an uppercut that laid the Red Ranger flat on his back.
Tommy tasted the blood in his mouth. He waited for the world to stop spinning before he lifted himself to his elbows.
Jason hovered over him, chuckling quietly. "I knew you couldn't measure up. You never deserved any of it… the Power, the leadership… anything! But you weaseled your way onto my team, and stole my role!"
Tommy took a deep breath as he suffered the verbal blows. He… he can't mean this… can he? Could he have carried resentment the whole time, without ever letting on? Is that why-?
Desperate for the truth, Tommy bolted to his feet. Fighting off the protest of his body, he readied himself for a fresh onslaught. "Is that why you did it? Is that why you… and Kim…?"
Afraid of the answer, Tommy couldn't even put his suspicions to words.
Jason noticed the agony playing over Tommy's face, and folded his arms. How pathetic is this guy? He's still hung up on Kim! His lips quirked savagely as he speared the obviously unhealed emotional wound. "I always wondered what Kim saw in you. I mean really… you're nothing like all her other boyfriends were. You're too needy; like a bird with a broken wing, aching for some TLC."
He noticed Tommy wince, fighting to maintain composure.
"Maybe that's it, then. You were her charity case. She felt bad for you… so lost and alone… and you mistook that for love!"
Tommy snarled, a terrifying anger swelling to life. A haze of red clouded his vision… but out of nowhere, a numbing fear froze him.
No…I can't fight him… Tommy realized, struggling to suppress the beast Jason's words had awakened, He's under a spell! He's just trying to hurt me, goad me into a fight. Jason… the real Jason… is in there somewhere. When this is over, I'll talk to him, not this twisted parody of him!
Tommy slowly stood upright, dropping his defense. Jason watched, perplexed, as Tommy stared him down.
Not breaking eye contact, the Red Ranger tilted his head, and spat out the blood that collected in his mouth. "Jason, I know it's not you talking. If you can hear me in there… I'll save you."
Jason scowled furiously. "What makes you think I want, or need your help?"
The fire in his eyes building, Jason dove for Tommy once again, grabbing the slimmer man by the throat. Tommy refused to fight back, and only struggled to ease the grip as the pair wandered to the edge of the pit of Maligore.
oooOOOooo
"Yes…" Kim murmured, rubbing her hands in delight, "Into the fire… into the fire…"
As the battle between the former and current Red Rangers escalated, all present were slowly entranced by the exchange. The Turbo Rangers were able to recover from the blows dealt by Jason, and even Katherine was given a respite after Kimberly set her crimson eyes on the fight.
All of Divatox's forces also watched the battle, some mutants placing bets on which of the humans would toss the other into Maligore's pit. And as their attention diverted elsewhere, the wizard Lerigot finally saw an opportunity for action.
The hours of rest after he'd opened the passage to Muiranthias had replenished him enough to cast simple spells. Holding his chubby hands forward, gentle energy flew from his fingertips, dancing in the air as it swirled to his target: the poor human girl entranced by evil.
Kimberly's eyes jerked wide as she felt the invasion. Her muscles froze as a cooling sensation sank into her body, slowly but surely calming the fires that raged within.
She felt the anger die… and was suddenly struck by guilt, anguish, hurt, confusion-
"No!" she screamed clutching her forehead. She could feel her strength fading… tears flooding in her eyes again- "I won't be weak… ever again"
She clenched her fists, urging the Flame of Destruction to burn even brighter. The inner flame blew out of control, eradicating the resurgent emotions. Instantly, fire began to leak from her eyes, drying the tears she had forbidden, and dripping to the sand below.
When she felt the comforting heat rise within, she settled her scorching glare on the Liarian. "Nice try, Ewok, but I'm not giving this up!"
Lerigot's large eyes widened as he felt his spell fade. In his weakened state, he didn't have enough power to cool the fire within her. It was astonishingly persistent.
Murmuring under his breath, he resolved to save the other poor innocent, forced to act against his will.
"Now I'm the one with the muscles and the power!" Jason roared, straining with all his might to push his opponent over the edge. Tommy fought to focus on keeping his balance… and not the brutal flames arcing from the pit, hungrily reaching for him.
The vicious former Ranger had no warning as the cooling white energy flooded him, causing him to gasp in shock.
Tommy watched as his best friend calmed, releasing his grip and collapsing… forward toward the flame.
"Jase!" Tommy gasped. Hope strengthening his body, Tommy grabbed careful hold on Jason, and managed to secure both against the ledge of the pit. Carefully, Tommy regained his balance, and eased Jason to the floor.
The former Red Ranger trembled with sudden cold as the inner fire faded… and his own personality washed back into place.
"Wh… wha?" he rasped, absently rubbing his face like a child arousing from deep sleep. He blinked in surprise when his hand colored with blood.
"You'll be fine, Jason," Tommy assured him, "Maligore's spell has been broken."
Jason noticed the distant tone in the Red Ranger's voice, and turned around. The instant he met the red-rimmed gaze, his breath caught as his disorientation faded completely. He remembered everything… every word he'd growled, every perverse thought that guided his action. He felt the blood on his hands, pounding first the other Turbo Rangers, and then his best friend, without the slightest drop of mercy or restraint.
His mouth instantly dry, he cast a furtive glance at the Red Ranger. "Tommy… what I… what I said-"
"We'll… talk later," Tommy determined, rigidly rising to his full height. "Once this mess is cleaned up."
"You wish, Tommy."
Tommy spun around, just enough to catch a fist with his cheek. He collapsed to the ground, blinking back tears to clear his vision.
Jason gaped at Kimberly, who hovered above them both, her eyes burning like red suns. "Kim…"
The gymnast rolled her eyes. "I'm disappointed, Jase. You could've stayed by my side, been partner to my revenge."
Jason opened his mouth to respond, but stopped when he noticed the hurt that swam in Tommy's eyes. Suddenly, he remembered Tommy's anguished question. "Is that why you… and Kim…?"
Jason's eyes widened. He doesn't think…
The Red Ranger collected his strength, and looked up to face her. "Kim, please-"
A wicked glimmer in Kimberly's eye hinted at the pain she was about to inflict… until, out of nowhere, a foot landed solidly in her face.
Tommy watched dumbly as Kimberly flew several yards across the chamber, collapsing into a boneless heap against the unyielding stone wall.
Horrified, he turned to stare at Katherine, who was still crouching from her landing.
Her rose helmet hid the hurt his accusing stare caused her. "Tommy, the kid gloves are off! She wasn't going to stop until she killed you."
Wordlessly, Tommy jumped to his feet, and raced to Kimberly's side. With trembling fingers, he gently brushed her caramel hair out of the way, and carefully turned her cheek.
She'd received a full-force Ranger kick in the left cheek, causing her face to turn an ugly shade of purple. Blood poured from her nose and mouth, dripping onto Tommy's glove.
The other Rangers gathered around Tommy, watching him lightly touch the angry bruise.
Katherine turned away, choosing to remain silent and separate.
Just then, the fire from the pit flared, creating a burst of energy that shook the entire temple.
"Maligore!" Justin hissed, clenching his fists, "He's waking up!"
Jason knelt beside Tommy. "I'll take care of Kim, and get the Liarians out of here. You've got a job to do, Red Ranger."
"Yeah," Tanya added, holding out his helmet, "and you'll probably need this."
Tommy nodded curtly to his best friend, and then slid the crimson helmet over his battered face. Slowly, he rose to his feet, settling his determined gaze on the pit of flame.
Suddenly, a mutated claw stretched from the pit, gripping onto the stone edge.
Tommy took a step toward it. "Guys, let's take this freak!"
oooOOOooo
The first thing she felt was the jostling of her entire body. Her arms and legs hung limply, her head cradled against something solid, yet not hard.
Then, she noticed the blinding pain that throbbed one side of her face, and made it almost impossible to open her left eye.
She inhaled sharply, and opened her good eye. She saw the darkened walls of the tunnel… the one that led out of the temple.
"Put me down."
Jason froze, the menace in his friend's voice so overwhelming, he didn't want to know what she'd do if he refused. Slowly, he lowered her feet to the ground, letting her stand on her own power.
Kimberly folded her arms, glaring hard at Jason. The absence of the rich red aura in his eyes spoke volumes. "I can't believe you gave this up!"
Jason bit his lip. "Listen to me… Lerigot can reverse the spell, free you-"
"I am free! I've never felt so good… so alive! Do you have the slightest idea how long it's been since I've been at peace?"
"Kim," he said patiently, "you're not at peace. You're furious… the Flame of Destruction has taken away your purity, leaving only hatred behind. Can't you feel it? You can't even be happy!"
Kimberly tossed a hateful glare at the Liarian trio. Yara gasped at the stare, hiding herself and her baby protectively behind her powerful husband. "You really gave in to this imp's silly cooling spell?"
Jason reached out, trying to grasp her hands. Yet, before he could even touch her, the heat she emitted burned his skin. "Kim, please. You've got to come back to us!"
Her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "Us? Oh, I get it… you mean you and the Rangers! You and Tommy! You're actually taking his side!"
"What?"
"I knew it," she hissed, slowly moving toward him, "Deep down, I knew that when the day came, you'd side with Tommy. After all, you're 'Buds.' 'Bros.' Does it matter at all that you were my brother first?"
Jason stared into Kim's flaming gaze, watching in horror as the fire dripped from her eyes, leaving a trail of brilliant flames on either side of her feet. He stepped backward.
He held his hands up in surrender as the wall touched his back. There was nowhere to go. "Kim. I can't fight you, and I can't stop you. I don't have the strength."
She hissed wordlessly, launching her fist toward his head. Jason closed his eyes, waiting for Death to take him… when he felt the vibration of a massive crash just left of him.
When he'd mustered the courage to open his eyes, he saw a deep hole just an inch away from him, smoke stretching up from the impact site.
And Kimberly was gone.
She didn't kill me, Jason realized, releasing a long breath, She held back!
He turned his eyes toward the burning fire that lit the end of the tunnel they'd come from.
Frustrated, he pounded his fist against the unyielding wall. "Dammit… she went back in there!"
And there was nothing he could do to help her.
oooOOOooo
Kimberly dashed through the tunnel, passing the rising pit of lava, dozens of prostrating natives, and scores of worthless Piranhatrons. Following the sound of battle, she found a precipice, reaching out from the volcano and offering a magnificent view of the southern shore of Muiranthias.
Just by the rocky cliffs, the new Turbo Megazord furiously pounded the molten monstrosity Maligore. Her jaw dropped when a final swing from the Megazord sent the father of her evil into the cooling ocean below.
Kimberly trembled in outrage as the blasted Zord performed its predictable victory salute. I can't fight them by myself…
Her thoughts were savagely interrupted by a loud wailing, forcing her to cover her ears.
"No no no no no!! My Maligore!"
Kimberly peeked over the edge of the precipice to see Divatox throttling one of her mutant servants as she sobbed hysterically.
"The volcano!" Rygog warned, reaching for purchase as the whole mountain shook, "It's erupting! We gotta get… outta here!"
"My plans!" the widow howled, "The money, the jewels, the universal domination! Oh, I didn't even get a honeymoon!"
She turned to her servant, and pointed her finger into the mutant's wrinkled face. "Rygog, you mark my words… someday the Power Rangers will pay for this. I never accept defeat!"
She released him and shook her first into the air. "Do you hear me, Rangers? I will have my revenge!!!"
The last child of Maligore smiled.
To Be Continued…