Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Power Rangers (*sob!*)
Summary: Some of the Rangers have to face one of their worst fears when tragedy strikes a former teammate.
Note: The Galaxy Rangers are mentioned in this chapter.
*** *
To Hell and Back -
Chapter Eight: Unlikely Alliance
* **
The evil warlock was sitting in his throne, alone in the dim room, brooding yet again. He could not help but dwell on the untimely death of Kimberly, and try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to move on.
"You must be mad, Zedd," he muttered angrily to himself. "You're becoming as bad as Zordon and his Rangers. Forget about her; she's gone."
"Maybe not."
Lord Zedd looked up wearily as a flash of blue beamed into his throne room. He blinked to see the Ranger uniform and the handsome helmet-less face of Jason Lee Scott.
"Did you steal a Power Coin, Red Ranger?" he asked wryly.
"It was given to me," Jason smirked. "Where are your warriors? I'd have thought they'd be ready and waiting to attack and kill me."
Zedd laughed. "Tempting. But I'll pass that opportunity up this time."
"I'm sure you know about Kimberly." Jason said, surprised, because Zordon seemed to have been right about Lord Zedd.
He was even more surprised at the sigh that escaped Lord Zedd. "Yes." The warlock admitted. "I know about her. Quite a tragedy, if I do say so myself. She was the best of all of you. The heart of your group."
Jason cocked an eyebrow. "Since when do you respect the heart, Zedd?"
"Since she showed me that heart by sparing my life."
Jason smiled. Who would have thought that one day he'd actually be standing here, having a civil conversation with the greatest enemy of his Ranger time? "She was something else. IS something else," he corrected.
"Is?" Lord Zedd's eyes lifted to meet Jason's.
"If she did die, Zedd, she didn't die normally. The life was ripped away from her, leaving only her body behind. Zordon thinks her essence, her soul, might possibly be trapped somewhere."
"I did have my suspicions."
Jason looked directly at him. "Do you know who Crayan is?"
Lord Zedd frowned. "Crayan . . . that name is familiar. I've heard it before . . . where have I heard of it?"
At that moment, Goldar entered the room, and did a double take at the sight of a Blue Ranger standing in front of his Lord. Zedd waved dismissively. "You needn't worry, Goldar. Jason is here to ask for information?"
"If I may be permitted to ask," Goldar squeaked, and Jaosn grinned at the shock on his face, "What information?"
"Someone named Crayan," Zedd sighed. "I cannot for the life of me remember - "
Jason and Lord Zedd were both astonished when Goldar mumbled: "If I may, Lord Zedd, I was the one who came here much earlier today to inform you of the rise of a demon in the west, near the planet of Aquitar. His name," the servant added, "Is Crayan."
"Goldar," Jason said compellingly, "What do you know of him?"
"He is gaining power, and desires to crush all good and other evil in our galaxy, thereby taking over earth and all other useful planets." Goldar explained. "My source confessed that he had heard of Crayan having an obsession with the Power Rangers, one of them in particular."
"Which one?" Jason snarled so furiously that Goldar took a step back, and Lord Zedd, who was frowning deeply, smiled.
Goldar shrugged. "I'm not sure, Red Ranger. Most likely the original Pink."
Jason briefly wondered why they insisted on calling him the Red Ranger, but instead, turned to Lord Zedd. "He's taken Kimberly's life from her and is probably holding some part of her captive, luring us to him and using her to destroy Zordon and the Rangers - not to mention his own obsession." He spat the last words out.
"It's possible, my Lord," Goldar commented from behind Jason. "Perhaps the Pink Ranger can be saved after all . . ." and with that, he left the room quickly.
"I have to find her," Jason sighed. "I'll have to get Zordon and Alpha to do anything they can to locate this Crayan and find out what kind of demon he is." He shook his head. "Thanks, Zedd. I'll be going now."
He was just about to press the button on his Power Coin to teleport back to the Command Centre, when Lord Zedd spoke.
"Jason, wait."
The former Ranger frowned. "Why?"
"I know where she is."
"What?" Jason stared. "But you didn't even know who Crayan was!"
Lord Zedd sighed and then smiled rather bitterly. "He has changed his name. A hundred years ago, he was a demon of darkness, the most powerful and dangerous of all. He had the ability to suck the life force from a being and trap the force in a vortex, from which there is no escape until he chooses some purpose for that life." He shrugged. "I believed Crayan was dead, killed by the warriors of that time. Apparently, he had been resurrected, and will now stop at nothing to regain his former power. If he does that," Zedd's eyes reflected a fleeting second of fear. "There is no hope for any of us."
Jason looked at him closely. "Will you tell me how to find her? I have to get her out, Zedd, and I'll destroy him in the process." He added in a growl.
Lord Zedd smiled wryly. "If only it was that easy. You might succeed, Jason, and if you do, the entire galaxy owes you a debt they can never repay. But to save Kimberly, you must enter the vortex and only when Crayan is dead can you and she escape it. If you do not kill him, you will be trapped with a essence spirit of Kimberly forever."
"No risk is too great for her." Jason said sharply.
Zedd smiled, but his voice and eyes were serious when he said, "It is hell, Jason. Worse than hell. Crayan is no ordinary demon." He paused. "You should enlist the help of the Zeo Rangers to assist you. Where are they?"
Jason sighed. "They don't care." He said, his voice sad and slightly bitter.
The warlock began to laugh and he stood up. "Come with me, Jason." He said, his voice full of amusement. "There's something I think you need to see."
Jason, puzzled, followed him to the jagged window. Lord Zedd waved a hand, and images began to rise up from the tiny planet of Earth and mingle in front of Jason's eyes. Surprised, he watched as Adam wept and Rocky sobbed. He watched as Tommy punched the wall until his fist bled and Kat rocked back and forth, hysterical. He saw Aisha crying uncontrollably and tears streaming down Billy's face. He heard screams of despair and dismay, cries of 'Come back, Kim' and 'I miss her'.
And then, it all disappeared.
"Maybe they do not love her as you do," Lord Zedd said quietly. "But they need her, Jason. They do care."
Jason turned to meet the warlock's eyes. "Do you care?"
Lord Zedd didn't say anything for a moment. Then he said: "I'm helping you, aren't I?"
"How do I enter the vortex?"
"Summon the Quasar Saber from one of the Galaxy Rangers of the future," Lord Zedd told him. "They are your successors, Jason, the ones who will follow in your footsteps one day. Evil help us," he muttered, making Jason laugh.
Jason frowned. "Whose Quasar Saber do I Summon?"
"Kendrix Morgan is Kimberly's eventual successor, the Pink Galaxy Ranger." Zedd explained. "But for you, her Quasar Saber would not be best. You are the original Red Ranger. Summon the Saber of Leo Corbett, the Red Galaxy Ranger. Incidentally, Jason, the Red Galaxy Ranger is also in love with the Pink one."
"Double effect." Jason smirked and closing his eyes, visualised the Quasar Saber that Zordon had once spoken of.
Touching his Power Coin, he yelled: "I Summon the Red Galaxy Quasar Saber to assist the original Red Ranger and temporary Blue Zeo Ranger in battle!"
The next second, a shining Saber appeared in his hand, glowing red. "Impressive," he commented, grinning at Lord Zedd. "Nothing quite like my Power Sword, though."
"We all have our attachments," Lord Zedd informed him. "I'm sure young Leo wouldn't be too pleased had he used your Power Sword sometime either." He paused and then said, "Press your teleportation button, and at the same time, flash the Saber at the 90 degree and then 120 degree wave. That will pierce the vortex so that you may enter."
"Okay." Jason nodded. He looked at Lord Zedd as he stepped backwards into an empty space.
The evil warlock's voice sounded strange as he said: "It's been an interesting day." He extended his massive arm towards Jason.
"Zedd, thank you." Jason clasped his arm for a moment. "I won't forget this."
"Ironic, isn't it?" Zedd watched Jason as he held up the Red Saber. "Today we're allies. Tomorrow we'll be enemies once more."
Jason smiled. "Maybe, but from now on I'm going to follow an old rule."
"And which one is that, Red Ranger?"
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." Jason winked and with a precise swish of the Saber, vanished in a shimmer of blue sparks.
Lord Zedd watched the sparks until they had disappeared, and shook his head wryly. "Good luck, Jason." He said softly in a gruff voice. "Take her home."
** TBC.
**
A/N: I'm very interested to know what people think of this chapter and how the story is going. Please R&R, I love getting feedback and appreciate what everyone has to say. Chapter Nine will be up as soon as I can finish it, because school starts tomorrow (and now that I'm in the tenth grade, the workload triples). Please review . . . and enjoy!
Summary: Some of the Rangers have to face one of their worst fears when tragedy strikes a former teammate.
Note: The Galaxy Rangers are mentioned in this chapter.
*** *
To Hell and Back -
Chapter Eight: Unlikely Alliance
* **
The evil warlock was sitting in his throne, alone in the dim room, brooding yet again. He could not help but dwell on the untimely death of Kimberly, and try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to move on.
"You must be mad, Zedd," he muttered angrily to himself. "You're becoming as bad as Zordon and his Rangers. Forget about her; she's gone."
"Maybe not."
Lord Zedd looked up wearily as a flash of blue beamed into his throne room. He blinked to see the Ranger uniform and the handsome helmet-less face of Jason Lee Scott.
"Did you steal a Power Coin, Red Ranger?" he asked wryly.
"It was given to me," Jason smirked. "Where are your warriors? I'd have thought they'd be ready and waiting to attack and kill me."
Zedd laughed. "Tempting. But I'll pass that opportunity up this time."
"I'm sure you know about Kimberly." Jason said, surprised, because Zordon seemed to have been right about Lord Zedd.
He was even more surprised at the sigh that escaped Lord Zedd. "Yes." The warlock admitted. "I know about her. Quite a tragedy, if I do say so myself. She was the best of all of you. The heart of your group."
Jason cocked an eyebrow. "Since when do you respect the heart, Zedd?"
"Since she showed me that heart by sparing my life."
Jason smiled. Who would have thought that one day he'd actually be standing here, having a civil conversation with the greatest enemy of his Ranger time? "She was something else. IS something else," he corrected.
"Is?" Lord Zedd's eyes lifted to meet Jason's.
"If she did die, Zedd, she didn't die normally. The life was ripped away from her, leaving only her body behind. Zordon thinks her essence, her soul, might possibly be trapped somewhere."
"I did have my suspicions."
Jason looked directly at him. "Do you know who Crayan is?"
Lord Zedd frowned. "Crayan . . . that name is familiar. I've heard it before . . . where have I heard of it?"
At that moment, Goldar entered the room, and did a double take at the sight of a Blue Ranger standing in front of his Lord. Zedd waved dismissively. "You needn't worry, Goldar. Jason is here to ask for information?"
"If I may be permitted to ask," Goldar squeaked, and Jaosn grinned at the shock on his face, "What information?"
"Someone named Crayan," Zedd sighed. "I cannot for the life of me remember - "
Jason and Lord Zedd were both astonished when Goldar mumbled: "If I may, Lord Zedd, I was the one who came here much earlier today to inform you of the rise of a demon in the west, near the planet of Aquitar. His name," the servant added, "Is Crayan."
"Goldar," Jason said compellingly, "What do you know of him?"
"He is gaining power, and desires to crush all good and other evil in our galaxy, thereby taking over earth and all other useful planets." Goldar explained. "My source confessed that he had heard of Crayan having an obsession with the Power Rangers, one of them in particular."
"Which one?" Jason snarled so furiously that Goldar took a step back, and Lord Zedd, who was frowning deeply, smiled.
Goldar shrugged. "I'm not sure, Red Ranger. Most likely the original Pink."
Jason briefly wondered why they insisted on calling him the Red Ranger, but instead, turned to Lord Zedd. "He's taken Kimberly's life from her and is probably holding some part of her captive, luring us to him and using her to destroy Zordon and the Rangers - not to mention his own obsession." He spat the last words out.
"It's possible, my Lord," Goldar commented from behind Jason. "Perhaps the Pink Ranger can be saved after all . . ." and with that, he left the room quickly.
"I have to find her," Jason sighed. "I'll have to get Zordon and Alpha to do anything they can to locate this Crayan and find out what kind of demon he is." He shook his head. "Thanks, Zedd. I'll be going now."
He was just about to press the button on his Power Coin to teleport back to the Command Centre, when Lord Zedd spoke.
"Jason, wait."
The former Ranger frowned. "Why?"
"I know where she is."
"What?" Jason stared. "But you didn't even know who Crayan was!"
Lord Zedd sighed and then smiled rather bitterly. "He has changed his name. A hundred years ago, he was a demon of darkness, the most powerful and dangerous of all. He had the ability to suck the life force from a being and trap the force in a vortex, from which there is no escape until he chooses some purpose for that life." He shrugged. "I believed Crayan was dead, killed by the warriors of that time. Apparently, he had been resurrected, and will now stop at nothing to regain his former power. If he does that," Zedd's eyes reflected a fleeting second of fear. "There is no hope for any of us."
Jason looked at him closely. "Will you tell me how to find her? I have to get her out, Zedd, and I'll destroy him in the process." He added in a growl.
Lord Zedd smiled wryly. "If only it was that easy. You might succeed, Jason, and if you do, the entire galaxy owes you a debt they can never repay. But to save Kimberly, you must enter the vortex and only when Crayan is dead can you and she escape it. If you do not kill him, you will be trapped with a essence spirit of Kimberly forever."
"No risk is too great for her." Jason said sharply.
Zedd smiled, but his voice and eyes were serious when he said, "It is hell, Jason. Worse than hell. Crayan is no ordinary demon." He paused. "You should enlist the help of the Zeo Rangers to assist you. Where are they?"
Jason sighed. "They don't care." He said, his voice sad and slightly bitter.
The warlock began to laugh and he stood up. "Come with me, Jason." He said, his voice full of amusement. "There's something I think you need to see."
Jason, puzzled, followed him to the jagged window. Lord Zedd waved a hand, and images began to rise up from the tiny planet of Earth and mingle in front of Jason's eyes. Surprised, he watched as Adam wept and Rocky sobbed. He watched as Tommy punched the wall until his fist bled and Kat rocked back and forth, hysterical. He saw Aisha crying uncontrollably and tears streaming down Billy's face. He heard screams of despair and dismay, cries of 'Come back, Kim' and 'I miss her'.
And then, it all disappeared.
"Maybe they do not love her as you do," Lord Zedd said quietly. "But they need her, Jason. They do care."
Jason turned to meet the warlock's eyes. "Do you care?"
Lord Zedd didn't say anything for a moment. Then he said: "I'm helping you, aren't I?"
"How do I enter the vortex?"
"Summon the Quasar Saber from one of the Galaxy Rangers of the future," Lord Zedd told him. "They are your successors, Jason, the ones who will follow in your footsteps one day. Evil help us," he muttered, making Jason laugh.
Jason frowned. "Whose Quasar Saber do I Summon?"
"Kendrix Morgan is Kimberly's eventual successor, the Pink Galaxy Ranger." Zedd explained. "But for you, her Quasar Saber would not be best. You are the original Red Ranger. Summon the Saber of Leo Corbett, the Red Galaxy Ranger. Incidentally, Jason, the Red Galaxy Ranger is also in love with the Pink one."
"Double effect." Jason smirked and closing his eyes, visualised the Quasar Saber that Zordon had once spoken of.
Touching his Power Coin, he yelled: "I Summon the Red Galaxy Quasar Saber to assist the original Red Ranger and temporary Blue Zeo Ranger in battle!"
The next second, a shining Saber appeared in his hand, glowing red. "Impressive," he commented, grinning at Lord Zedd. "Nothing quite like my Power Sword, though."
"We all have our attachments," Lord Zedd informed him. "I'm sure young Leo wouldn't be too pleased had he used your Power Sword sometime either." He paused and then said, "Press your teleportation button, and at the same time, flash the Saber at the 90 degree and then 120 degree wave. That will pierce the vortex so that you may enter."
"Okay." Jason nodded. He looked at Lord Zedd as he stepped backwards into an empty space.
The evil warlock's voice sounded strange as he said: "It's been an interesting day." He extended his massive arm towards Jason.
"Zedd, thank you." Jason clasped his arm for a moment. "I won't forget this."
"Ironic, isn't it?" Zedd watched Jason as he held up the Red Saber. "Today we're allies. Tomorrow we'll be enemies once more."
Jason smiled. "Maybe, but from now on I'm going to follow an old rule."
"And which one is that, Red Ranger?"
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." Jason winked and with a precise swish of the Saber, vanished in a shimmer of blue sparks.
Lord Zedd watched the sparks until they had disappeared, and shook his head wryly. "Good luck, Jason." He said softly in a gruff voice. "Take her home."
** TBC.
**
A/N: I'm very interested to know what people think of this chapter and how the story is going. Please R&R, I love getting feedback and appreciate what everyone has to say. Chapter Nine will be up as soon as I can finish it, because school starts tomorrow (and now that I'm in the tenth grade, the workload triples). Please review . . . and enjoy!
