Chapter Ten
The rangers continued to stare at their new team member in astonishment. "How did you know to come here?" Shane asked.
Marah smiled, at the moment a peaceful serenity had invaded her. "The voice told me, the guardian of the morpher" she stared at Dustin, hoping and praying he'd say something.
"Dustin are you all right?" But it was clear his fever was now coming back.
"I'm fine I'm just a little stunned by these events that's all" His voice sounded hoarse. "I don't get it I was fine when I came here".
Marah used her powers to scan him, "you were able to make this journey here, your body allowed you a temporary respite but now you're going back to the way you were".
"I'm a little confused, besides my head is really throbbing".
"All right what Lother and Electro did to you has screwed up your body left your immune system shot but I can heal you, you need to trust me".
Dustin stared at her, "you proved yourself to be worthy to get the morpher or whatever they made you do. Yes I'll trust you to help me".
Marah turned to the other rangers, "this ritual can only be witnessed by the two of us".
Shane touched Dustin's shoulder, "you'll be ok?"
"Yeah I want to be able to stand up without feeling sick. Also I want to pay Lother and Electro back".
Shane slowly led the other rangers back to Ninja Ops leaving the yellow and new pink ranger alone.
Marah stared at the man she now knew she loved but he gave no sign of how he felt. His eyes were getting feverish once again and he looked ready to fall on his face.
"Dustin I need you to trust me completely and without hesitation".
"I trust you, you got me off of Lother's ship didn't you, so I know you won't kill me".
Marah didn't laugh at that. Although he was standing right in front of her there might as well have been a chasm between them. She took his hand. "Dustin in order for this ritual to work you have to go into it with an open heart and complete trust in me".
He nodded trying to clear away the fog and doubt that gnawed at him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Um Dustin you need your eyes open for this".
"Sorry I'm just a little."
Marah looked at him, "its ok I'm wondering what will come next as well, its all right if you don't trust me completely, I'll let my actions speak for me".
Her eyes began to glow making him stay in place unable to move while their joined hands seemed to tingle and she began to chant. "Powers of Light, Powers of Darkness join together, heal this soul I have joined with and guide us both with you light".
Dustin's eyes tried to avert themselves as a bright light converged on him and enveloped him. Marah sent him strength and reassurance as it traveled through his body healing him physically.
He had no idea how much time had passed before it was over but they stood there in the same place they were before the ritual had started.
"Whoa that was weird how long has it been since we began?" "About two hours you were hurt quite badly".
He looked at her. "Didn't it drain you I mean you were pummeled very recently yourself" he then flinched, nice choice of words, told himself.
"I'm not human we can heal very quickly if nothing interferes". She looked at him and had no idea what to say next.
"We better get back to Ninja Ops; the others might be getting worried about us".
Marah nodded, it wasn't what she was hoping to hear but it was quite apparent there was now a chasm between them.
The other rangers stood around the computer screen watching them return. "Sensei did you know about the seventh morpher?" Tori asked.
"It was always regarded as legend but now it is real".
Cam was searching the computer database that had been used in creation of the zords and morphers. "I can't find anything about the pink morpher and the scroll the was brought back from Lother's ship doesn't tell us a thing".
"It was Marah's vision that led her to the scroll maybe she is meant to have another one".
In orbit of Earth, Lother looked down seething. Seven Power Rangers! Six was bad enough but there were now seven. Worst of all that scroll was the last one he had possessed that he had stolen before he was banished.
He had read them but it told nothing of the new ranger's zord or power disk. Marah will have to go on a quest to find those two things and when she does I'll be there to destroy her.
Marah and Dustin returned to Ninja Ops to the relief of their friends. "Marah did your vision tell you anything about your zord or power disk?" Cam asked.
"No it just lead me to the morpher"
Sensei looked up at her, "I'm sure you'll soon know".
Marah looked at her new friends, "is he trying to tell me something?"
Cam smiled at her, "you'll soon get used to him".
Later that night as she laid asleep the fog poured in again but she didn't fear it, she welcomed it. She found herself standing it with the very same person from the forest.
"Go to the mountains and find the trees in the shape of an x, there all the powers you have only dreamt of will be yours".
"Who are you?" she asked.
"All of you will know soon enough".
Marah opened her eyes to darkness. She couldn't wait a moment longer she had to tell the others. Dustin was the first person she found. He raised his eyebrows. "Sensei was right on the money".
"What money was he standing on?" she asked confused.
"A human expression you have quite a bit of learning to do, but you got all the time to do it now".
He rounded up the others all of whom looked tired but alert and they set out toward the mountains clear above Ninja Ops. "You know the person who hid it must've had a great sense of humor, hiding it beneath everyone's noses" Blake commented.
Cam as always had an answer for everything, "probably wanted to make it easier for future generations".
Shane simply rolled his eyes as they walked along, "keep your eyes peeled".
When they entered a clearing Marah felt a funny feeling in her stomach and knelt down to the ground and began digging. Soon she came up with a power disk just like the others.
"Ok if somebody went through the trouble of hiding a morpher why would they let the disk be found so easily?" Shane asked warily.
Marah couldn't answer as a vision flooded her eyes. It was of Lother before his banishment chasing someone. Wait it was awhile after the fact. He was trying to get the scroll that contained information on it, it was about the morpher.
She couldn't see the person's face but knew that person was terrified. She saw Lother shoot that person down and take the scroll. She gasped and came back to the present. "Lother must've found out and that person didn't have much time, in fact his victim is still here, turned to dust".
A quiet pervaded the group as they wondered what to do next. Finally Marah spoke, "we need to continue on, the sooner I get my powers, the sooner we can make Lother pay for all he has done".
They continued on after Shane nodded his agreement. Soon they reached the bottom of the peak and the fluttery feeling in her stomach returned. "This I must do alone".
"Be careful" Dustin told her.
She smiled back at him; maybe there was hope for the two of them yet. "I intend to, I haven't come this far to be defeated".
She climbed up refusing to use her powers; I must do this by my own will. It was how I got my morpher and how I rescued Dustin.
At the base of the mountain the six rangers jumped to action as dozens of Kelzaks appeared. Lother watching from behind some trees smiled. Now it was time to deal with Marah.
Marah had no idea how longed she had climbed but her body screamed in protest. Finally she reached the top. "All right I've come! What is next?"
"Your destruction!" an all to familiar voice told her.
She turned to see Lother. Calmly she raised her morpher and spoke. "Pink Ranger Ninja Form!" In a flash she made her transformation and the battle was on.
He raised his hand and shot out a bolt of energy but she quickly jumped out of the way. "Give up the others will never accept you, you'll never find your zord, and that yellow ranger may not share you affections. Isn't he the reason you're doing this?"
Marah stood before him straight and proud. "No I'm doing this because I intend to defeat you and make you pay for all that you've done. If Dustin no longer has feelings for me so be it".
She got out her blaster but he was faster and she found herself hanging over the side of the cliff. Lother stood over her triumphant. "Beg me for mercy".
Marah snickered; if she would die she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of anything. "You sound more and more like a bad movie every time I see you".
Lother let out a scream of rage and prepared an energy strike when an invisible force seemed to lift him right off his feet. Marah didn't know what was going on but quickly pulled herself up to safety.
Someone in a weird robe stood there it was the guardian of the morpher she was sure of it. Lother's eyes filled with rage and recognition. "I KILLED YOU!"
The ghostly figure spoke, "yes you tried to defeat me but you failed. Now the rangers are strong and soon your days will be numbered". He threw Lother back into the rock knocking him out cold.
He then turned to face Marah who quickly powered down. She was no longer afraid of him. "Who are you?"
"You will find out when it is time". He vanished slowly but Marah knew she would see this person again and she looked forward to it.
She soon came to a cave that bared the same writing as the scroll and slowly made her way inside. "Guardian please guide me".
His soothing voice came, use your heart, clear your mind of doubt and fear. Everything will happen as it is destined.
Marah took a deep breath and spoke. "Zord I am here to claim you as the scroll foretold".
Suddenly another robed figure materialized, "you must get past me first".
Marah stood proud and straight, it was a miracle her back hadn't stiffened. "Very well".
"Why should the zord be given to you?"
"I'm the pink ranger and I made it all the way up here?"
"Good start so far, are you doing this for the love of the yellow ranger?"
"No I'm doing this because I want to be good, to make up for all that I've done".
"What have you done?"
Marah sighed, what did this being want from her?
"I served Lother who was once my uncle but I will never call him that again. He made me do his evil bidding. I thought I could belong if I did it but now I have found a place to belong. He confessed to killing my father, so yes I want to avenge that".
She trailed off then looked into the spirit's eyes, "I want to atone to make up for what he has done. I want to use my heart and not be ashamed".
The spirit came closer, "would you give up your alien powers?"
Marah nodded tears streaming down her face, this day was emotionally draining. "I'd give my life".
Suddenly a scroll appeared in her hands. "You have proven yourself to be the destined one, your willingness to sacrifice your own life was the proof I needed. The Guardian chose well. These scrolls will help you in the future".
The spirit soon vanished. Marah's reserves of strength were gone and she sank to her knees sobbing. She had done it she could now feel proud of herself. For the first time in her whole life she was doing something worthwhile.
She soon got up and continued on her quest. The fluttery feeling within her stomach guiding her She wondered for a brief moment if it was her father's soul that was guiding her. He had been killed when she was four. Kapri who had been ten at the time had told her it was because he hadn't been evil enough.
Kapri must take after our mother, who had been Lother's most devoted follower when she was alive. Lother had totally brainwashed her. It had been suspected mother had killed father at Lother's urging.
Many wondered including Marah herself if the rumor that Lother was her mother's lover was true. It no longer matters she had gotten what she deserved, death by a slow killing disease and having Lother abandon her so he could continue his quest for domination.
Marah came back to the present. Lother would someday pay for everything; pretty much everyone in the universe had a grudge against him. She came to a sealed chamber but knew what she had to do.
"Pink Wildcat come to me". She gaped in astonishment as a green glow came and the rocks seemed to vaporize just like that and a wildcat stood there. Marah smiled in delight it was time to see what this zord could do.
On the bottom of the cliff the rangers had to contend with Sneeze Maker who lived up to his name when suddenly a bolt of energy shot him down. The six rangers looked at each other it hadn't come from them.
Suddenly a megazord appeared in the shape of a pink wildcat yet it didn't look liked it had been built naturally. Marah soon appeared next to them. "Pretty neat huh?"
Hunter gaped, "that thing wasn't built?"
"Not that I can see but I inherited some new scrolls".
Soon the other zords were called and Sneeze Maker was soon blown to bits, the remaining Kelzaks quickly retreated.
"That was incredible!" That came from Shane who was normally the more reserved one.
Marah smiled, "thanks for letting me fire the final shot".
Dustin smiled, "welcome to the team".
"I second that" Tori replied.
Their celebration was cut short as Lother appeared, "enjoy your victory rangers, I've barely gotten started. Someday somehow I will destroy you".
With that he vanished into a haze of green light.
The rangers continued to stare at their new team member in astonishment. "How did you know to come here?" Shane asked.
Marah smiled, at the moment a peaceful serenity had invaded her. "The voice told me, the guardian of the morpher" she stared at Dustin, hoping and praying he'd say something.
"Dustin are you all right?" But it was clear his fever was now coming back.
"I'm fine I'm just a little stunned by these events that's all" His voice sounded hoarse. "I don't get it I was fine when I came here".
Marah used her powers to scan him, "you were able to make this journey here, your body allowed you a temporary respite but now you're going back to the way you were".
"I'm a little confused, besides my head is really throbbing".
"All right what Lother and Electro did to you has screwed up your body left your immune system shot but I can heal you, you need to trust me".
Dustin stared at her, "you proved yourself to be worthy to get the morpher or whatever they made you do. Yes I'll trust you to help me".
Marah turned to the other rangers, "this ritual can only be witnessed by the two of us".
Shane touched Dustin's shoulder, "you'll be ok?"
"Yeah I want to be able to stand up without feeling sick. Also I want to pay Lother and Electro back".
Shane slowly led the other rangers back to Ninja Ops leaving the yellow and new pink ranger alone.
Marah stared at the man she now knew she loved but he gave no sign of how he felt. His eyes were getting feverish once again and he looked ready to fall on his face.
"Dustin I need you to trust me completely and without hesitation".
"I trust you, you got me off of Lother's ship didn't you, so I know you won't kill me".
Marah didn't laugh at that. Although he was standing right in front of her there might as well have been a chasm between them. She took his hand. "Dustin in order for this ritual to work you have to go into it with an open heart and complete trust in me".
He nodded trying to clear away the fog and doubt that gnawed at him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Um Dustin you need your eyes open for this".
"Sorry I'm just a little."
Marah looked at him, "its ok I'm wondering what will come next as well, its all right if you don't trust me completely, I'll let my actions speak for me".
Her eyes began to glow making him stay in place unable to move while their joined hands seemed to tingle and she began to chant. "Powers of Light, Powers of Darkness join together, heal this soul I have joined with and guide us both with you light".
Dustin's eyes tried to avert themselves as a bright light converged on him and enveloped him. Marah sent him strength and reassurance as it traveled through his body healing him physically.
He had no idea how much time had passed before it was over but they stood there in the same place they were before the ritual had started.
"Whoa that was weird how long has it been since we began?" "About two hours you were hurt quite badly".
He looked at her. "Didn't it drain you I mean you were pummeled very recently yourself" he then flinched, nice choice of words, told himself.
"I'm not human we can heal very quickly if nothing interferes". She looked at him and had no idea what to say next.
"We better get back to Ninja Ops; the others might be getting worried about us".
Marah nodded, it wasn't what she was hoping to hear but it was quite apparent there was now a chasm between them.
The other rangers stood around the computer screen watching them return. "Sensei did you know about the seventh morpher?" Tori asked.
"It was always regarded as legend but now it is real".
Cam was searching the computer database that had been used in creation of the zords and morphers. "I can't find anything about the pink morpher and the scroll the was brought back from Lother's ship doesn't tell us a thing".
"It was Marah's vision that led her to the scroll maybe she is meant to have another one".
In orbit of Earth, Lother looked down seething. Seven Power Rangers! Six was bad enough but there were now seven. Worst of all that scroll was the last one he had possessed that he had stolen before he was banished.
He had read them but it told nothing of the new ranger's zord or power disk. Marah will have to go on a quest to find those two things and when she does I'll be there to destroy her.
Marah and Dustin returned to Ninja Ops to the relief of their friends. "Marah did your vision tell you anything about your zord or power disk?" Cam asked.
"No it just lead me to the morpher"
Sensei looked up at her, "I'm sure you'll soon know".
Marah looked at her new friends, "is he trying to tell me something?"
Cam smiled at her, "you'll soon get used to him".
Later that night as she laid asleep the fog poured in again but she didn't fear it, she welcomed it. She found herself standing it with the very same person from the forest.
"Go to the mountains and find the trees in the shape of an x, there all the powers you have only dreamt of will be yours".
"Who are you?" she asked.
"All of you will know soon enough".
Marah opened her eyes to darkness. She couldn't wait a moment longer she had to tell the others. Dustin was the first person she found. He raised his eyebrows. "Sensei was right on the money".
"What money was he standing on?" she asked confused.
"A human expression you have quite a bit of learning to do, but you got all the time to do it now".
He rounded up the others all of whom looked tired but alert and they set out toward the mountains clear above Ninja Ops. "You know the person who hid it must've had a great sense of humor, hiding it beneath everyone's noses" Blake commented.
Cam as always had an answer for everything, "probably wanted to make it easier for future generations".
Shane simply rolled his eyes as they walked along, "keep your eyes peeled".
When they entered a clearing Marah felt a funny feeling in her stomach and knelt down to the ground and began digging. Soon she came up with a power disk just like the others.
"Ok if somebody went through the trouble of hiding a morpher why would they let the disk be found so easily?" Shane asked warily.
Marah couldn't answer as a vision flooded her eyes. It was of Lother before his banishment chasing someone. Wait it was awhile after the fact. He was trying to get the scroll that contained information on it, it was about the morpher.
She couldn't see the person's face but knew that person was terrified. She saw Lother shoot that person down and take the scroll. She gasped and came back to the present. "Lother must've found out and that person didn't have much time, in fact his victim is still here, turned to dust".
A quiet pervaded the group as they wondered what to do next. Finally Marah spoke, "we need to continue on, the sooner I get my powers, the sooner we can make Lother pay for all he has done".
They continued on after Shane nodded his agreement. Soon they reached the bottom of the peak and the fluttery feeling in her stomach returned. "This I must do alone".
"Be careful" Dustin told her.
She smiled back at him; maybe there was hope for the two of them yet. "I intend to, I haven't come this far to be defeated".
She climbed up refusing to use her powers; I must do this by my own will. It was how I got my morpher and how I rescued Dustin.
At the base of the mountain the six rangers jumped to action as dozens of Kelzaks appeared. Lother watching from behind some trees smiled. Now it was time to deal with Marah.
Marah had no idea how longed she had climbed but her body screamed in protest. Finally she reached the top. "All right I've come! What is next?"
"Your destruction!" an all to familiar voice told her.
She turned to see Lother. Calmly she raised her morpher and spoke. "Pink Ranger Ninja Form!" In a flash she made her transformation and the battle was on.
He raised his hand and shot out a bolt of energy but she quickly jumped out of the way. "Give up the others will never accept you, you'll never find your zord, and that yellow ranger may not share you affections. Isn't he the reason you're doing this?"
Marah stood before him straight and proud. "No I'm doing this because I intend to defeat you and make you pay for all that you've done. If Dustin no longer has feelings for me so be it".
She got out her blaster but he was faster and she found herself hanging over the side of the cliff. Lother stood over her triumphant. "Beg me for mercy".
Marah snickered; if she would die she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of anything. "You sound more and more like a bad movie every time I see you".
Lother let out a scream of rage and prepared an energy strike when an invisible force seemed to lift him right off his feet. Marah didn't know what was going on but quickly pulled herself up to safety.
Someone in a weird robe stood there it was the guardian of the morpher she was sure of it. Lother's eyes filled with rage and recognition. "I KILLED YOU!"
The ghostly figure spoke, "yes you tried to defeat me but you failed. Now the rangers are strong and soon your days will be numbered". He threw Lother back into the rock knocking him out cold.
He then turned to face Marah who quickly powered down. She was no longer afraid of him. "Who are you?"
"You will find out when it is time". He vanished slowly but Marah knew she would see this person again and she looked forward to it.
She soon came to a cave that bared the same writing as the scroll and slowly made her way inside. "Guardian please guide me".
His soothing voice came, use your heart, clear your mind of doubt and fear. Everything will happen as it is destined.
Marah took a deep breath and spoke. "Zord I am here to claim you as the scroll foretold".
Suddenly another robed figure materialized, "you must get past me first".
Marah stood proud and straight, it was a miracle her back hadn't stiffened. "Very well".
"Why should the zord be given to you?"
"I'm the pink ranger and I made it all the way up here?"
"Good start so far, are you doing this for the love of the yellow ranger?"
"No I'm doing this because I want to be good, to make up for all that I've done".
"What have you done?"
Marah sighed, what did this being want from her?
"I served Lother who was once my uncle but I will never call him that again. He made me do his evil bidding. I thought I could belong if I did it but now I have found a place to belong. He confessed to killing my father, so yes I want to avenge that".
She trailed off then looked into the spirit's eyes, "I want to atone to make up for what he has done. I want to use my heart and not be ashamed".
The spirit came closer, "would you give up your alien powers?"
Marah nodded tears streaming down her face, this day was emotionally draining. "I'd give my life".
Suddenly a scroll appeared in her hands. "You have proven yourself to be the destined one, your willingness to sacrifice your own life was the proof I needed. The Guardian chose well. These scrolls will help you in the future".
The spirit soon vanished. Marah's reserves of strength were gone and she sank to her knees sobbing. She had done it she could now feel proud of herself. For the first time in her whole life she was doing something worthwhile.
She soon got up and continued on her quest. The fluttery feeling within her stomach guiding her She wondered for a brief moment if it was her father's soul that was guiding her. He had been killed when she was four. Kapri who had been ten at the time had told her it was because he hadn't been evil enough.
Kapri must take after our mother, who had been Lother's most devoted follower when she was alive. Lother had totally brainwashed her. It had been suspected mother had killed father at Lother's urging.
Many wondered including Marah herself if the rumor that Lother was her mother's lover was true. It no longer matters she had gotten what she deserved, death by a slow killing disease and having Lother abandon her so he could continue his quest for domination.
Marah came back to the present. Lother would someday pay for everything; pretty much everyone in the universe had a grudge against him. She came to a sealed chamber but knew what she had to do.
"Pink Wildcat come to me". She gaped in astonishment as a green glow came and the rocks seemed to vaporize just like that and a wildcat stood there. Marah smiled in delight it was time to see what this zord could do.
On the bottom of the cliff the rangers had to contend with Sneeze Maker who lived up to his name when suddenly a bolt of energy shot him down. The six rangers looked at each other it hadn't come from them.
Suddenly a megazord appeared in the shape of a pink wildcat yet it didn't look liked it had been built naturally. Marah soon appeared next to them. "Pretty neat huh?"
Hunter gaped, "that thing wasn't built?"
"Not that I can see but I inherited some new scrolls".
Soon the other zords were called and Sneeze Maker was soon blown to bits, the remaining Kelzaks quickly retreated.
"That was incredible!" That came from Shane who was normally the more reserved one.
Marah smiled, "thanks for letting me fire the final shot".
Dustin smiled, "welcome to the team".
"I second that" Tori replied.
Their celebration was cut short as Lother appeared, "enjoy your victory rangers, I've barely gotten started. Someday somehow I will destroy you".
With that he vanished into a haze of green light.