Authors note - We've made a few...okay more then a few assumptions here, for example making Jason the White Ranger, and also clarifying Tommy as the Black Ranger before he even admits he has that gem on the show. But guess what we control THIS world and personally think our idea of making Jase a Ranger again makes sense, so deal with it and love us for it.
Time frame - We've skipped ahead a few months to after Tommy has admitted he's the holder of the black gem and Jason has reveled himself as the White Ranger. As we have no clue how that goes down on the show, you will be favored with flash backs of it happening in later parts. *Bows* Thank you.
Summary - Just how much is Tommy into dinosaurs? Time to hear his tail. This story is about to get very interesting indeed.
Too Late?
(December 15th, 2004)
Someone kill me. Please, just slit my throat and kill me already. As the pain amazingly increases still, I really wish I had the energy to piss him off enough to make him just kill me, anything but this. Sobbing in agony and submission, I've given up trying to jerk my hands free of the shackles he's bound them with. My wrists are scrapped raw now I'm sure, along with the rest of me.
Blood soaking the sheets under and around me, I'm amazed I'm still alive with all I've lost, but then Mercer always did know just exactly how far he was able to go whether it be with people or his experiments...or both.
Finally growing tired, he tosses his last tool aside, before wiping his bloody hands off on my back. "You always were a good pet. Probably the only thing you were good for." Sneering and moving off of the bed, and me he throws a few more comments my way that I don't want to catch. When I curl up on my side as much as the restraints will allow, he now sounds a bit more then pissed. "Stop it. You always were such a human about everything! You act like all this is new to you." Yeah well guess I just forgot what it was like to be one of those lab bunnies that has their ears clipped and paws dipped in acid and brains cut open; you mutated, reptile-headed freak.
Shutting my mouth tightly in an attempt to stop my crying, I try to focus again on something, anything else than what just happened. Not thinking about how he's gonna drag me back to his new twisted base and probably turn me into some freak like him. Nope not thinking about, well not that I'm not a freak like him already, well slightly. When muttering, he finally frees me from the shackles; I know it's all over. There is no way I can get out of here and get help, or even down to the control room and get my morpher. No cannot lead him to the control room, that would be bad, Tom, very bad.
"Get up." Is he kidding me? I'm bleeding from every inch of my body not to mention how he'd gotten me in the face and eye with the belt. "I said get up!" Okay trying to get up then.
Hiccuping and pushing myself up in the pool of blood, I don't even make it halfway before falling right back down. Ow! Not good. After two more failed attempts I give up. I'm just going to lay here and moan and cry weakly and wait to pass out or die. Do whatever you want to me; I give up.
Growling and hissing, he yanks me up by the neck, throwing me like a rag doll into the nearest wall. Why can't I pass out or just die already?! Oh look, I made the wall all red. Sagging in a heap to the floor and burying/protecting my face in my arms, I can hear him moving about the room. I don't wanna know, I don't wanna know, I don't wan-ow! Not that arm! I think that arm's broken! Yanked up by my worse arm, he tosses me back on the bed halfway. Don't like this, bad, bad feeling. Will you please just kill me?
"You worthless, pathetic, creature." At least I don't have a mutated, melty, lizard head. "You love studying dinosaurs so much but yet you refuse to accept being a part of them, well once I get you back to the compound well fix that. You'd look just fabulous with your nice belly full of scales, perhaps we'll do something about that common face of yours, yes a nice green and purple snout, perhaps a forked tongue, we can do that easily enough with just a knife." He will too, I know he will, it's not like this is the first time he's tried it, come to think of it I was really lucky the last time, I walked away looking normal for the most part. Just think Tom, if you hadn't been semi protected by the gem, you could look like him right now instead of just having your hideable problem.
(4 years prior, Mercer/Oliver Island)
"Fix it! Fix it!" Looking at Mercer pleadingly as I jump around the lab trying to take my mind off the pain, I once more smack myself with the god awful deformity growing out of my butt. How could this happen?! When could this happen?! This is insane! I said I wanted to create dinosaurs not be one myself!
"Okay first of all, this is not exactly a zit, Thomas, I can't rub some cream on you and make it go away." Looking at the blood he'd extracted from my new tail, he sighs and rubs his temples. "It's part of your body, Thomas. It's grown from an extension of your spinal cord and from the scans and tissue samples I've taken, it's got the same make up of a reptilian tail, interesting." It is not interesting damn it! It's horrible and it hurts! "It would appear you're spine has elongated considerably, and the 'scales' as you refer to the darkened skin, are more related to actual flesh then scales, very interesting indeed."
Grabbing his arm, I pull him around to face me. "Will you stop saying that! Why are you not more concerned here?! What if I somehow got some of the DNA we were working on in me? What if this isn't the only change that's gonna happen? Help me and stop standing there saying this is interesting, damn it! I need a doctor, or a hospital, do something!" Why doesn't he seem more concerned here?!
Looking at me a bit miffed, he shakes his head. "You're over reacting." I have a tail! This is not over reacting! "Calm yourself and try to think of this logically. Say I took you back to the mainland and to a hospital, what do you think they're going to do to you?"
"Probably care a hell of a lot more about this than you obviously do!" What am I gonna do? I can't have a tail, it's nearly to the floor, dear god I'm a mutated freak!
"Yes they will, and do you know why? Because they will very quickly have you moved to a glass room where they'll poke and probe you and do about fifty dozen painful experiments on you and you're new...friend. Now do you really want to live out the rest of your days that way? Or would you rather calm yourself and let me find a way to fix this." I'd feel better about it if I didn't think I'd be getting the same fifty dozen experiments here too.
When I take a few breaths and mutter fix it, he nods patiently. "Good. Now then, calmly tell me just how did you say this happened again?"
"I told you I don't know! I was sitting in my room feeling really lonely and bad and sick and all the sudden the pain nearly knocked me out and when it finally settled, I look back and it's there!" Okay so that's not exactly the whole truth, there was that whole matter with the gem, but I'm not even sure if I trust him enough to tell him that now. He's been acting so weird lately and the rush of power I got when I held the gem, I know that rush, I've gotten it too many times before to not understand what it means now. Besides, it's a rock. True, it might very well be a rock from some Rangering planet considering how it felt, but it shouldn't make me grow a tail! And now that I'm on the matter, I think it's a hell of a lot more likely I just somehow got some of our samples or DNA we're working on in me.
"Well...I suppose I could cut it off." What?! It's nearly to the ground and as thick as my arm, oh and not to mentioned attached to me! How are you gonna cut it off?!
"No!" Holding the stupid thing, I may not like it, but I don't exactly want an ax or laser taken to it. Besides it's not hurting so bad now. "Just make it go back to normal, make it go away."
"I can't. I don't know exactly how you suddenly got it thus I can't make it suddenly go away." Looking at the samples again, why isn't he caring more here?! "Hmm...you said it happened when you were alone and upset...perhaps it's linked to your emotions you're body seems to be producing an excessive amount of hormones right now so perhaps if you stop crying and calm yourself it'll reduce to a smaller size or go away as you say." Real helpful, and what if it doesn't? "Why don't you go back to your room and lay down for a while."
"But-" Why isn't he seeing how wrong this is?!
"Go. I'll check on you later, but there's nothing I can do now, so you might as well go lay down and calm yourself. I'll figure something out, don't worry." Why am I not comforted?
(Two hours and one sedated nap later)
"Ow." Sitting up with a groan, I absently reach back to touch my new appendage only to find nothing but a very bad sore spot on my lower back. "What the....it's gone." Looking back, I breath a huge sigh of relief to see it is indeed gone and there's not skin missing, so Mercer apparently didn't hack it off. Oh thank you, oh my god, I feel so much better now, I feel like jumping up and down, or running, or yelling, but I...I...I kind of miss it.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I pull the black gem from my pocket and frown as it shines almost metrically in the dim room lighting. That couldn't have been from this, it just couldn't have been. "What do you wanna bet it's more than likely from all those test and meds Mercer's been giving you, huh Tom?" I'm sorry but he didn't exactly seem concerned or surprised to see the thing. I think it's about time I did a little investigating. First thing's first though, I need to find out just what triggers my new 'friend' there. The last thing I need is to walking down the hall and suddenly having it breaking through the small of my back again.
Pocketing the gem and getting up, I move to the door. "Let's see just what he's been doing to 'help' me since I've gotten here."
Clinging to him, only on instinct so I don't collapse in anguish, I'm finally dragged from the room and back down the stairs nearly falling down twice. I really wish I had my tail right now, but what luck, can't control when the damn thing grows and recedes any more than I can control Mercer really. But man would that be nice to smack him with it. I still say the psycho's the one responsible for it too, he altered me somehow with all those tests and drugs he did, claiming they were to help me, right, had he helped me anymore I'd probably look like him now.
Once more I can't help but wonder if my gem actually aided in my mutation or restrained it to a minimum. Maybe if I hadn't claimed the gem, I would look like he does. Bad, bad thoughts, now is just not the time.
"Food now." Dragging me to the kitchen and throwing me on the wood floor, he turns around and moves back for the living room. Um...what? Obviously he's cracked.
Crawling back toward the entrance to the main room I cringe as I see him on my laptop. Fuck, okay I know most of my files are down stairs in the lair, but still I don't remember all I've put on the laptop and who knows what I might have stuck on there and forgotten to take off. Have to do something; I can't let him find out...well whatever he doesn't know.
Moving back toward the fridge and cabinets, already knowing I probably have nothing left, I quickly and quietly check under the sink, unable to contain a smile as I see the canister of Genax, a very potentate dry acid used to dissolve bone. Good thing to use if you want to literally get to the inside of a bone without sawing it or breaking it. "Just add water...or I'm sure stomach acid and saliva would do the trick too." Yer going down Mercer, don't care if half you're outsides are scale plated, ten to zero says yer organs can still be eaten through with this.
Pulling myself up off the floor with the help of the countertop, I grab a box of cereal, hardly any left, but more then enough to do the job. Dumping the powder in, and closing and shaking the box some, I give a look a back out to the main room. He's not in my line of sight right now, but I can already see him sitting there growling at my computer and then, yep then it's chow time. Hehe, give me a tail, and electrical shocks, and blood tests, and beatings, and oh yeah you just thought you'd rule the world didn't you, well guess what, it ends now.
Moving slowly, I take the cereal to him, trying to look scared as I set it down on the desk beside him. Okay no more playing with the files, chow time, come on, eat up, you deranged psychopath. Eat already!
Looking at the cereal then slowly up at me, I know that look. Taking a clumsy, but slightly fast step back, I barely miss being hit in the head as he throws the box at me. "What the hell is wrong with you? Do you think this is amusing?!" Well no! You went and ruined my murder attempt! "I'm a carnivore, Thomas! A meat eater, you do know what that means don't you?!" Before I can move this time though, the hand contacts with my already damaged cheek, sending my head snapping to the side.
Feeling the sting in my eyes, I back away as much as I can from my one time best friend and partner, keeping a hand over my scratched and now bleeding cheek. "I-I'm sorry. I just, I didn't have anything else, I, I please, I'm sorry." I'm sorry I didn't kill you in the fucking explosion that's what I'm sorry for. That's it! I am not dying and I am not letting him leave here alive! How am I going to get my bracelet? How am I gonna get past him and down to the lair? Damn it all.
Perhaps believing I'm truly ready to return to the life of his lap dog or dino, he makes an approving noise and steps out of my personal space. "Good now I know you don't want to go back upstairs now do ya?" Maybe if I can be calm this time and get to my gem first...okay he's waiting for an answer and do you wanna piss him off again and go back up there? Um, no.
Shaking my head feverishly I let out a weak whimper, which is only half faked, as the pain is doubling quickly with me being forced to stand here like this. "No. No please no." Taking a few steps back, I cringe as my back hits the wall. Sliding down the wall, unable to remain up any longer, I feel the wetness left behind on the plaster, that's decorum for ya, bloodstains on the walls. S'all the rage in the projects I'm sure.
"Good boy, I knew you'd come around again to my way of thinking." Are you still talking? Can you shut up now? Going back to my laptop, I have no clue what he thinks he's going to find. Does he think that thing is waterproof? I jumped off the island into the ocean for crying out loud, you think I swam with the laptop? Whatever, far be it for me to point out logic to the mutant.
Eyes focused on the entrance to the lair, I wonder if I can make it over there before Mercer gets up. Holy crap! Geez okay no need to slam my laptop like that, it doesn't like it when you do that. Striding back over to me, he quickly grabs my wounded arm and yanks me back up. Shit ow, hurt arm, not the hurt arm!
"You little bitch." What'd I do?! I was just sitten here! "Wiping your laptop was not a good idea, Thomas. Now you're going to have to be punished again and I think this time you should pay a visit to the shock therapy room cause you haven't been there in a while." Again I didn't wipe anything it's a new laptop damn it! I think that mutation growing on your head has eaten away your brain! And no! No more electrical 'help'! No! No! No!
(5 years prior Mercer/Oliver Island)
"I-I don't know about this." Fidgeting on the table I suddenly do not feel good about this in the least. Mercer, um...maybe, maybe I don't feel so sick after all." I don't think this is a good way to cure the stomach flu, or whatever seems to have hit me these past few months.
"Thomas, come on now, trust me. The best way to combat these tropical aliments is with specific head on tough therapy. Now do you honestly think I'd let anything happen to you?" Um...well lately I'm not so sure, I mean he's been down right mean on occasions these days, but I guess he does know what he's doing. Not to mention I feel like I'm going to puke every ten minutes, so what have I got to lose.
Strapping my other wrist down fairly tightly, he moves to the control panel off to the side of the table. I should never have watched those old horror movies. "Um, is..uh...Merc?" Maybe kinda sorta changing my mind here and not thinking the sick feelings are all that bad.
"Don't worry, Thomas, I know exactly what I'm doing." Some how that's not very comforting as a-ah! Ow! What the hell was that?! I thought this was a tickle or jolt but god that was painful! Okay well yes very therapeutic, so all done now, right? Ri-ah! Ow! Ow! Ow!
"O-okay better now, all, all better, no more." Pulling against the restraints, I want these wires off me now! No more lying on the table in my boxers with the painful wires now, I'd rather have the sick feeling, yep hurling all day beats this.
"Thomas, baby, calm down, now just fifteen or twenty more and you should be feeling as good as new." What?! Okay up now! Up, want up n-ow!
"Shh now, let's not start that." Running a scaled hand through my short and sweaty hair, and another over my damaged cheek, he is far to close to my face. Okay stop shaking and breath, calm down and breath, it's not going to be good if you pass out. "It's time to go now, and take y-"
"Tommy. Hey bro ya there?" Oh thank you god. Eep! As I'm yanked back against Mercer, that damn bloody dagger back at my throat, I silently curse. Nice Jase, just announce yer here, don't save me, now knock and let the psycho know too. "Tommy come on, open up bro it's me and Kira." You brought Kira?! Greeeat
"I left my guitar here yesterday, Tom. I need it for band rehearsal tomorrow." Calling through the door as Jason had, she sounds really tired. It's funny how I notice that and feel bad for her when I have a damn knife to my throat.
"Get rid of them now, or I won't only kill you, but them as well, and I think the Yellow Ranger's head would look very nice mounted on my wall." The hiss and forked tongue caressing my ear, I cringe and take a few calming breathes.
"I'll bring Kira's guitar to school tomorrow and give it to her there. I'm too lazy and exhausted to move from the couch right now guys. Sorry about not leaving the door unlocked, but I'm just so beaten that I can't move. I told you I am too old for this crap, Kira." Okay I stressed the word beaten there, and that too old crap, come on see something's wrong here. Please, see it.
After a pause, I nearly sink back to the floor in rage and disappointment. "Alright, Tommy get some rest then, bro. We'll see ya tomorrow and you are not too old for this crap. Zordon told us stories of Rangers who were Rangers their whole lives, so get over it already, you're destined for it." Yes well those Rangers didn't have tails and aid in research that's probably going to wipe out humanity. I'm so dead.
To be continued.......
"So what'd you think?" Rene looks to the reading over the latest part, Tom, as Pam lays on the bed watching 'Muffy the Vampire Layer'
Taking his glasses off, Tommy sighs and shakes his head. "They left? That's it they just left me there?"
"No...I mean they didn't leave YET." Rene says trying to keep from giving anything away to the frowning Ranger.
Throwing a pillow at them, Pam growls. "Can you two keep it down, I can't hear what they're saying!"
Frowning more and throwing the pillow back, Tom huffs. "It's a cheesy porno they don't exactly have that much dialogue you know. Besides don't you have homework."
"Keep it up DUDE and I'll cut yer tail off." Pam mutters.