Disclaimer in part 1
The Tempest
by Smittysgirl
The Rangers were sprawled out on the beach, their ninja uniforms torn and burnt. Dustin choked on a mouthful of sand, spitting and coughing until he could breathe.
"Not your usual talkative self, are you?"
Dustin looked up, surprised to see a black boot. He looked up further, into the smiling face of Lothor. "My lord," he gasped. "I, um, apologize for my condition and everything. Shane and Hunter -"
Lothor shook his head. "No need. You've all done magnificently."
"Sire."
The two Red Rangers rose to their feet before dropping to their knees. Dustin saved himself the trouble and simply rose to one knee.
"What more can we do for you, lord Lothor?" Shane asked.
"Less than you'd imagine," the dark ninja admitted with a sigh. "At least today is shaping up better than yesterday. Ah think we can all be thankful for that."
A pink figure bounded out from behind a tree. The Rangers did a double take at Kapri in her evil space ninja attire. She smiled and waved.
"We've all had our share of interesting times," Lothor continued. "Right now we need to concentrate on finding Marah."
"Marah?" Hunter asked. "Permission to speak freely, lord?"
"Granted," Lothor said."Why are we concentrating on Marah instead of the other Rangers? My brother in particular. Not that I am in any way questioning -"
Lothor made an annoyed clicking sound and the Crimson Ranger silenced. "There's a darn good reason we're pulling up our stakes and setting camp somewhere else. I'll tell y'all about it as soon as we're back at the mountain. Unless you boys have any further objections?"
There were none.
Devin marched down the corridors of Mesogog's fortress with a confidence he didn't feel and a poise he'd affected from hours of watching Dr. Smitty and Conner in similar situations. He hoped it didn't show too badly to Ethan and Blake.
There were 3 of these teams currently prowling the base, seeking out Mesogog while Hayley and Cam continued repairing the primary generators. It had been a small miracle that the tyrant lizard hadn't killed the naked and vulnerable Dr. Mercer as soon as he was released from his restraints, but Devin privately wondered if he had been too sedated to do anything other than flee.
"Anything on your end, Dr. T?" Ethan asked into his morpher.
"Negative," came the voice on the other end. "Tori's team said the same. Mesogog is good. Don't split your parties up unless absolutely necessary. Remember, our only strength is in numbers."
"Copy," he said, clicking off the line with a disgusted sigh.
After checking in several rooms, Blake tried to lighten the mood by inquiring about the team's personal lives. Both Dino Thunder Rangers provided dismissive answers - Devin would imagine for mostly the same reasons. He'd loved Cassidy since the moment they met, and had gladly taken her abuse for all that time on the distant hope she might one day acknowlege and validate his love for her. That she might find him worthy of her love, and rise above her own limitations through the transformative power of his affections.
Devin was still convinced the jury was out on the Easter Bunny, too.
It had been - maybe not OK, but at least understandable when she'd been with Ethan. The Blue and Red nee Triassic Rangers got along well enough, and Ethan had certainly accomplished what Devin had set out to do. Cass was improving as a person with each passing day, and it did Devin's heart good. Ethan had even taken the time to take Devin aside and discuss the other boy's feelings for Cassidy. Ethan wasn't blind, it seemed. Devin gave them his blessing without a second thought.
What did it say now that she was with Kira? How was Devin supposed to feel? He could imagine how Ethan was feeling pretty well, and maybe even Trent and Conner. Himself? Devin wasn't sure, and that scared him.
They cleared another hallway and piled into a lift to try the next level up. As soon the doors opened they saw a scaly figure dart into the nearest service entrance. The Rangers piled out after Mesogog in a rush, Blake already triggering his morpher to contact the others.
Devin's hand fell to his Dinolaser. He wouldn't be scared. He wouldn't be.
The Rangers and Kapri had taken seats around Lothor's throne upon their return to the Mountain of Lost Ninjas. A quick status update from Leann on the construction of the ship and they were ready to be let in on Marah suddenly becoming a priority.
"A'm sure you're wondering why I called you all in on that worthless niece of mine ...."
Kapri nodded mutely. Hunter snorted. Obviously she was about as considerate as Shane - come to think of it, Kapri was always like that.
"After being excommunicated from the academy, I was forced to wander the stars building my army. While on mah journeys I uncovered the demolished temple of Lothor on Tyrlik. Though I'd always known I was the prophecised Lothor, it never hurt to get some approval from the man himself!"
The three Ninjas listened in bleak fascination.
"Finally mah plans to destroy the academies was ready. The only sticking point were mah nieces in law. Though Kapri was controllable, Marah's potential both f'er power and f'er darkness ran through her like a vein of precious metal!"
"But Marah isn't like that, master," Hunter pointed out. "She's one of the most airheaded people I know."
Lothor nodded. "Indeed. I couldn't chance letting her get too close. I invoked the dark powers of Lothor, stripping her of her hatred and capacity for evil when she was still a small girl, an' found a suitable vessel for them on Earth should the need ever arise. Placed close, a viper ready to strike at the breast of the wind academy at a moment's notice."
"You're wise, master," Shane said, nodding.
"Why did you not use her, master?" Hunter asked incredulously. This was without a doubt one of his best plans.
Lothor grunted in remembrance. "Never had the chance to. I was too busy constructing mah army in accordance with the scroll's prophecy to plan out one of mah other contingencies. An' now I seem to have run into a snag."
"And that is, master?" Dustin asked dully.
"Ah can no longer detect the presence of Marah's doppleganger anywhere on Earth. Worse, it seems Marah has placed herself in the girl's life."
"So, you need us to retrieve her?" Hunter asked, cracking his knuckles.
"It's not that simple," Lothor said.
The Crimson Ranger sat back down, plainly disappointed.
"I don't think Marah's double is dead, but wherever she is she remains a threat to us. To me. A'm no believer in coincidences. Something is keeping her from us. We need to find Marah and her counterpart. They cannot be permitted to meet."
Shane looked thoughtful. "What do we know about this ... girl ... that is the doppelganger, master?"
"Her name is Cassidy Cornell. She's a reporter - not of any love of journalism or her fellow man, y'understand. She jus' likes the attention. I believe you'll all recall Marah's own forays into reporting."
The three Ninjas nodded simultaneously. More than once Dustin had even caught the girl delivering reports on chemical poisoning do to common household products in the utility closet, into a broom microphone.
"She's shallow and selfish. The very worst human vices to their maximum potential. There is nothing whatsoever redeemable about this girl. Trust me, you'll know her when you see her," Lothor said.
"So, where was she when you last knew her location, master?" Shane asked, ever practical.
"Reefside," Lothor snapped. "The same place she'd always been. I can't understand it, and a'm not sure I want to. Alls I know is, I need at least a couple of you out looking for her while the others concentrate on finding Marah!"
"Forgive the insolence, milord?" Hunter asked.
"Yes," Lothor snarled. "What?"
"What are we planning to do once we have them both? You said yourself they can't run into each other," he continued.
"A'm planning on returning Marah to what she once was," Lothor said. "Why not take advantage of her true nature?"
The ninjas shot a quick look between them, leading to a round of shrugging. It made sense. It would be nice not to have to deal with the current bubbleheaded Marah ever again, either.
"So, what are you waiting for?" Lothor demainded of his slaves. "Go and find her ... them!"
"SIRE!"
Not safe. Never safe. People everywhere. People and creatures, but not creatures like self. Creatures of metal and creatures of flesh. All of them wanting to hurt self.
He slid through a ventilation duct and made his way to what he believed was safety. His eyes were useless here, and he relied on pure instinct. After crossing several floors, he burst out into a small closet. The fiberous material covering his body itched, and he tore it off without a second thought. As he did his hand caught his eye.
Hand. Fingers and opposable thumb. Not right.
"Whaaaaaat am I?"
Language. Vocal communication in the form of arranged syllables within defined patterns. Not cries. Not song. Not right.
Mercer. That fool Mercer. The Rangers had succeeded in separating them at long last. Mesogog hissed. They didn't understand - as much as he hated Mercer, he needed the human's genetic structure in order to function. Mesogog's own higher thought processes were too complex for a purely reptilian brain. Without him he would continue to evolve along purely saurian lines.
Control. He needed control. Where had he brought himself to? He opened the hatch on the maintainence closet, and found himself situated near the master invisiportal control center. He smiled, forcing that part of him which still synthesized mammal and reptile in glorious union to take control. He could yet turn this to his advantage.
Countless thoughts came to Marah in the half second before Elsa was about to behead her. None of them ended up mattering as the world dissolved in green light, and the world dropped out from under her like in a falling nightmare.
"Off!" she screamed as a weight pressed on her and the ground resolidified.
"ELSSSSSA!" came a horrible voice.
The weight toppled off of her. "Yes, my lord?" Elsa asked as Marah's vision cleared.
The reptilian creature above them - Mesogog, Marah realized with a gasp - gripped Elsa's shoulder as his body shuddered. "We musssssst hurry. The Ran -ran - Rang ..."
"Right away, Lord Mesogog," Elsa finished, turning her attentions to the control panel nearby.
"Marianne?" Marah whispered while their attention was turned away from them.
"Cassidy? What's going on?" the other girl whispered back.
"Just stay low, this'll all make sense in a while," Marah lied. She hoped anyway. Maybe that wasn't lying. Marianne obliged, slipping behind one of the darkened, inoperative consoles.
Elsa finished typing in commands Mesogog rasped to her, and they both dissolved in another flash of green light before Marah could rise to her feet to try and stop them. That was probably for the best, even if the scaly guy wasn't looking too hot anymore. For what she knew of him anyway.
A Red and Blue Ranger came marching into the room, followed a second later by the Navy Ranger. Marah laughed jubiliantly, throwing herself into the arms of the Thunder Ranger. "BLAKE!" She jerked back suddenly. "Wait, you're not evil again or anything, are you?"
He laughed, pulling the former ninja student off himself. "I don't think so. What are you doing here, Marah? I thought Lothor got to you both!"
"Mesogog," the Blue Ranger said firmly. "Where did -" He turned to face her and continue his berating, only to cut himself off with a gurgle. He probably needed a mint.
"ItturnedoutthatourprincipalwasElsaandshewasgoingtokillusonlybeforethathappenedMesogog ...."
"Woah, woah, woah," Blake said. "Let's try that again with some pauses."
The Red Ranger joined the Blue in staring at her. It was making Marah uncomfortable, and she turned back to Blake in confusion. A second later 5 other Rangers and Zeltrax came tearing into the room. Marah laughed again, throwing herself at the Green Ranger. "COUS!"
Cam embraced her instinctively without thinking about who she was or why. He laughed. Tori nervously approached from behind, and Marah pulled her into their embrace as well. The remaining Dino Thunder Rangers took on expressions like their teammates. Yellow's hand went to the mouth of her helmet.
"What?" Marah asked. "Did you guys see a ghost or something?"
"M - M - Mesogog," Zeltrax stammered. "Where did he go?"
"He used the control thingie here to teleport out with Elsa."
"Thank you," the Black Ranger said as he and Blue stormed over to the controls. Zeltrax tore off his helmet in disgust. "I can't believe this! We were so close to finally getting Mesogoon, and he slips away with ELSA! It's like we're right back to square one."
Now it was Marah's turn to look on in shock. That face. That voice. That hair. "Eric?" she whispered, knowing it was impossible.
Zeltrax looked back at her, surprise on his face. "N - no, I ..."
A loud thunk opposite them turned everyone's attention to Marianne, crawling out of her hiding space. "Eric?" she gasped, her complexion ghost white.
"No," he tried again. "Well, I mean, this was ..."
A clattering in the hall drew their attention to two more women piling into the already cramped room. "We came as soon as we heard, Terr," the redhead said to the Black Ranger. Hayley. That had to be Hayley DeMatteis, Marah realized. The other needed no introductions.
Cassidy's mouth worked but no sound came out. Marah pulled herself out of Cam's arms and extended her hand. "You must be Cassidy Cornell. We really need to talk."