THE REASON - Part Thirty: Burning On Both Ends
Summary: Tommy can't demorph. Kim has gone missing. Trent begins to play with thin lines of good and evil. And what does Mesogog have in store with the pink dino gem and an unexpected person now in hold of its power?
Disclaimer: Same deal.
A/N: Prior set to "Burning on Both Ends" as told by the title of the chapter. It pretty much follows the episode, so it's nothing new. But ya know the deal, tell me what you think. And yes, if you haven't noticed, I'm keeping with the series as much as possible. It just wouldn't work out if I didn't. And it gives that sense of suspense. And May the Powers Always Protect You.
"There are more problems in those who play with fire than those who know how to play in it." –Eclyptyk Neo
None of them could believe their eyes. After a week of trying to free Tommy from his amber imprisonment, they were finally successful. But with one problem. Tommy couldn't de-morph.
"Man, like we have nothing more to worry about." Rocky huffed, throwing his hands up in defeat.
"Yeah, Dr. O. I know the suit looks good and all, but quick kidding around." Kira sighed, figuring it was a joke.
Tommy shook his head, stepping forward as the team crowded around him, still hoping what they were seeing was a dream. But it wasn't. "I wish I could, but something must have happened." He said, sincerely. "'Cause when Trent froze me in that amber encasing, my morpher and my dino gem must have been re-molecularized."
Conner scratched his head, making it clear he was confused. "In other words?"
"He's stuck," Hayley concluded, patting Tommy's shoulder.
The teens looked at their teacher in disbelief. After all that work, he was still in an imprisonment–his ranger form. Until further notice.
"And speaking of Trent." Hayley turned to the computer, seeing the dino stego-zord causing havoc in the city.
The teens grew a little frustrated, seeing it too.
"Man, I'm so over that poser!" Conner huffed.
Tommy turned to the three dino rangers, directing them to attend to the matter at hand. "Go. We'll try and figure things out here."
The three teens nodded without needing to be told twice. They morphed and headed off for the city to stop Trent.
-----
The dino rangers were more frustrated with the outcome than happy. Trent fled, but not without taking two of their auxiliary zords, the Dimetro-zord and the Cephla-zord, with him. They returned to the lab with another loss. Hayley was on the computer trying to break the code, but a forcefield made it that much harder to break the code.
"I'm so sick of this guy." Conner growled.
"I told you he couldn't help it." Kira defended Trent's recent actions.
"I don't care, Kira." He shook his head. "If we don't stop him, now, things are gonna get ugly."
"Hey, slow down, Conner." Tommy said slowly, looking at the red dino ranger. "I was in his shoes once, and I wouldn't be standing here today if my friends had given up on me."
"Yeah, but in case you guys are forgettin', we haven't gotten anywhere with Trent." Ethan looked at the ground in defeat. "So, what do we do now?"
"Go back to school. Keep a low profile." Tommy directed with no hesitation. "Hayley and the rest of us will let you guys know if we find anything."
The teens nodded, not needing to be told twice and headed for the door.
"Hey, wait." Rocky called out, bringing attention to himself. "I know there is a bunch of us here, but has anyone seen Kim?"
Adam and Aisha looked about the room, shrugging. The teens furrowed their eyebrows, noticing the former pink ranger was nowhere in sight.
"How long has she been out?" Adam asked. "I haven't seen her since we freed Dr. O." Ethan commented.
"Uh-oh." Hayley said slowly, peering over at the black dino ranger.
The black dino ranger turned to his fellow black suited counterpart, who figured he also could provide some answers to the pink ranger's disappearance. "You know something, don't you, Adam? Hayley?"
"Well..." Adam hesitated, scratching his head absently. "Maybe this could provide some answers." He said as Hayley brought up a map of the area where the meteor crashed. "Remember that fourth power source you couldn't seem to pinpoint?" He paused, as the black dino ranger nodded slowly.
"We pinpointed it to a cave not too far from where the meteor crashed." Hayley finished.
"Another dino gem." Tommy forced out, dropping his head.
"Well, not exactly." Hayley corrected. "The readings don't quite match up to a dino gem. And up until now, I have no other lock on its location. It's been moved. And I can't even pinpoint Kim's whereabouts."
The room fell silent, as each person slowly looked at the black dino ranger. Though, they could not read the emotions on his face, they saw the weakness in how he stood. The fear in his body language and the hidden anger, if the worse had happened.
"What about Mesogog?" Conner asked cautiously. "Do you think he might have a hold of it? Or Kim?"
"If he does, than he wouldn't want to cross my path." Tommy huffed in a low voice.
The tone in his voice had everyone take a step back. They knew if Mesogog did have a hold on Kim, and was planning to use her to bring down the rangers, there would be big problems. And that anger in Tommy wasn't something the team wanted to mess with.
Though, it was a week of torment, Tommy knew what had been going on. Kim found a place to settle in his house. Jason and the others had to go on with their normal lives. Adam and the others were in and out trying to find answers. And Adam had re-established Kim's ninja powers, for the most part. But that's what scared him. He feared the emotion scars on the loss of her powers all those years ago. He knew something was wrong when she had left to follow her dreams, and gave her powers to Kat. Kat assumed the powers of the coin, but the animal spirit was Kim's. It was always her's. And without the other, her performance was shaken. And still was.
-----
Mesogog's island fortress.
Mesogog walked through the halls, frustrated. He was growing annoyed at the White Ranger's lack of interest in joining his side, and hoped his next plan would change the evil ranger's mind. The goal was to have his newest creation, Insectolite, infect Trent to have the rangers believe he would become good. And in hopes, destroy them for good.
He made his way into another room. One that harnessed the energy transfer chamber he needed to foil out his next set of plans.
Elsa was in the room, instructed to keep an eye on their new captor.
"Elsa, report." Mesogog commanded as he made his way to her side.
Elsa slowly turned to face her master, pushing away the annoyance for the disruptions. "My lord, it will be some time until the energy source fully bonds with her. But there...."
Mesogog hissed, not letting her finish her last statement. "I do not want to hear any of your excuses, Elsa. Just do as you've been instructed to do."
Elsa bowed, knowing she couldn't get her last statement in. "Yes, master."
Mesogog ran a hand across the clouded glass of the transfer chamber. "Attack Dr. Oliver where he is most vulnerable. And the rest of the team will fall. He will stand no chance against me."
-----
Hours passed.
The dino rangers lost their two auxiliary zords to Trent for good. Hayley reported that the Raptor cycles and the rigged ATV were fixed. But the teens were feeling more vulnerable in the loss of their zords. They found their usual place on the stone blocks against the far wall of the lab. Aisha and Rocky were sitting on the stairs, also feeling at a loss for not being as much help as they wanted to.
"Man, this sucks." Rocky sighed.
"I hear ya." Ethan nodded. "Have you guys heard anything from Kim yet?" Kira turned to her ninja advisors.
The two ninjas shook their head, sadly.
"Nothing." Aisha replied.
"So, where's Adam?" Conner looked about the room.
"Scouting the area, hoping to find clues to Kim's disappearance." Hayley said from the computer.
Tommy stopped, forcing out a breath. Though, no one could read his emotions, he appeared the most upset of the team.
"We're gonna need all the help we can get." he turned to the team. "If Trent and Mesogog team up for good, we're gonna have a real battle on our hands." He shook his head sadly. "And who knows what Mesogog is planning to do with that other power source."
-----
Mesogog's island fortress.
"Why must you two continue to fail at bringing me the White Ranger?!" Mesogog growled from his chair.
Zeltrax and Elsa looked away embarrassed at failing their master once again.
"My lord," Elsa began, looking back at the dino-faced man. "You, yourself, have messed with the gem's power. Its energy is way too unfathomable, even for yourself."
"Excuse after excuse!" Mesogog pushed himself forward, glaring at his two subjects. "I'm tired of it. Now, get out of my sight! I need some time to think, without your incompetence to disturb me."
"Yes, sir." Zeltrax bowed and turned toward the door.
Elsa followed without saying another word.
Mesogog slowly got off the chair as he decided to pace the room. But a strange pain disrupted him as his right hand began to glow with a green- yellow hint, halting him in his tracks. "No. It can't be..." he stumbled forward, growling in pain. "Control it...."
Mesogog fell to his knees as the green-yellow glow covered his entire body. His form was beginning to change. Take form as a human. As a man. As Anton Mercer.
Anton got to his feet, fixing his tie. His eyes glowed with a hint of brown as it changed back to his normal eye color, blue. "...before he controls me."
He twisted his neck, getting a feel for his own body again and strode toward the door, as it shut behind him.
The wall in the corner of the room began to move as a figure emerged, taking form. The mask of color that matched the wall was demolished and the familiar face of Trent Fernandez appeared.
He chuckled, an evil glare to his eyes. "Well. Well. Surprise, dad. I know your secret." He opened up an invisi-portal and disappeared into it.
The room fell silent.
From above, another figure appeared from the shadows, dropping to the ground. It was the black ninja ranger. "Looks like we got another problem."
He opened up an invisi-portal and disappeared into it, ending up in the woods a few feet from the meteor's destruction.
He forced out a breath and melted into the shadows of the night.
To be continued..........
A/N: So, Trent isn't the only one who knows about Mesogog's other side. But what could it spell for the other rangers now that secrets seems to be held by everyone on the team. And what will Mesogog plan to do with Kim? Is the power source that Kim holds in her hand, a gem or something greater? Or less fortunate? Find out soon. Keep reading. And thanks for all the support, readers. Later days.
Summary: Tommy can't demorph. Kim has gone missing. Trent begins to play with thin lines of good and evil. And what does Mesogog have in store with the pink dino gem and an unexpected person now in hold of its power?
Disclaimer: Same deal.
A/N: Prior set to "Burning on Both Ends" as told by the title of the chapter. It pretty much follows the episode, so it's nothing new. But ya know the deal, tell me what you think. And yes, if you haven't noticed, I'm keeping with the series as much as possible. It just wouldn't work out if I didn't. And it gives that sense of suspense. And May the Powers Always Protect You.
"There are more problems in those who play with fire than those who know how to play in it." –Eclyptyk Neo
None of them could believe their eyes. After a week of trying to free Tommy from his amber imprisonment, they were finally successful. But with one problem. Tommy couldn't de-morph.
"Man, like we have nothing more to worry about." Rocky huffed, throwing his hands up in defeat.
"Yeah, Dr. O. I know the suit looks good and all, but quick kidding around." Kira sighed, figuring it was a joke.
Tommy shook his head, stepping forward as the team crowded around him, still hoping what they were seeing was a dream. But it wasn't. "I wish I could, but something must have happened." He said, sincerely. "'Cause when Trent froze me in that amber encasing, my morpher and my dino gem must have been re-molecularized."
Conner scratched his head, making it clear he was confused. "In other words?"
"He's stuck," Hayley concluded, patting Tommy's shoulder.
The teens looked at their teacher in disbelief. After all that work, he was still in an imprisonment–his ranger form. Until further notice.
"And speaking of Trent." Hayley turned to the computer, seeing the dino stego-zord causing havoc in the city.
The teens grew a little frustrated, seeing it too.
"Man, I'm so over that poser!" Conner huffed.
Tommy turned to the three dino rangers, directing them to attend to the matter at hand. "Go. We'll try and figure things out here."
The three teens nodded without needing to be told twice. They morphed and headed off for the city to stop Trent.
-----
The dino rangers were more frustrated with the outcome than happy. Trent fled, but not without taking two of their auxiliary zords, the Dimetro-zord and the Cephla-zord, with him. They returned to the lab with another loss. Hayley was on the computer trying to break the code, but a forcefield made it that much harder to break the code.
"I'm so sick of this guy." Conner growled.
"I told you he couldn't help it." Kira defended Trent's recent actions.
"I don't care, Kira." He shook his head. "If we don't stop him, now, things are gonna get ugly."
"Hey, slow down, Conner." Tommy said slowly, looking at the red dino ranger. "I was in his shoes once, and I wouldn't be standing here today if my friends had given up on me."
"Yeah, but in case you guys are forgettin', we haven't gotten anywhere with Trent." Ethan looked at the ground in defeat. "So, what do we do now?"
"Go back to school. Keep a low profile." Tommy directed with no hesitation. "Hayley and the rest of us will let you guys know if we find anything."
The teens nodded, not needing to be told twice and headed for the door.
"Hey, wait." Rocky called out, bringing attention to himself. "I know there is a bunch of us here, but has anyone seen Kim?"
Adam and Aisha looked about the room, shrugging. The teens furrowed their eyebrows, noticing the former pink ranger was nowhere in sight.
"How long has she been out?" Adam asked. "I haven't seen her since we freed Dr. O." Ethan commented.
"Uh-oh." Hayley said slowly, peering over at the black dino ranger.
The black dino ranger turned to his fellow black suited counterpart, who figured he also could provide some answers to the pink ranger's disappearance. "You know something, don't you, Adam? Hayley?"
"Well..." Adam hesitated, scratching his head absently. "Maybe this could provide some answers." He said as Hayley brought up a map of the area where the meteor crashed. "Remember that fourth power source you couldn't seem to pinpoint?" He paused, as the black dino ranger nodded slowly.
"We pinpointed it to a cave not too far from where the meteor crashed." Hayley finished.
"Another dino gem." Tommy forced out, dropping his head.
"Well, not exactly." Hayley corrected. "The readings don't quite match up to a dino gem. And up until now, I have no other lock on its location. It's been moved. And I can't even pinpoint Kim's whereabouts."
The room fell silent, as each person slowly looked at the black dino ranger. Though, they could not read the emotions on his face, they saw the weakness in how he stood. The fear in his body language and the hidden anger, if the worse had happened.
"What about Mesogog?" Conner asked cautiously. "Do you think he might have a hold of it? Or Kim?"
"If he does, than he wouldn't want to cross my path." Tommy huffed in a low voice.
The tone in his voice had everyone take a step back. They knew if Mesogog did have a hold on Kim, and was planning to use her to bring down the rangers, there would be big problems. And that anger in Tommy wasn't something the team wanted to mess with.
Though, it was a week of torment, Tommy knew what had been going on. Kim found a place to settle in his house. Jason and the others had to go on with their normal lives. Adam and the others were in and out trying to find answers. And Adam had re-established Kim's ninja powers, for the most part. But that's what scared him. He feared the emotion scars on the loss of her powers all those years ago. He knew something was wrong when she had left to follow her dreams, and gave her powers to Kat. Kat assumed the powers of the coin, but the animal spirit was Kim's. It was always her's. And without the other, her performance was shaken. And still was.
-----
Mesogog's island fortress.
Mesogog walked through the halls, frustrated. He was growing annoyed at the White Ranger's lack of interest in joining his side, and hoped his next plan would change the evil ranger's mind. The goal was to have his newest creation, Insectolite, infect Trent to have the rangers believe he would become good. And in hopes, destroy them for good.
He made his way into another room. One that harnessed the energy transfer chamber he needed to foil out his next set of plans.
Elsa was in the room, instructed to keep an eye on their new captor.
"Elsa, report." Mesogog commanded as he made his way to her side.
Elsa slowly turned to face her master, pushing away the annoyance for the disruptions. "My lord, it will be some time until the energy source fully bonds with her. But there...."
Mesogog hissed, not letting her finish her last statement. "I do not want to hear any of your excuses, Elsa. Just do as you've been instructed to do."
Elsa bowed, knowing she couldn't get her last statement in. "Yes, master."
Mesogog ran a hand across the clouded glass of the transfer chamber. "Attack Dr. Oliver where he is most vulnerable. And the rest of the team will fall. He will stand no chance against me."
-----
Hours passed.
The dino rangers lost their two auxiliary zords to Trent for good. Hayley reported that the Raptor cycles and the rigged ATV were fixed. But the teens were feeling more vulnerable in the loss of their zords. They found their usual place on the stone blocks against the far wall of the lab. Aisha and Rocky were sitting on the stairs, also feeling at a loss for not being as much help as they wanted to.
"Man, this sucks." Rocky sighed.
"I hear ya." Ethan nodded. "Have you guys heard anything from Kim yet?" Kira turned to her ninja advisors.
The two ninjas shook their head, sadly.
"Nothing." Aisha replied.
"So, where's Adam?" Conner looked about the room.
"Scouting the area, hoping to find clues to Kim's disappearance." Hayley said from the computer.
Tommy stopped, forcing out a breath. Though, no one could read his emotions, he appeared the most upset of the team.
"We're gonna need all the help we can get." he turned to the team. "If Trent and Mesogog team up for good, we're gonna have a real battle on our hands." He shook his head sadly. "And who knows what Mesogog is planning to do with that other power source."
-----
Mesogog's island fortress.
"Why must you two continue to fail at bringing me the White Ranger?!" Mesogog growled from his chair.
Zeltrax and Elsa looked away embarrassed at failing their master once again.
"My lord," Elsa began, looking back at the dino-faced man. "You, yourself, have messed with the gem's power. Its energy is way too unfathomable, even for yourself."
"Excuse after excuse!" Mesogog pushed himself forward, glaring at his two subjects. "I'm tired of it. Now, get out of my sight! I need some time to think, without your incompetence to disturb me."
"Yes, sir." Zeltrax bowed and turned toward the door.
Elsa followed without saying another word.
Mesogog slowly got off the chair as he decided to pace the room. But a strange pain disrupted him as his right hand began to glow with a green- yellow hint, halting him in his tracks. "No. It can't be..." he stumbled forward, growling in pain. "Control it...."
Mesogog fell to his knees as the green-yellow glow covered his entire body. His form was beginning to change. Take form as a human. As a man. As Anton Mercer.
Anton got to his feet, fixing his tie. His eyes glowed with a hint of brown as it changed back to his normal eye color, blue. "...before he controls me."
He twisted his neck, getting a feel for his own body again and strode toward the door, as it shut behind him.
The wall in the corner of the room began to move as a figure emerged, taking form. The mask of color that matched the wall was demolished and the familiar face of Trent Fernandez appeared.
He chuckled, an evil glare to his eyes. "Well. Well. Surprise, dad. I know your secret." He opened up an invisi-portal and disappeared into it.
The room fell silent.
From above, another figure appeared from the shadows, dropping to the ground. It was the black ninja ranger. "Looks like we got another problem."
He opened up an invisi-portal and disappeared into it, ending up in the woods a few feet from the meteor's destruction.
He forced out a breath and melted into the shadows of the night.
To be continued..........
A/N: So, Trent isn't the only one who knows about Mesogog's other side. But what could it spell for the other rangers now that secrets seems to be held by everyone on the team. And what will Mesogog plan to do with Kim? Is the power source that Kim holds in her hand, a gem or something greater? Or less fortunate? Find out soon. Keep reading. And thanks for all the support, readers. Later days.