Far Beyond Love And Hate 4
Zen Aku is the most perceptive reviewer yet. Very, very clever note of the colours. Anyone else want to try his or her hand? No? Maybe later.
Please review it makes it easier to write
I'd appreciate your thoughts on comments or quotes you thought funny, my OC 's (Especially them) and would be much appreciative if you brought these up in reviews.
"Date with Danger"
Elsa was knocked for six. "Sorry?" she murmured.
"Do you want to – go for – food? Or a show? Or something?" Tommy was suddenly very interested in cleaning his glasses. Elsa was still dizzy… "I mean if you don't I get it and I'm totally happy to lock myself in a stationary cupboard for the rest of the school year…"
Elsa was about to say something curt, Tommy could see the formidable Principal Randall raising her voice within and thinking up a put down. There was a flash of green behind Tommy, he didn't notice it, but Principal Randall could see Mesogog's face in the gateway along with that of Zeltrax, Calais and Paris.
"Pick me up at seven," she said resignedly. Tommy looked at her like a child that had just been given his ultimate Christmas present or something. Or a hungry puppy getting a steak. A very cute puppy. WHERE DID THAT JUST COME FROM?
Elsa was pondering the date as Paris and Mesogog worked on her upgrades. She didn't like The Black Ranger, he was obnoxious all "Oh look at me I've been five types of ranger!" it made her nauseous. Her master had ordered her to go out with the charming – eh – charmingly thick oaf. All she needed now was for him to start the date off by saying something corny like: "Your father must've been a thief coz he stole the stars and put them in your eyes". Strange, she doubted Tommy would say that. He'd turn up with flowers, gorgeously nervous and - - she WAS NOT EXCITED and she was NOT in any way, shape or form THINKING POSITIVE THOUGHTS about the Black Ranger.
No! Definitely not! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
"Done" Paris said. Elsa sat up as Zeltrax wheeled over a large mirror. She was wearing a different costume now. Black leather pants with a belt made of engraved silver disks on it, a long row of braided beads that hung down over her leg on the left side of her trousers. Her top was a double breasted, high collared leather one with long sleeves, it had a visible corset on it, she had a metal glove on her left hand that gave her fingers freedom to move while covering the back of her hand, it had a large round green stone set in it. She wore the same black cap she'd worn before her new style and also a pair of dangling silver earring with emeralds set in them, they vaguely resembled bat wings
Elsa slid her sword onto the holster across the small of her back. "It looks incredible," she murmured. "I feel - stronger"
"I've charged you with Morph enriched fragments" Paris explained.
Elsa was about to ask what he meant when he opened the box. It was five fragmented crystals and seven vials of silvery dust. "What's this?" she asked. "Wait… are they?"
"Yes I used some of these in your upgrades" Paris smiled. "The dust of the Power Coins and the Shattered remnants of the Zeo crystals" he laughed.
"I'm nervous" Tommy croaked. They were in what remained of his classroom, classes had ended a few minutes ago and most of the school had already left.
"You should be! Randall's a ball breaker!" Conner burst out. He noticed the cold glares from the girls Calypso, Haley and Kira didn't blink at all…he swallowed and stepped back into the shadows.
"It's nothing to worry about!" Kira said.
"I haven't been on a date in almost four years!" exclaimed Tommy. "I broke up with Kat and ever since…nothing…I don't even know why she said yes!"
"Pity?" Ethan suggested.
"Don't start that," Calypso said in a low voice. "Pretty much all the males in this room nearly had a lip lock – or helmet-to-lip lock – with Calais. So tips won't help from them!" All the boys looked sheepish. Calais perked up. "Someone's coming… later" she waved and teleported away with Haley.
Cassidy and Devin entered. "There you are!" exclaimed Cassidy. "Have you heard?"
"What?" Tommy groaned, safely tucked away in his arms on the desk.
"They're going to Fire Principal Randall unless she can figure out how to pay for the repairs to the school" Devin said. Cassidy nodded, but glared, angry that she hadn't been able to deliver the news.
"No way!" Tommy leapt from the desk and hurried out of the room followed by his students. The students were whispering in a huddle about something. Tommy rushed up the steps having seen Principal Randall disappear up them. He caught up with her purposeful strides. "Is it true?"
"Is what true? Did someone really invent the wheel? Did Leonardo Da Vinci really want to be a woman? Did someone fake the moon landing?" she hadn't turned to face him yet.
"Are they going to fire you?"
"Quite probably" she said. Tommy stepped around in front of her; she stopped at his broad chest and looked up at him. "You're in my way"
"Aren't you worried?"
"Not particularly. I'll see you tonight" she walked on
"What type of flowers should I bring?" croaked Tommy.
"Guess" she called back over her shoulder as she walked away. Tommy sighed and smiled…at least the date was still on.
"Dr. O!" Conner, Kira, Ethan, Trent, Cassidy and Devin were standing behind him.
"Yes?" he was nervous…they had a look in their eyes that was rather unnerving. They stepped forwards.
"We're going to get you ready for a date!" Ethan grinned and they grabbed his arms and led him towards the classroom. The basic lay out was not as humiliating as Tommy had expected: Conner gave him lessons on how to sit and walk and smile and all kinds of other superficial little things. Kira taught him the best way to talk to a woman (as an equal), Ethan showed him a list of conversation topics (avoiding anything related to her impending forced resignation), Trent taught him a little bit about dancing, Cassidy worked on his wardrobe and Devin made suggestions on how to pick her up at her house (lair of the dragon…shudder). By the end of it Tommy was a little more confidant he wouldn't make himself look like an idiot.
Elsa watched as the Geno-Randomizer hummed and buzzed. Calais had been working on this one. She smiled. "What do you get if you cross – an orchid, a temperature gauge and a garter snake?"
"I don't know. What?" Elsa muttered, her mind elsewhere.
"I amn't sure either but we're about to find out" Calais laughed. The door opened and the monster stepped from the smoke. Its body had temperature gauges all over it, a particularly large one in the middle of its chest. There were pipes jutting out of its back and it had Orchid petals around its long arms, wrists and neck. "I like it, let's call it Thermospent!"
"Will it do the job?" asked Elsa.
"Sure thing!" the mutate exclaimed. It opened its mouth and unleashed a blast of freezing cold that imprisoned a Triptoid in a sheath of ice. "See? Cryogenic capture!"
"We need a mutant!" Paris came marching through the door. "We're making a move, we're missing a part of the heat ray and we have to get it"
"Right" Elsa said. "I've got just the one in mind!"
"My brother's made a move," Calypso said into the console microphone attached to her ear. "He's at the MurTech Warehouse by the docks," she said. "He's got all the big players with him."
"We're on our way" Tommy said.
Elsa watched as the T-Drones pulled apart the boxes and revealed a large chain-bound box. "This is it," she said as she kneeled down and read the stamped information on the side. "Let's move!"
"Not so fast!" The blast Tommy fired sent a T-Drone flying. Elsa rose and stepped out into the hall. Zeltrax had charged head on and attacked the rangers. "Brilliant" Elsa muttered as she stepped forwards and joined the villains who had lined up. Calypso was there in full armour.
Calais was dressed in a purple outfit that resembled an orchid around the neck (high petals at the back and others pulled down and pinned to the front of her costume) she had dark purple lipstick and make up on and Orchids tied up her hair, she gestured with an orchid shaped sleeve and the mutate stepped forwards.
The mutated had glowing patches of gel on its body, its head was a jellyfish with long dreadlocks and the same tendrils were wrapped around its arms. The left arm was a large tulip and on its chest was a camera, a long row of film formed a cloak on its back and it had film curling around its back.
"Another new look Elsa?" snorted Kira.
"At least I don't always look like a giant canary," sneered Elsa. "Let's begin…"
They charged. Trent clashed with the mutant (Shutterdoom). Kira and Calais met in a furious battle. Conner and Paris met with a flash of blades. Ethan attacked Zeltrax. Calypso engaged the huge group of T-Drones, Triptoids and Exol Seedlings with her own handful of troops. Tommy and Elsa attacked one another furiously.
Trent flipped over the lash of the tendril and ducked the swing of another tentacle. "Is that all you've got?" he laughed.
"No I have this!" snorted the monster as it raised its tulip arm and fired the glowing seeds, blasting Trent away. Shutterdoom gave a gargling laugh and lashed its tentacles around Trent's legs, bashing him into a crate. "Hold still! I love that pose!" the shutter clicked as Trent leapt to his feet – he was frozen in place. "Now! WORK FOR ME!" the blast of electricity from the camera lens blasted Trent squarely in the chest. Trent didn't move. "And the white ranger falls!"
"Guess again!" Trent exclaimed, he rolled to his feet and moved straight into a dash, slashing back and forth across the monster.
Paris and Conner were attacking madly. "You're a red ranger not a deity, you're not going to win based on a colour!" snapped Paris as he swung a kick at Conner; the Red Dino Ranger blocked it. Paris sent a waved of energy up his bone sword which was flat against his leg, it bounced Conner off a wall. "See what I mean?"
"I could be the magenta ranger and I'd still beat you!" Conner snapped.
"Talk is cheap," sighed Paris as he raised his hand, the shimmering green crystals appeared before his palm. They flipped forwards and pointed at Conner then launched at him. He fell back with a shout. Paris laughed as Conner rolled to his feet and attacked with his spear.
"You're done" Conner said.
"That I am" Paris hissed. He caught the sword and sent a wave of energy through it before kicking Conner backwards. "Done with you!" He waved his hand, the roots lashed up from the earth. Conner leapt away just in time as they tried to snap like a snare around him. He dodged the next root attack and then the third… what he didn't dodge was the projected energy slash of the sword. "Over" Paris sighed as he advanced.
Zeltrax avoided the Sabre strike of Ethan, caught him by the back of the neck and slammed a knee into his helmet. "Weak!" Zeltrax exclaimed. He swung his sword and in a flash of Light Ethan was hurled like a top along the ground. Zeltrax's chest plate opened and a barrage of rockets launched out. Ethan cried out as he was sent flying again. The gold claw lashed out from Zeltrax's wrist and snagged the blue ranger, swinging him around and smashing him into the floor.
"Pathetic blue ranger…no wonder you're never the leader!" he sneered as he advanced. Ethan rushed forwards, a blue and red beam of pencil thin light burst from the "forehead" of Zeltrax's face piece, it followed his head movements, burning crates and blowing Ethan away. "So thoroughly pathetic!" The cannon rose up from behind his shoulder and pointed at Ethan. The liquid energy blasted out and pinned Ethan to the wall in a shell of goop. "And now it ends!" cackled Zeltrax as he walked forwards, his blade slowly charging with light.
Calais and Kira were locked in combat. "I love that colour on you" Calais said. "Reminds me of - - oh yes! A MAC DONALDS SIGN"
"Hey! Don't knock the colour!" Kira said. She attacked with the Ptera Grips. Calais flourished her hands and the slender bladed daggers slid from her sleeves. She caught the strikes of the yellow ranger and ran up Kira's body stamping both feet into her face and sending her shooting away before she landed in a crouch. "So that's the skill of a ranger? I have a Daffodil that could do better…"
"Well then that's one impressive daffodil," Kira said. She leapt into a series of kicks that Calais blocked. The plant woman laughed and pointed her fist, the blossom of purple light appeared and opened around her wrist, the blasts of violet light forced Kira to run, she leapt aside then onto a crate and then flipped off it as it was blown apart to land on another – the lash of the vine caught her in the torso and grounded her.
"End of the line little Yellow girl" Calais said, she snapped the whip vine in her hand at the air, the spark blasted Kira into a stack of crates. "And it was a disappointing trip!" Calais' eyes glowed purple and unleashed a wave of light from them that made Kira writhe in pain on the ground.
Elsa blocked the kick from Tommy, her sword met with his and they locked. "You really have improved" Tommy said through his teeth.
"You've got lots more to see" Elsa said. She slashed him with her nails. Tommy staggered back and Elsa's body unleashed a pulse of invisible energy that flipped Tommy away. Elsa darted forwards and performed a cartwheel, dropping her legs onto Tommy's chest then she flipped away and kicked him in the head as she did so. With a leap she vaulted over him and drove a leg into his back before twirling and letting bolts of energy leap from her body and knock him away.
"Big upgrade" groaned Tommy as he straightened up. Elsa rose a few feet into the air and swooped forwards, the trail of green light flowed after her, Tommy leapt backwards, Elsa halted… and the light travelled along the ground and up Tommy's legs to his body. He looked up, Elsa slashed the air, a green curved of light forming before her, she thrust out her palm and the bolt blasted him into a wall.
"I've been waiting so long for this" Elsa sneered. Tommy attacked with his blade; she blocked his strikes, knocked his blade off to one side and kicked him in the ribs. He spun a kick at her, their legs met…the heels of Elsa's boots were glowing green neon filled points that really stood out against her black ensemble… almost hypnotic as they blocked the kicks.
Elsa's gauntlet glowed, the green gem blazed with light as she thrust the beam at him. Tommy was blasted to hard he could barely hold onto his morph. He picked himself up…the wall of green light crashed into him and he toppled to the ground.
Calypso kicked off a pillar and landed behind a T-Drone. She kicked it away and blew, the tornado of white wind swept the evil forces up and away allowing her to raise her hands and drop white lightening on them from above. She spotted the various dangers the rangers were in.
"Here goes," she muttered. She focused and the white aura rippled out touching each of the rangers and putting them in Super Dino Mode. Calypso pulled a bone blade from her back and went back to destroying the pawns.
Trent caught the seeds launched at him and hurled them back at the mutant. Shutterdoom yelped in surprise…he looked up. Trent tackled him at full speed, launching him through the wall of the warehouse. "Now that's more like it" smiled Trent. He brought both fists down on the monster and then slammed it off a wall. He swung around using his feet and hands in a deadly pirouette, which sent Shutter doom shooting away. "This is it for you!" Trent said. He sprinted forward, there were flashes of white around the monster…and then one huge burst of energy – and the creature exploded.
Ethan pushed himself backwards through the wall and flexed his muscles; the shell on his body broke through the cement goop and freed him. "Let's do this," he said. Zeltrax unleashed his forehead beam again trying to follow Ethan but the blue ranger ducked low, bobbing and weaving around the movements before finally leaping at Zeltrax in a double kick. Ethan didn't let up; he blocked the claw slash and the sword swipe and punched Zeltrax across the chest repeatedly before smashing his head into the torso of the robot and flooring him. Ethan grinned and leapt into a flying elbow down onto his opponent's chest.
"That's the way you do it!" grinned Ethan.
Kira jetted upwards as the vine whipped at her. She weaved around the optic bolts and swooped down into a kick to Calais' chest. "Sorry but the tables have turned!"
Calais leapt up and with a shriek unleashed a blast of vines from up her sleeves and off her fingers. Kira jetted backwards and weaved around the attack to plant another kick on Calais. Then with a series of spins and leaps she unleashed another series of strikes. Calais crashed into a crate, splitting it open, dousing her in slender threads of paper. With a shriek she leapt up and unleashed another energy bolt blossom at Kira. The Yellow Ranger flipped over it and shot through the air planting repeated kicks on the Floral Fiend.
"Yellow Rules! Compost Drools!"
Conner and Paris were battling furiously. Paris spun and slashed the blast knocked Conner back but her caught the sword when it was next swung and knocked it from Paris' hands angrily.
"Not bad" hissed Paris. He thrust out his hand; the green thorns were like machine gun bullets. Conner rolled to one side then performed a diving leap to the other side and rolled away. He lunged from a crouch and tackled Paris. The Green Villain planted a foot in the Red Rangers chest and flipped him over. Paris flipped to his feet as four bone talons formed on his knuckles and extended. He slashed but Conner blocked the blow and shattered the bone blades.
"Time to regulate your calcium!" Conner said. He attacked methodically, focusing on hurting Paris. But the boy's elegant features contorted into a laugh as he blocked the attacks swiftly…however he frowned as Conner continued his attack – and suddenly he wasn't so confidant anymore…in fact he looked worried. Conner unleashed an angry kick to Paris' guard and sent him skidding backwards on his heels.
"Well now…that is quite a talent," Paris murmured as he rubbed his fore arms.
Tommy and Elsa just fought. He couldn't understand it; her first upgrade had been only so good, now it was – unsurpassed. She was his equal! He battered her, she battered him and it never ended. The gem on the back of her hand was glowing vividly. She slashed and hacked…but Tommy cut her off and blocked her.
Paris looked around and grimaced. He raised his hands, green and purple fire burst out as he did, the fire weaved around him and curled like a snake around his legs and body. He took a deep breath and spun on the spot. The sparks of fire shot out in every direction, setting light to the warehouse – the heat rose and the smell of burning wood greeted their noses. Calais blew a cloud of glowing dust into the air off her palm sending the boys crashing to their knees as sparks burst from their chests.
"Have to run" Paris hissed. Elsa leapt backwards, gliding a little to land beside the crate. She grabbed hit as a portal opened and whisked her away. "Loved the party, you know how to bring the house down" he began to punch the air. "The Roof The Roof The Roof is On Fire!" he smirked and pointed upwards. "Seriously". He teleported out.
"The warehouse fire was calmed and inventory was taken, I'm checking for what was stolen" Haley said as the Rangers let Calypso work on bandaging them up. "Hopefully it'll give us an idea of what Mesogog is up to."
"If he's working with Paris it's not something pretty" sighed Calypso as she applied the disinfectant to the blast wound on Trent's back. "I'm surprised they didn't give you a giant to fight"
"Why didn't they?" Kira pondered.
"Someone needs to work the growing process – Mesogog could have" Ethan said. "So why didn't he?"
They stopped the conversation as Tommy entered in a tuxedo. He looked nervous – his knees were knocking. Calypso rolled her eyes. "You can face down Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, The Machine Empire, Divatox, Mesogog AND all their mutant monster machines - "
"But a High School principal scared the be-japers outta ya" grinned Conner.
"Don't make fun of him," Haley said. "He's just really worried that if he screws up – she'll give him detention" she stifled a laugh. "Sorry" she amended. "I'm being serious- you look fine. What have you go planned?"
"Theatre and dinner" murmured Tommy.
"Be back by Ten" Conner smirked.
"Be a gentleman!" grinned Ethan
"No visits to make out point" Calypso added
"And I hope you make a good impression on her parents when they invite you in for lemonade" Kira said. She applied the bandage to Trent's wound on Calypso's instructions.
"You know what with the attacks and Paris and all that maybe I should reschedule – take a rain check – for a few years" Tommy said.
"You'd never live it down" Trent said. Tommy twiddled his thumbs nervously as he glanced at the clock. "It's time you set out," Trent said.
Calypso tossed a seed to the ground, a bouquet of orchids burst out and she gathered them up with a cord off a counter and handed them to her. "Mutated orchids, one of a kind, won't poison, eat or crush her in any way" the girl said. "You'll do fine"
"We've got faith in you Dr. O!" Conner grinned.
"Wow her with palaeontology" smiled Kira.
Tommy swallowed nervously and stepped out of the lair.
"She's going to shoot him down," Ethan said.
"Totally" nodded Trent
"Painfully" Haley sighed.
Mesogog hadn't grown the monster because he was previously engaged. The device was particularly powerful. It drained the programmed energy source completely from the target. He then glanced at Paris and Calais who were working on a new Geno Randomizer. With this hand held one – the world would be his soon.
Tommy walked up the path towards the small house…then turned on his heel and walked back towards his jeep. There was a faint chill in the December Night air – snow…it was coming. He turned back to the door then indecisively twisted to walk towards the jeep again.
She's just a woman – he told himself.
A beautiful, talented, intelligent woman – he added
She's a normal person
She unlike anybody else you've ever met
It's just a date
It could lead to more!
"I knew you wouldn't do it" Calypso sighed. She was standing there in civilian form, she had an off white coat wrapped around her frame, her white scarf protected her from the cold, her gloves were clutching the opposing arms to shield her body and her long blonde hair had snowflakes gathering in it. "You're afraid of what could be. The pink rangers (yes I did observe your behaviour in some of the battles around them) were common ground for you. This is different. I know what you feel; you're worried that she won't like you because you're not everything you seem. I know the same feeling. My brother does – or did – too. It's something you have to get over…all you need – is a push" she made a twirling motion with her finger pointed upwards and then pointed at Tommy as he spun around on his heels and skidded to the steps up to the house and levitated over them. Calypso appeared and pressed the doorbell and teleported away just as quickly with a light laugh.
Tommy was about to run when the door opened. Principal Randall was standing there in a long dark green silk robe. "You're earlier then I expected," she murmured.
"I – I – I can go - away" he stammered.
"No it's freezing" Elsa mumbled. (Why do I even care? He's a POWER RANGER I couldn't care less if he got frostbite in the groin region and had it gnawed off by wolves!) "Come in. I have some tea brewed – I just need to finish dressing."
Tommy looked around the house. It was like a show room, a perfect house, wooden floors, sombre reds, browns, gold's and dashes of purple or green in places so that it didn't clash or anything, so that it radiated an aura in the candle lit waves. It was a place she stayed, she hadn't named it her home, there were no pictures – but this was where she was listed in the book.
"Help yourself" Elsa said as she gestured at the silver teapot and white china cups on a table. "I'll be back in a moment" she moved up the stairs with a rustle of silk and Tommy carefully poured himself tea, steadying his shaking hand as he did.
He looked around, searching for a sign of her past…nothing. It was just a house it wasn't a home. He wondered what led her to lead this life without a home only a dwelling. Even he had memories in pictures in his house.
He sipped the tea, waiting. Then she descended the steps and his jaw hit the head of someone in China. "Is this all right?" she asked.
The black gown was slashed with black sequins and she had a red shawl on. It fit her like body pain, the slender black and red straps gracing her shoulders gently, the cut framing her athletic body perfectly.
He nodded dumbly as he fought for control of his larynx.
"Shall we go?"
More dumb nodding.
TBC
Oh she's got him in her clutches now. Well – the date is next chapter and with a monster gunning for him and a femme fatale beside him things look Bleak for Tommy.