Dark Dreams, Red Knight
By: Jaclyn Ego
February 20th 2003
Flash! There he stood grinning at her, looking her over from head to toe. Flash! She was alone, no one around, no one could hear her screams. Flash! Josh was there screaming her name over and over, trying to fight his captures but with no luck. Flash! Pain. The whole world was lit by the pain coursing through her body. Flash! She awoke screaming, drenched in a fear tinted sweat. The dream didn't stop. There in her mind the events played never ending, never slowing, and never changing.
The day was bright blue no clouds in the sky too see; a gentle wind played with the hems of the skirts and ruffled the hair of the small group of friends waiting.
"Where is he?" asked a young girl dressed in a pink t-shirt and a short jean skirt. "Jase is never late. That's Tommy's job." she snickered as he playfully elbowed the boy next her in the ribs.
"Hey come on I'm not that bad Kim." he said giving her a hug.
"Oh yeah? When was the last time you were early?" teased Trini a youthful Asian girl who was dressed in a light yellow blouse and a white jean skirt.
"Hey Billy help me out man." pleaded Tommy to the fourth member of their group.
"No can do Tommy, the girls would have my head if I gave you assistance." said the normally quiet boy in glasses and blue jeans and shirt to match.
Just then two more people walked up. There was a dark skinned boy named Zack and a youthful girl named Andrece. In ignorance to the heat Zack was wearing black from head to toe, which was the complete opposite of the white jeans and tank top worn by the girl.
"Hey guys." greeted Zack as he patted Tommy on the back, "Girls keeping you busy?"
"Trying to; hey Jason's not with you?" said Tommy noticing the last member of their group was still absent.
"I spoke to him earlier and he said he may not come. He said he need some alone time." said Andrece as she brushed back a stray lock of crimson hair from her face.
"Well his loss I guess. Come on peoples, it's time to hit the beach!" cried Kimberly as she linked arms with the two girls and pulled them in the direction of the lake.
The group of friends strolled through the park of Angel Grove City, talking about the up coming concert that was happening in two days. The beach was nearly full around the playground equipment and board walk, with sunbathers and swimmers. The group walked around a little rock out cropping and entered the more secluded section where they always hung out. To their surprise the missing member was there already. He was working on his martial arts. The group stopped to watch as he gracefully jumped in to a spin kick and followed that with several punches at imaginary foes. Nearing the end of his kata he slowed down his movements. On the last stance he noticed his audience and quickly dropped his hands to his sides.
"Hey guys." he said in his deep voice. He grabbed the red towel that was resting upon the black gym bag near his feet. "I didn't know you were coming here."
"Hey Jase…it was a spur of the moment idea." replied Tommy glancing at Kimberly. "What are you doing here?"
"Nothing…I just needed to work on a few things. I'll catch you later okay Bro?" Jason didn't wait for an answer as he walked past his friends.
Andrece placed her hand on his arm, catching him as he walked by. "Can we talk?" she asked. He nodded then motioned for her to follow. Together they walked to a nearby group of trees and sat down in the cool sand.
"Sorry I bailed on you today." He said.
"No problem." she paused, "Jason, tell me if I had something to tell you and I swore you to secrecy you'd keep your word right?
"Yes, of course."
She looked in to his midnight eyes and smiled. "Good."
"Why'd you want to know?"
"I don't know really. I just had to know. That's all." she said fiddling with the sand around her sneakers.
"Mmhmmm." he replied as his eyes drifted back from her to where their friends were horsing around in the water. A small smile came to his lips. "I never knew I'd actually like having someone worry over me like you do Drece." he was the only one who called her that. "Look you better get back to them before Kim comes over here."
She stood and brushed the sand from her jeans. She turned to him, "Aren't you coming?"
"I should really be getting home."
"Come on Jason, its summer there is no school, your mom isn't going to be mad if you stay and hang out with your friends. Come please?" she gave him the puppy dog eyes and a little giggle.
He shook his head and gave a short soft laugh. "You got that from Kim. She knows I can't say no to those eyes. You're just as bad as her."
"Oh come on you know you love it." she said pulling him to his feet. "She's trained you too well."
"What? She trained me? I don't think so, and just for that you're going in the water." Quickly he scooped her in to his arms and headed for the water.
"Jason no! Please! Put me down…Jason!" she screamed and laughed at him. Just as the water touched his feet she started to struggle more, the laughter went out of her screams. "No! No! Please don't!" Jason noted the change in her voice and stopped.
"Drece what's wrong? I was only playing around." he said setting her down.
She was breathing hard still staring at the dark blue water. "I know…I …I"
"What's wrong Drece?" he asked taking hold of her by the shoulders. Fear was etched into her features.
She shook her head gently as if to clear her mind. "Don't worry…it was nothing. I- I just didn't want to go into the water that's all."
Not believing the excuse but willing to accept it for the time being Jason let her go. By now their friends had noticed the two standing at the waters edge. Trini and Billy were wading towards them, both having slipped out of their clothes revealing swimsuits underneath.
"Hey guys come on in the water's great." said Trini.
"We'll come in in a bit okay?" asked Jason, Trini only nodded and then splashed Billy and ran as fast as the water would allow her too back to where the other three were. Jason turned back to Andrece. "You sure you're alright?"
"Yep, right as rain. Hey you wanna take a walk up the shore line?" she asked grabbing his hand tightly in her own.
"Sure why not." He answered squeezing her hand. Together they walked another rock out cropping and out of sight of the others.
"Okay okay, uncle!" cried Kimberly and Trini as they surrendered to the boys in the water.
"We won!" Tommy declared high fiving his fellow boys.
"This round buddy." said Kimberly, "There is always a next time. Right Trini?"
"Yeah; but until then how about some food and sun?" Everyone said their agreements and they headed for shore.
After drying themselves off with towels from their back packs, Zack said, "Has anyone seen Jason or Andrece?"
"They went for a walk." said Trini as she opened a bottle of water. "They'll be fine. Jason wouldn't let anything happen to her."
"It's not her I am worried about. It's Jase." Zack joked.
"This is nice isn't it?" Ann said as she gently bumped Jason as they walked.
"Yeah, I needed this I think." He answered after that they lapsed back into silence; a few moments later he said, "So you looking forward to the concert?"
She shrugged, "I actually haven't giving it much thought. I don't even know if I will go. Are you?"
"Yeah I guess it's a big thing around this time. I usually go unless something really important comes up." He was referring to the fact that he and all his friends were the group of super heroes known as the Power Rangers. He was their leader, the Red Ranger. Andrece was the Sliver Guardian Ranger. She was the newest member of the awesome force of good.
"Yeah I know what you mean. I keep waiting for this peaceful day to end because another ugly monster is created and attacks."
As if on cue the area surrounding them was suddenly occupied by nonliving dummies known as Putties. They were normally the few second warning of an attack.
"As if I had to jinx it damn!" she said as she kicked an advancing Putty back into its comrades. "You better call the others."
Jason nodded and brought his communicator located on his wrist to his lips. "Tommy. Drece and I are under attack by putties just up the beach from you."
"Copy that Jase, were coming." Replied Tommy as Jason entered the fray. He knocked to Putties on to their backs with a well place kick to the first ones chest and pushed another one away from him so he had room to maneuver.
Meanwhile Andrece was fighting off the mindless gray creatures left, right and center, suddenly she found herself face to face with a new monster. A cross between a cat and a bird dressed in gold, she had met Goldar. Andrece quickly covered her surprise and raised her hands in to a guard position. The attack from Goldar never came instead a horde of putties from behind. They entrapped her arms to her sides and lifted her feet from the ground as she struggled.
"Jason!" she screamed, gaining the attention of her friend. Jason looked over and saw what the new problem was, Goldar.
Glancing around quickly, he spotted Tommy and the others running towards him. "Tommy you take care of these guys. I'm going to help Drece." He called when the Green Ranger was close enough to hear. Tommy only nodded as he started to fight the gray monsters. Jason kicked, pushed and bullied his way through the mass of semi-solid bodies towards Andrece.
"Welcome Red Ranger," said a deep voice sounding more like two rocks being ground together then human speech. "I knew you'd come for her." He gestured to where Andrece was being held although not well by the putties.
"Let her go Goldar. I'm warning you." Said Jason through clenched teeth, he took up the fighting stance facing his intended foe.
"Jason! No!" screamed Andrece as she had finally escaped the putties and was running towards him.
"Silence witch." Commanded Goldar as he fired an energy burst from his hands. It caught Andrece in the shoulder with enough force to knock her onto her back and into unconsciousness. Goldar returned his attention back to Jason just as the youth attacked.
It took mere seconds before Goldar took control of the mainly emotional fight; with one hit to the side of the head he knocked his foe into unconsciousness like the girl. Quickly Goldar observed the battle grounds. The other rangers were making short work of the putties as was expected, but they were still concentrating mainly on them and had yet to notice that two of their friends were now captured. Smiling to himself, Goldar picked up the Red Ranger and walked to where the girl lay. Placing a hand on her uninjured shoulder he teleported them away.
As the last of the gray foot soldiers called putties was reduced into gray dust the rangers had already started to regroup. They stood round in a rough circle with Tommy in focus. Looking around for another attack Trini voiced the question that plagued all their minds, "What was that all about?"
"I'm not sure." Tommy answered, he did a quick head count and noticed that two of the members were missing. "Where are Jase and Andrece?" he asked, the faces of the other rangers left that unanswered. "Come on we better get Zordon's help in tracking them down." The others nodded and at once they activated their transporters and in a series of colorful lights went to the command center.
"Zordon, Jason and Andrece were taken when we were fighting a bunch of putties." Zack declared moments after they arrived. They five teens looked up to the giant floating image of their true leader. A master named Zordon who could only survive on Earth as long as he stayed in his time warp.
I know Zack, Alpha has already begun a scan for their communicators. Until we find anything I suggest that you return home and prepare for a rescue mission.
Although not liking the idea of going home and doing nothing to help look for their friends the young rangers didn't have any other choice. "Alright then, come on guys." Tommy said taking control of the tense silence that had been building. The rangers teleported back to Angel Grove to wait for their call to battle.
Mean while the two lost rangers were nestled in darkness. The was no place either of them had ever been that the darkness seemed to be so complete. The only sound which could be heard was a faint one of water droplets falling into a deeper pool and the two separate breathing patterns.
"Andrece?" asked a husky voice, breaking the silence for a second. "Where are you?"
There was no reply for several seconds but then an airy and panicky voice called out, "J-J-Jason?"
He turned to where he thought the voice was coming from. "I'm here; keep talking so I can find you." Jason crept on his hands and knees towards the sounds of Andrece. "Are you okay Drece?" he asked getting desperate for another answer.
"I don't know. I don't think my shoulder is in good shape but I don't really care right now." She paused, a shuttering breath could be heard being taken in. "I want to go home Jase."
Jason stumbled across what felt like a foot, "Drece this you?" he asked tapping on his discovery.
"Yeah."
He used her body to guide himself so he was sitting next to her. He was startled to discover the wall on which he was now resting against was stone. He felt a slight shutter coarse its way through Andrece. "Hey you okay?" he asked placing his arm around her shoulders and drawing her closer.
"I don't like the dark Jase. I don't like this place."
"It's okay; we won't be here much longer. I bet right now the others are looking for us and they'll find us or we'll get out of here on our own." He paused and gave her a little hug. "Don't worry we'll be okay, I promise."
"Don't make promises you can't keep Red Ranger." Hissed a gravelly voice.
"Goldar." Jason said making the name a curse. "Where are you, you coward?"
As an answer the room was suddenly flooded with a bright blinding light. It took a few moments for the ranger's eyes to adjust to the sudden glare, but as they adjusted, the golden figure of their captor came into focus.
"I am right here." Goldar said gracing the two rangers with a slight bow. "Now…Finster! Hurry and pick your guinea pig." The monster growled. Out from behind the golden figure appeared another shorter thinner body. It was covered in pure white fur, the creature had the face of a bat but the basic body of a dog, complete with tail.
The creature known as Finster was the master creator of the monsters that were sent down to Earth to destroy the power rangers. The shy creator looked from Jason to Andrece and back; never letting his gaze drift to Goldar. "I'm not sure which one would give the desired results." Finster muttered.
"Pick one." Goldar growled in a more menacing voice.
The now frightened Finster jumped and quickly pointed to Andrece. "Her. I'll take her."
Goldar nodded and pulled Andrece roughly to her feet while keeping Jason at bay by the use of his sword. "Do not worry Jason, soon enough you and all your friends shall have a turn."
"Don't you dare hurt her." Jason said to Goldar, his voice cold and full of threat.
"Oh do not worry; she will be returned to you, but slightly different." With that the three of them left Jason alone. He turned to the wall and let his anger flow out through a single punch. When he drew back his hand the knuckled were bleeding and the dull ache of pain raced through his arm.
He sat down defeated and looked about his cell. There were no visible doors, or windows, the room was featureless except for a single small pool of water in the far corner. The room was about four meters square and about 8 meters from floor to ceiling. Leaning his head against the cool stone Jason mumbled to himself, "Come on Tommy, and get us outta here."
Alpha, contact the rangers. I've found Jason and Andrece.
"Right away Zordon." droned Alpha five. He tapped a series of keys on the futuristic console. "Rangers, report to the Command center, we've found Jason and Andrece."
"We're on our way Alpha." Tommy replied. With in mere seconds there were five pillars of light that dissipated to reveal the rangers. "Where are they?" asked Tommy stepping closer to Zordon.
They are located on the moon base used by Rita and Zedd. Exactly where they are in the castle is still unknown.
"We've got to get them out of there." Kimberly said forcefully.
I know but if any one of you goes and the city becomes under attack then there is no hope in summoning the Zords.
"But Zordon, if we don't go then there is no hope for either Jason or Andrece. We must help our friends." Billy stated logically.
Within the glowing tube that held Zordon in his own dimension he appeared to sigh. As usual Billy you are correct. Very well then rangers, you will go to the moon base but if for any reason you are needed here I won't think twice before bringing you back.
"We understand Zordon." Tommy said, "Come on guys, its morphin time!"
"Mastodon!"
"Pterodactyl!"
"Triceratops!"
"Saber tooth tiger!"
"Dragonzord!"
Regarding his power rangers, Zordon felt a glow of pride. May the power protect you. He said as the rangers teleported to rescue their friends.
The worst part of being held hostage in Jason's mind was the waiting. Although it was difficult to tell exactly how much time had passed he knew it had been at least an hour since Andrece had been chosen. In shear frustration Jason spun and struck the wall with his fist, causing a shot of pain to course through his arm and now bloody hand. "What's taking so long?" he said aloud. As if an answer Andrece appeared.
She stood there in the center of the small room staring at nothing, her eyes blank, he face under attack of various emotions. Carefully not wanting to startle her Jason reached out and gently took her hand.
"Drece?" he asked in a whisper. She didn't reply, but just stood there like a stone statue. "What did they do to you?"
"Oh don't worry, you'll find out soon enough. I promise." answered the voice of Goldar. He stood half leaning against the wall behind Andrece, arms crossed over his broad chest.
"Think again Goldar. You won't take me as you did her. At least not with out a fight."
Goldar grinned. He loved a good spar between he and the Red Ranger. It seemed that Jason was the only worthy enemy he had. Goldar watched as his enemy guided the silent girl to the wall behind him. As soon as Jason had made certain that Andrece was not going to be in any real danger he turned back to the waiting Goldar.
"Don't know what you did to her, but you are going to pay for it." Jason said as he threw the first punch at his enemy. They traded blows for mere seconds before the rage inside of Jason over took his rational mind. In a foolish Tornado spin kick that for a second of time left him open to an attack. Goldar took that second and swung up and across the unprotected chest of the red ranger leaving a thin red line.
Jason collapsed in the middle of his kick and fell to the floor in a heap. Goldar towered over the withering form of his enemy and took stance for the final blow. Just as he was preparing for the down wards slash that would end the human's life five pillars of light appeared and solidified into five angry rangers.
"Not today Goldar, not ever." The Green ranger said as he held his own sword against the skin of Goldar's neck. With drawing his blade from the offensive position Goldar straightened his stance and look the Green Ranger in the face.
Although he could not see the human eyes behind the face plate he could certainly feel the glaring hatred being directed at him. Goldar saw the Black and Blue Rangers were helping Jason to his feet unsteadily while the Pink and Yellow Rangers were guiding Andrece towards the group. Goldar gave a little bow to the Green Ranger, "You may have been able to recover your team mates this time and win the battle Green Ranger, but next time things will be much different I swear to you they will." With but a thought Goldar teleported away from the annoying rangers and to his own quarters where he started thinking how he was going to explain his loss to his Lord and Queen.
"We'll see Goldar, we will see." Tommy said under his breath as the golden creature disappeared in a flash of orange light. He looked around to his friends, Jason was injured although not serious and Andrece was like stone. "Let's go home." His friends nodded and the eight rangers teleported from the moon base to their command center.
Once back in the command center the rangers learned the story of what happened during the capture on the moon base. Jason's wound was wrapped and he was given a clean bill of health from Alpha 5. Andrece on the other hand had yet to say a word form the time she had appeared in front of Jason hours before.
The other rangers had all headed back home leaving Jason and Andrece alone in the medical area of the center. Sitting with his legs swinging over the edge of his bed Jason wondered aloud, "I wish you'd say something Drece, I was so worried when they took you away." He glanced over to her prone form on the next bed over.
Getting off his bed he wobbled towards her still a little sore from the slicing of the blade. Locking his midnight brown eyes on her clear sea green ones he picked up one of her hands, surprised to find it ice cold to the touch. "Drece I really wish you'd snap out of it. I know something happened, and I know that you can't handle it or else you would be okay. I'm here for you always." Slowly he kissed her forehead and stepped back to teleport home. Just as his body was being surrounded in red light he saw the single tear make its wet path down her pale cheek.
It was a full two days later when Jason saw Andrece again. Kim had told him that she had all but locked her self in her room; no one was able to see her except for her dad. Jason found her in a more secluded area of the beach, the same little alcove that they are fought the putties in and lost.
She was sitting alone staring out across the blue green water, blind and deaf to the world around her. Jason admired her for a few moments then cleared his throat loudly making his presence known. She turned her head slightly just enough that she could see who it was from the corner of her eye then returned her gaze to the water. Jason walked up next to her and settled down on the warm sand.
"How are you doing?" he asked in a quiet voice. He stared out on to the water wondering what was running though her mind.
Andrece broke her locked gaze and rested her eyes on the sand before her feet. "Not great, a lot of stuff has come back in to the picture." She turned to him, "How are you?"
Jason patted his chest, "Doing fine. Alpha said a few more days and no one should be able to tell what happened."
She smiled a sad smile at him. "That good." She looked back to her feet.
"Drece what happened to you after they took you?"
She looked at him her eyes locking with his. Her sea green eyes were filled with pain and fright. "When they took me from you, they exposed me to this kind of ray gun I guess it was. It's a horrid thing. It's designed to make the subject relive any and all painful memories of their past. It brought back a lot of stuff."
"Like what?"
She took a deep breath and looked out on to the water again. "I guess now is as good as time as ever eh?" Jason shrugged. "There is a lot about my past that I really wish wasn't there. Stuff happened that I don't want to admit did."
"Listen Drece if you don't want to tell me you don't have to." He placed his arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle hug.
"No," she said shaking her head, "I have to tell you or else you won't understand. You remember the last time we were here? You had picked me up and were planning to throw me into the water. And I freaked out on you." Jason nodded, he was still curious about that; it wasn't in her character to flip out. "It was because I had…I guess what you would call a flash back. It was about two years ago now when it happened. My brother Josh and I were coming back from the beach near our cottage. The trail to the cabin went through a wooded area and that's where we were attacked." She paused gathering her strengths. "There were four of them. Two jumped Josh and knocked him off the trail while the other two knocked my down. I was so scared I couldn't fight back. It was in like only a few minutes and they were gone again. Josh was beat up very badly, he's now in a wheel chair. They broke his back when he tried to come help me."
Jason couldn't help himself from asking, "What did they do to you Drece?"
She looked him in the eye and said point blank, "They raped me." Jason stared at her, never in his life would he had imagined that. "They raped me and I couldn't stop them." Andrece let the flood of tears break free and flow down her cheeks. Jason wrapped his other arm around her and held her close. "After all the training, all the classes I froze. I couldn't do anything."
"I'm sorry, I am so so sorry." He whispered to her as he rocked her back and forth. After a few minutes she dried her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder. "You're okay now though Drece; I'll never let anything hurt you like that again. I swear."
"I felt you had to know, besides my family you're the only other person who knows."
"I'm honored you trust me so, and remember you can tell me anything at anytime. I'm always going to be here for you."
They sat there for over an hour and when the street lights from the near by jogging path came on they started walking around. Jason glanced at his watch and gasped. "What's wrong?" Andrece asked as she swung her hand back and forth as it was linked with his.
"I just remembered that there is a concert on at the youth center, I was supposed to meet the gang there." He turned to her, "You feel like going?"
She smiled and kissed him gently on the lips, "As long as I am with you."
"It's a deal." Together they walked towards the youth center and to their waiting friends. A new level of trust had been laid and tested for stability between the two rangers. And only time could tell how many more layers were set in their path.
THE END
