Chapter 58 Kimberly's Flame Within
After breakfast David makes another announcement and everyone listens. Kimberly goes over to the cabin where her group stays. When they tell her its all right to walk in, she does so and sees them cleaning up the mess the monster made just last night. They are wearing the same clothes they came to camp in and Kimberly is wearing the uniform given to her. She says to the guys as she stands at the front door entrance.
Kimberly-Okay guys. I need to talk to you.
They all stop what they're doing and sit down on their beds to listen to Kim speak.
Kimberly-I appreciate what you did for me earlier. And David has given me the responsibility of coming up with a punishment for you guys.
Ben and Robby sigh while Brad lets out a little steam.
Brad-PUNISHMENT!? WE ALREADY CONFESSED! ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?!
Kimberly looks at him and says.
Kimberly-That's not enough Brad. So I've decided that I'm going to take you on a little trip in Branson's Woods.
Brad-What?
Kimberly-You heard me. Not all punishments are as bad as they seem. While on the trip I want you guys to think and also have a little bit of fun. Not too much, but a little bit.
Ben asks with enthusiasm.
Ben-What will we be doing?
Kimberly-Well first we'll be going on a tracking mission.
Ben-Tracking mission?
Kimberly-Yes, something that will definitely make your brain work hard.
Ben-Hmm.
Brad-This sounds so lame.
Kimberly looks at Brad again and says.
Kimberly-Won't be lame. It'll be fun… somewhat. So you guys get ready and we'll be ready to go in a bit.
Kimberly leaves the cabin.
Meanwhile General Crimson sits at the quarry next to the camp grounds and begins to think to himself. He is soon interrupted by an image of Dark Sinistar coming together in the sky right above him.
Dark Sinistar-YOU FOOL!
He is startled by her voice, and soon he looks up.
General Crimson-Dark Sinistar.. Empress.. How nice to see you.
Dark Sinistar-SILENCE! My ceremonial temple is almost complete! You have not yet acquired the white starlight gem, have you?!
General Crimson-No.. but.
She interrupts him in a thunderous tone.
Dark Sinistar-INCOMPETANT!
General Crimson becomes very startled and frightened.
Dark Sinistar-I WANT AT LEAST ONE STARLIGHT GEM! BUT IF I CAN'T GET IT I'LL HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO POWER MY CEREMONY!
General Crimson-Begging your pardon..
She interrupts him again.
Dark Sinistar-SILENCE! I have been informed that the White Ranger and three other humans will be spending time alone very soon within a wooded area. Take care of them.. And don't fail me again!
General Crimson-As you command, Empress.
The image disappears very quickly..
General Crimson starts thinking again.
General Crimson-I'll set up an ambush and attack!
He starts laughing uncontrollably, then his laughing fades..
General Crimson disappears in a fiery blaze. He soon reappears next to a woody area located a few miles away from the camp grounds. His eyes start to glow and soon the entire woods start to glow brightly red. He laughs as he raises his arms and says.
General Crimson-WELCOME TO THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR THE WHITE RANGER! HAHAHA!
Thirty minutes later Kimberly, Ben, Brad, and Robby all leave the camp grounds. The guys are now dressed in authentic Camp Turnaround outfits and they're also carrying large back packs filled with necessary things. They walk until they make it direct to Branson's Woods. As they walk in they notice the area a little muggy but Kimberly says that'll pass as soon as they concentrate on what they intend to do.
The day is still young so Kimberly suggests to the guys that they pick a suitable spot to set up their tents. Brad asks in a careless aggressive tone.
Brad-Are we the only ones who have to set up things around here?!
Kimberly looks back at him and smiles. She then answers.
Kimberly-Of course. A lot of work will help you guys relax later on.. Trust me.
So they find a spot out in the middle of the woods and begin to set up things. Actually, when they stop walking, the guys falls onto their backs in exhaustion. Kimberly chuckles and says to them.
Kimberly-Come on guys, get up.. You have to set things up.
Brad-Aww man I'm so tired from doing all that walking.
Kimberly-Yeah, well I am too. But I'm not complaining.
Brad mumbles under his breath.
Brad-Yeah, figures.. Cause you're a Power Ranger.
Kimberly doesn't hear what he says of course. She just helps the other two guys up on their feet and says to them again.
Kimberly-Come on guys.. Time to not be lazy. Set up camp..
As they begin Kimberly looks around the area and says.
Kimberly-I'll be back. I'm going to go and look for firewood to start a fire when it gets chilly.
Ben-Okay.
Kimberly leaves the guys.. They start arguing about what to do first. She chuckles as she starts picking up small pieces of fire wood off of the muggy ground.
After about five minutes, she makes it to the lower part of the woods. She notices five big and very scary looking trees. She says to herself.
Kimberly-Come on, no need to be afraid. They're just trees.
Kimberly listens to herself and starts picking up more firewood. She passes four trees and when he makes it over to the last one she notices something that she believes is just her imagination. What she sees is a tree with a face, a very ugly looking face staring at her. She moves away a bit and can actually see the eyes following her every move.
Kimberly's fear over comes her and soon she starts to run away but something stops her. Something that she can't see only feel. She finds herself being pulled towards the tree she had just started running from.
Kimberly-Oh no! What is this?!
Kimberly is caught. She has been pulled right in the arms of the tree which of course are branches. The large branches close in on her and start squeezing tightly. She lets out a small yell.
Kimberly-UGH! Let me go!
Kimberly tries to break free but nothing she does works. Soon the tree starts to break apart slowly, and then the other ones follow. Kimberly looks down at the branches which have turned into smoky dark arms. The trees have transformed into five demon knights with only one mission and that is to fight the White Ranger.
Kimberly manages to break free and leap away from the five knights. She turns around and looks at them as she prepares to defend herself.
Kimberly-I should of known you creeps wouldn't be too far away!
The demon knights rush over to Kimberly. She ducks out of the way of a swinging arm and quickly gets back up to kick one of them out of the way. Others start trying to bite her but she proves to be much quicker which is fortunate for her. One of the knights manages to swipe Kimberly's chest and fling her onto the ground. She screams out.
Kimberly-UGH!
She doesn't want Brad and the others to get hurt so she figures she needs to finish off the demon knights quick. She gets up on her feet again and grabs all of the fire wood sticks. She then hurls five sticks towards them and very quickly they all get stuck in their chests.
Kimberly then turns around and faces them again with a very high and intense jump swipe kick which she gives to all five demon knights and this also causes the sticks in their chests to catch a flame. Soon the flame gets bigger and envelops them all. They scream out in agony as their flaming bodies fall onto the ground and explode into one heavy black dust..
Just then General Crimson appears right in front of her. She gasps.
Kimberly-Oh no, not you!
General Crimson laughs and immediately says.
General Crimson-Hello White Ranger, no need to try and escape because you see wherever you go my woods will be there and there is always something tricky just around every corner. So why don't you give up?
Kimberly-I'll never give up!
General Crimson-You have no choice!
Red fiery beams emerge from General Crimson's eyes, the beams attempt to strike Kimberly but she gets out of the way.. Barely. Unfortunately she ends up getting hit twice and knocked down.
Kimberly-UGH!
General Crimson quickly walks over to her and puts his foot up onto her neck. He then says as he slowly increases the pressure.
General Crimson-This is easier than I thought! Surrender your starlight gem to me and I'll be merciful!
Kimberly says in choked up tone.
Kimberly-NEVER.. UGH!
General Crimson-Then say goodbye White Ranger! A pity you weren't more of a challenge!
Suddenly a huge branch hits General Crimson in the back of his head. He yells out a bit as he is knocked down on the ground face first.
Kimberly catches her breath and starts to cough violently. She looks up and sees Brad, Ben and Robby holding a very big branch. Brad rushes over to her and helps her up.
Brad-You okay Babe?
Kimberly looks at him and says.
Kimberly-Yeah, but you guys have to get out of here.
She coughs again. Brad then says.
Brad-No we can't just leave you.
Kimberly stops coughing and responds.
Kimberly-You've got too.. You don't know.
He interrupts her.
Brad-You risked your life to save us last time.
Kimberly gives them a dumbfounded "what are you talking about?" look. Brad then says.
Brad-We know who you are.
Kimberly-What…You do?
Brad-Yeah.
Ben-Sure do. White Ranger.
Kimberly-But how did you find me?
Robby-Well we finished setting things up and thought about what you said about our first mission being a tracker. So we thought you left as a part of what we were supposed to do.
Ben-Yeah and we found you.
Kimberly slightly smiles.
Kimberly-Thanks. That wasn't the idea. But thank you.
They help her up. Brad takes her hand and puts it around his shoulder. Kimberly says as she glances at a knocked out General Crimson.
Kimberly-We've got to get out of here before he wakes up..
Brad-All right as long as you're coming with us.
Robby-Because we're not leaving you.
She smiles weakly. They start leaving and half way out they are attacked.. Energy blasts start appearing from behind them. They scream out and all fall onto the ground at once.
Kimberly-UGHGGH!
Robby-UGGHHH!
Ben-ARGGHH!
Brad-GGUGHH!
Kimberly turns and looks up to see General Crimson appearing from behind them carrying a huge flaming saber. She tries to get up but the pain she feels prevents her from doing so, she says in desperation.
Kimberly-I've got to call the other Power Rangers!
General Crimson instantly reacts to that statement by using his power radiating through his eyes to cause the ground to rumble and after a few seconds when it stops, Kimberly notices with sheer fright that Brad, Robby and Ben have been captured by huge dark trees holding them securely in place by wickedly looking branches.
General Crimson smirks and finally speaks.
General Crimson-Go ahead White Ranger call your Power Ranger buddies.. However the second you do is exactly when your three companions will surely die!
Kimberly exclaims.
Kimberly-NO!
General Crimson-Oh yes, my trees will squeeze the very life out of them and after that I will surely finish the job by decapitating them!
Ben, Robby and Brad struggle but its hopeless. They can't even speak, they can only grunt and groan. Kimberly starts to feel more worried than ever before, she exclaims again.
Kimberly-PLEASE NO, DON'T HURT THEM!
General Crimson-Then surrender and give me your starlight gem!
Feeling overwhelmed and complete terror now by the choices given to her Kimberly becomes slightly dazed as she looks at Brad, Robby and Ben in their futile struggle to live and then back at General Crimson with teary eyes and says.
Kimberly-I….
Suddenly she hears a voice within herself.
Phoenix-Kimberly you are the flame.
She responds with a..
Kimberly-What?
Phoenix-You are the flame.. Rise from the ashes of your defeat!
Kimberly-I don't…
Her thoughts are cut off because General Crimson comes back into her view in a demanding tone.
General Crimson-Well girl!? What is your decision?! Your starlight gem for their lives!
After thinking for a second more she dries her eyes and stands up slowly..
Kimberly-I know when I am beaten. I will give you my starlight gem for my friends lives.
General Crimson smirks with evil delight.
General Crimson-Wise choice to accept your defeat White Ranger.
He points his flaming saber at her and says in deadly serious tone.
General Crimson-No tricks now White Ranger or your three companions will pay the ultimate price!
Kimberly says nothing, all she does is hold out her right hand and soon her body glows brightly white, everyone watches with awe as the white glow shrinks down in the palm of her right hand and transforms into her white starlight gem.
She now walks closer to General Crimson and stops directly in front of him she then gives him her starlight gem he puts down his flaming saber and laughs when he realizes he has won. Kimberly says hopefully.
Kimberly-Now keep your end of the deal, let my friends go.
General Crimson smirks again and raises his flaming saber as he says.
General Crimson-NEVER! DIE!
A horrendous amount of flaming power emerges from the saber and is just about to hit Kimberly when she hears the voice again.
Phoenix-You are the flame…Rise from the ashes of your defeat.
Kimberly immediately realizes what the voice means so she sticks out her right hand as soon as the flaming power is an inch away and when it touches her hand it becomes completely absorbed into her body. General Crimson looks at his saber which obviously has lost all of its power, he then looks at Kimberly and angrily snaps.
General Crimson-WHAT?! IMPOSSIBLE!
Now with her body within a powerful flaming glow, Kimberly instantly twirls around quickly and gives General Crimson a blazing fiery flaming blast so strong that it knocks the starlight gem out of his hand and sends him flying away in flames and in pain.
General Crimson-AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
He hit's the ground a few feet away..
General Crimson-UGGGHH!
And with his fallen defeat his power weakens and so this causes the trees holding Brad, Robby and Ben to release them by disappearing. Kimberly manages to find her starlight gem and absorbs it back into her body she then rushes over to Brad, Robby and Ben.
Kimberly-You guys doing ok?
Catching his breath Brad is the first to say.
Brad-Yeah..
Robby shouts out.
Robby-But I don't think its over!
Ben-Look out!
The boys were right to shout out because they see General Crimson coming at them with his now flameless saber. Kimberly turns to him and shouts out.
Kimberly-I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU!
She raises her hand and speaks fiercely.
Kimberly-WHITE STARLIGHT POWER NOW!
Soon a flash of white lightning appears and strikes Kimberly's risen hand. Her body begins to glow completely white as Brad and his friends watch with amazement. When Kimberly's body stops glowing she has been completely transformed into the White Ranger with her phoenix bow in hand.
General Crimson swings his saber at the White Ranger but she blocks the hit with her phoenix bow he then asks with intense frustration.
General Crimson-HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO TAKE THE FLAME FROM MY SABER?!
She responds with extreme seriousness.
White Ranger-Its Simple, I am the flame!
She then uses her strength to push his saber away with her bow and immediately gives him a side kick to his stomach at the same time she shouts out.
White Ranger-HIYA!
He is pushed back a bit, just far enough so the White Ranger is able to leap up into the sky and say.
White Ranger-AND NOW ITS TIME FOR ME TO RISE FROM THE ASHES OF MY DEFEAT!
She places her bow in front of her as an image of the very powerful Phoenix appears. She then fires three arrows at once.. The arrows plunge into General Crimson's chest and cause his body to surge and set off small explosions with very painful results.
General Crimson-UUUGGGHHHH!
The White Ranger still in the air raises her bow above her head as it starts glowing superbly white, when she gets close enough she gives Crimson a super fiery hit that causes him to fall. She lands perfectly and turns around with her weapon in hand as General Crimson lands on his back in a fiery explosion while his screams are heard.
General Crimson-AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
The guys cheer one by one admiring the torturous blaze consuming the evil General.
Brad-Totally bitchin!
Robby-Awesome beyond words!
Ben-Damn she sure lit him up!
The three guys laugh while watching a very smoky looking General Crimson slowly disappearing. The White Ranger walks over to them to make sure they are ok again and its obvious they are more than ok but she had to make sure.
Later on, when they get back to camp Brad and his friends thank Kimberly again.
Kimberly-There's no need to thank me guys.
Robby-You deserve it Kim!
Ben-I couldn't agree more.
Robby and Ben end up being really hungry so they decide to go to the mess hall to get something to eat but not before they apologize to Kimberly about how they tried to get her into trouble when she had first arrived at camp..
Brad stays behind to talk to Kimberly, he smiles at her and offers to walk her back to her cabin, she accepts with a tiny bit of reluctance.
Kimberly-You being a nice guy? Seems so weird..
Brad-Oh come on! I can be nice.. And I want to be nice to you.
Kimberly-Why is that?
Brad-Because I had time to think about what you said to us earlier.
Kimberly-I'm glad it sunk into your head.
Brad-That and you saving our lives.
Kimberly-Well don't give me all the credit you guys saved me too.
Brad-I know but I want you to know I appreciate you. And everything you've done. And I am so sorry for acting so stupid with you.
Kimberly-You've learned something, right?
Brad-Yeah I have.
Kimberly-I believe that Brad I really do. Want to know why?
Brad-I'm all ears babe.
Kimberly-Because if you hadn't learned anything and still found out to be the jerk you were then you would of just left me in the woods.
Brad-Uh yeah..still sorry about being like that.
Brad gives her a hug and she accepts but she does want to say.
Kimberly-One more thing.
Brad-Yeah?
Kimberly-Don't go spreading around that I'm the White Ranger.
Brad-No worries babe. But uh I got a question for you.
Kimberly-Ok?
Brad-How did you use all of that fire power in the woods and not burn anything except for that evil creep?
Kimberly smiles and answers.
Kimberly-My fire power from the mighty Phoenix only burns evil.
Brad-Damn that rocks! But you took his flame from his saber.
Kimberly-Yeah and?
Brad-That was awesome to see you being able to take his flame and use it against him.
Kimberly-The phoenix is full of surprises.
Brad-The phoenix is you babe.
Kimberly-Huh I guess you could say that.
Brad-Yeah, it is. You are the flame!
Kimberly smiles and giggles as they continue to walk to her cabin…
