Chapter Ten
"Anything look familiar, guys?" asked Jason.
"The trees do," answered Kim. Jason looked at her and rolled his eyes.
"We should probably avoid that path over there," said Billy, pointing. "If my memory is correct, that is where we got stuck fighting the life-sized skeletons of the dinosaurs."
"Yeah, we don't want to get caught up in that again," said Aisha.
"I don't know, guys," started Rocky. "Tommy might want to go and check it out. You know, get some first-hand experience done again. Dinosaur fossils coming to life. And I'm Tommy Oliver. Power ranger paleontologist. Green, white, red, and black."
Everyone laughed while Tommy pretended not to hear.
"Do you think the power is here?" Tommy asked Jason. "Or do you think we'll be going on some wild goose chase like what Zordon and Alpha said?"
Jason shrugged. "The only way we find out is if we find the power."
"We should probably head to where we found the other power," said Adam. "Dulcea said that different sorts of power are protected on this planet and maybe there'll all protected in that same place and we just unlocked our own power, then?"
"It's worth a shot," said Tommy.
"We must find that power source!" yelled Mesagog at Elsa and Zeltrax. He looked at Lord Zedd who was surveying the different equipment held in the room. "Do you have any suggestions? You weren't brought back to look at the pretty lights!"
Zedd glanced at Mesagog. "And I suppose you think you are the leader here?"
"I brought you back. You listen to me. As all of you do. The Power Rangers must be destroyed."
"I know the Power Rangers. They never change. New rangers may come, but they are still the same. High-minded teenagers that are annoying and think they know everything."
"Well, that shows how much you know. These rangers have an old ranger amongst them. Dr. Tommy Oliver, I believe you know him?"
"Tommy's a doctor?" asked Rita.
"Tommy's a ranger?" asked Zedd.
"Black ranger," said Zeltrax.
"I can't believe he's a doctor!" exclaimed Rita. "He was always suited to be evil. And now he's a doctor." She smiled proudly.
"It's like our rangers are all grown up," added Goldar.
"Shut up, you two!" said Zedd angrily. "I can't believe he's still a ranger. Surely he has gotten too old."
"Apparently not," said Elsa.
"Enough!" cried Mesagog. "We need to get the rangers out of commision. And destroy them forever. So that the world can relive thier prehistoric days without any interference from those rangers."
"The power will be on Phaedos," said Zedd. "It's always on Phaedos."
"How can you be sure?"
"It's always on Phaedos." Zedd emphasized each word.
"Ooh, Ed, can I go?" asked Rito.
"No, I wanna go!" cried Scorpina.
"No, let me," said Goldar.
Zedd groaned. He turned to Rito and said, "It's Zedd, and no."
"Aw, come on!"
"I should've left you and Goldar to those bumbling idiots. Why I gave you back your memories, I have no idea."
"Ah, and I appreciate it, bro-in-law, but I wanna go. I did good last time, remember? I destroyed the rangers' powers."
"I did good last time," said Scorpina.
"Oh, just let him go, Zeddy. Putties and Tengu warriors can go with him," said Rita.
"Oh, alright. Only if Goldar goes with him."
"And Scorpina."
"Wait. The're not going. You're not in charge here. Zeltrax and Elsa will go with tyrannodrones."
"No, they're going." Zedd pointed to Goldar, Scorpina, and Rito.
"No, my piranhatrons can get the job done," added Divatox.
"NO!" Zedd and Mesagog yelled in unison.
"Well, geez, I was just trying to help. Because I could get the power source and destroy the rangers."
"No, I want to go!" said Prince Sprocket. Mondo and Machina nodded vigorously.
"No," said Zedd. "The putties and the Tengu warriors will go. They will fight anybody who gets in the way. Goldar, Scorpina, and Rito will retrieve the source and return it here."
"No, because Zeltrax and Elsa will retrieve the source."
Zedd and Mesagog faced off in front of each other. Zedd waved his wand and Scorpina, Rito, Goldar, putties, and Tengu warriors disappeared. "I know where to send them."
Mesagog groaned. "Zeltrax, send tyrannodrones to wreak havoc in Reefside. Give the rangers something to do while the source is being retrieved. They are no match for the newest breed of tyrannodrones."
"...destroying the city," said Cassidy Cornell. "Have the rangers abandoned the city once more? There has yet to be a sign of any of them."
Hayley sighed and turned the television off. "Where are you guys?" she said aloud to the empty room.
"Is this it?" asked Conner, looking up at a giant stone wall.
Zack looked at the rest of the rangers before following everyone's gaze up to the stone wall. Tommy nodded.
"Yeah, I think this is it," said Adam. Rocky, Kim, Billy, and Aisha nodded in agreement.
Jason and Zack started to walk towards the giant stone.
"Be careful, guys. We don't want to a repeat of what happened last time," said Kim.
"And exactly what happened last time?" asked Kira uncertainly.
"You see those four stone things in the corner?" asked Aisha. Kira, Conner, Ethan, Trent, Zack, and Jason nodded. "They came to life and fought us."
Jason nodded. "On your toes, guys."
Everyone walked closer to the stone, keeping thier guard up.
"Maybe you guys should be in front, you know what to expect," said Zack. The others nodded and shifted forward while the new Ninjetti held back. Jason and Zack stayed directly behind them while the teenagers dropped back.
Ethan heard a noise from behind him and turned around. He stood wide-eyed at the putties hovering around him. "Uhh, guys.." He began to tap Conner, who was pushing his hand away. "Guys!" He turned and saw the Tengu warriors appear. "Guys, I think we're in a bit of some trouble."
Conner, Kira, and Trent turned around. "Oh, ew," said Kira. The teens got into a fighting stance.
"Dr. Z?" Conner yelled. "Are these friends of yours?"
"What is that boy talking about?" asked Tommy before turning around. Kim and Aisha shrugged and giggled a bit. They all turned around.
"Whoa!" said Zack.
"Guess we know for sure that Zedd's back," said Jason.
"And Rita," said Aisha.
The twelve rangers got in position and began to fight the putties and the warriors.
"So, what are these things?" asked Trent.
Trent and Tommy kicked a putty together. "That was a putty," Tommy said. They both turned around and punched a Tengu warrior. "And that was a Tengu warrior."
"I was hoping to see you again," a voice said from behind the rangers. "And, I'm glad to see you all together. Makes destroying you easier."
The rangers turned around and stood together while the putties and Tengu warriors gathered around the latest arrivals.
"Whoa. And they are?" asked Ethan.
"Goldar!" exclaimed Jason.
"And Rito," said Kim.
"And Scorpina," said Billy.
"It's nice seeing you again, rangers," said Rito. "This time I bet you guys won't even get your powers back. Now, where is this power source? Hand it over, will you? I need to go run it over to Ed."
"I'm surprised to see you all here," said Goldar. "But I suppose I shouldn't be with you, should I, black ranger?"
Adam looked at Goldar. "What do you want with me?"
"Not you, you idiot." Goldar glanced at Adam and then looked at Tommy. "And he's a doctor. With a new color. Trying to own all the ranger colors for yourself, Tommy?"
"Gosh, even the bad guys make fun of Dr. Z," whispered Ethan. The other teens laughed quietly.
"You're going down, Goldar," said Tommy. "You too, Rito. Scorpina."
"No, I believe you guys will be going down," said Goldar. He looked around. "New friends, Tommy?" The teenagers looked at Goldar with determination in their eyes.
Tommy nodded and smirked. "Yeah. And a bunch of old ones too."
Both sides ran at each other, starting to fight. The putties surrounded the teenagers. Conner fought and kicked one square in the chest. It shriveled and disappeared.
"Aim for the 'Z' guys," he yelled. The three others nodded and continued to fight.
Kim, Aisha, Adam, Zack, Billy, and Rocky began to fight the Tengu warriors.
"These things just don't quit, do they?" yelled Aisha.
Goldar circled around Jason. "A bit out of your color, isn't it red ranger?"
"Wrong," answered Jason. He jumped and kicked Goldar in the chest.
Scorpina and Tommy faced each other. "I think I liked you better when you were evil," she said.
"You would say that." They began to fight each other.
Rito, along with some Tengu warriors and putties began to approach the stone wall. "I think this is where Ed said it was." He stopped in front of one of the stone warriors. "Now we just have to figure out how to open it." He looked at the rangers fighting Goldar, Scorpina, the other putties and Tengu warriors. "Well, since they're busy, I guess I just have to find a way to get to the power source myself." He knocked on the stone warrior. He turned around. "Do we bum rush into it?" He turned around to face the stone wall again, coming face to face with a stone warrior. "Oh no." He looked back at the Tengu warriors. "Take care of this." The Tengu warriors rushed forward as the three other stone warriors came to life and began fighting the putties and the Tengu warriors. Rito slipped into a hidden brush next to the stone wall and quietly watched the fighting. "I guess I could wait here until they're all finished and done."
A stone warrior came between Kimberly and a Tengu warrior. "Oh no," she said. Kim looked around. "They woke the stone warriors, you guys!" She began to fight both warriors.
The fighting continued between everyone. Rito looked out from where he was. "Are you guys finished yet?"
A Tengu warrior defeated the last stone warrior. The ground suddenly began to shake and both sides separated. The rangers on one side, with the evil ones on the other. The stone split open in the middle and a bright light began to emit from it. Everyone looked up and saw different animals flying out from within the stone. A cheetah, a gorilla, an eagle, a stag, a tiger, and a lion. The animal spirits circled around six of the rangers. Kim smiled, "Embrace it, guys." Another light emitted from the within the stone. A smaller stone appeared to be moving toward them from within the wall.
"There it is," yelled Goldar. He, Scorpina, and Rito, who ran from his hiding place, ran towards the stone. They were all immediately thrown back as if an invisible wall surrounded the stone.
"HEY!" yelled Rito. He got up and ran to stone again. He was thrown back.
"Get back!" yelled Scorpina. "It's mine!"
"NO!"
"It's mine!" She ran to the stone and also got thrown back.
"Le me show you how it's done!" Goldar moved forward and also got thrown back. The three of them groaned, rubbing their heads, from where they were on the floor.
"Let's go, guys," said Tommy. He began to walk towards the stone, with the others following. Goldar, Scorpina, and Rito watched them from their places, while the putties and Tengu warriors hovered in the back. The rangers walked closer to the stone than the other three did and they began to space themselves out into a circle surrounding the stone. The twelve rangers lifted their hands and within seconds, another beam of light emitted from the actual stone. "You guys, okay?" asked Tommy once the beam disappeared.
"Yeah, I feel..." started Kim.
"Amazing," said Rocky. The rest of them nodded in agreement.
The rangers turned to face Goldar, Scorpina, and Rito. "This isn't the last you've seen of us, Rangers," said Goldar. With a wave of his sword, Goldar and the others disappeared.
"So, where do we go from here?" asked Adam.
"Hey, look guys," said Billy. He pointed to a papyrus scroll sitting in the center of the stone. He picked it up and carefully unraveled it. His eyes shifted over it before saying anything.
"So, what is it?" asked Ethan.
"I think it's a trail to the great power," he answered. "Seems Zordon and Alpha were correct. This is only the beginning."
"What was that?" asked Conner.
"I believe it would be a precursor to the ultimate power. Look." Billy smoothed out the scroll on the stone and held it open for everyone to read.
"This is only the beginning.
Only eighteen of the most worthy may continue.
An alliance of great evil has been unleashed, to be matched only by an alliance of the great power of good.
The ultimate power. The power to defeat evil, past and present.
Continue on.
Do not lose hope.
Words that must be heeded.
The planet of red, silver, and pink is your next destination.
There, you will find what you are seeking."
"Huh," said Aisha. "One thing, though. There's only twelve of us. Not eighteen."
"But, look," said Adam. "The planet of red, silver, and pink. What does that mean?"
Everyone was silent for a moment.
"I got it," said Tommy after a while. "It's right before our eyes." Everyone looked at him, confused. "The planet of red, silver, and pink. KO-35. Andros, Zhane, and Karone. Red and silver space rangers. Pink galaxy ranger. They're from KO-35."
"So the eighteen must refer to the space rangers?" asked Billy. "There are six of them."
Tommy nodded. "I think so."
"What about Andros' sister?"
Tommy shrugged.
"So, how do we get there?" asked Jason.
Billy shrugged. "Back to square one."
"YOU FAILED!" Zedd yelled at Goldar, Scorpina, and Rito.
"It wasn't our fault!" Scorpina yelled back. "The Power Rangers were there."
Zedd yelled in frustration. "They beat me to the power source. And now they know of our existence."
"If Elsa and Zeltrax had gone, we would have the power source," said Mesagog.
"And they already know of our existence," said Elsa.
"Shut up, you two!"
"And now we have to worry that those five rangers know about the great power and of the past evil beings."
"Not just five," said Goldar. "The past rangers have returned as well."
"Yeah," said Rito. "Don't they know that they're getting a little old for this job?"
"Who?" asked Rita.
"Aisha, Adam, Rocky, Billy, Zack, Jason, and that cute pink one, Kimberly," answered Goldar.
"Shut up, Goldar!" yelled Zedd.
"The latest rangers were there also," said Scorpina. "Tommy and the other teenagers."
"You saw Tommy?" asked Rita. "Is he a real doctor?"
Zedd groaned at Rita.
"We must find another way," said Mesagog.
"Begin the attack on Angel Grove," said Zedd. "We will work on Reefside and Angel Grove first. Then head to Mariner Bay and Stone Canyon."
Goldar bowed and disappeared with Scorpina and an array of putties and Tengu warriors.
"Have we devised the plan to take over?" asked Mondo.
"It must be reconstructed," said Mesagog. "With your failure," he looked at Zedd and Rita, "we must devise a new plan. At least with our combined powers we will still be indestructible. We must figure out a way to keep the rangers from returning to earth. We will start our attack on earth and then head to other parts of the galaxy."
"My masters," began Ecliptor, "if we brainwash Karone into being Astronema once more, she will be unstoppable."
"You mean, the evil princess who became a power ranger?" said Divatox. "Yeah, right!"
Dark Spector looked at Divatox and growled. "She will be unstoppable. With the right company, Astronema cannot be defeated."
"Where is she?" Mesagog drawled out.
"I believe she is on the planet Mironoi," said Ecliptor. "I can go there and retrieve her."
"No," said Darkonda. "I kidnapped her once before. And I could do it again."
"Fine," said Mesagog. "Hurry and do not fail as these imbeciles have already."
Darkonda nodded and disappeared.