What?! A new chapter? I'm back!
For those who think Tommy could not have been beaten, in the search for the Zeo crystal when Zedd fights Tommy he is more than a match for the ranger. The fight only ends in a stalemate when Tommy gets in a lucky shot and breaks Zedd's staff.
******************************Zordon's Dimension*************************
Zordon sighed softly, as he pulled himself out of a recovery pool of glowing water. That little trip to Phadoes had done a number on his ancient body. He sometimes forgot just how very old he truly was. It was an easy thing to forget especially with the rangers around. They were no more than infants when compared to him. Just smudges of stardust passing in the cosmos. Still he had joy in his heart. Tommy was alive and Kimberly was alive. Possibly Billy as well, if what Tommy said was true. Three of his six children were still here.
For a moment Zordon felt his heart flutter with sorrow. Kimberly and Billy wouldn't be human anymore. Not fully anyway. Zedd would have seen to that unless due to his victory, he was slipping in his actions. Something Zordon highly doubted. If Tommy could save them Zordon could make a place for Kimberly and Billy here, with him in this world of crystals. They would be teens for a very long time and Zordon fully intended to watch over them. Zordon rubbed at his face. He was still so tired.
No matter how painful it would be for the young white ranger to say goodbye to his friends, he would have too. Zordon snorted slightly frowning. That would be a very painful goodbye for all three of them. He wasn't even full sure if Billy and Kimberly would understand exactly why they couldn't return to earth but they wouldn't age normally. In the blink of an eye and a breath, it would seem as if Tommy aged and turned to dust in front of them. Time would be almost stopped for the pink and blue rangers. Just like it was for Zordon.
Wiping the glowing goo from his body with a towel, Zordon made his way back into his command center. He intended to go to bed when a small blinking light caught his attention. No, it couldn't be. Zordon rushed to his console and began to type. A smile slide onto his face as he decrypted the message. Alpha! Alpha 5 was still functioning for the moment. Zordon coded another message to the droid. One full of hope.
*********************************Falcon Zord**********************************
This ship is huge. Kat thought as the jump lift took them higher and higher. Everything passing by was some form of white and silver or white and gold.
Kat glanced at her rescuer and was surprised to see him looking at her with such a bright, child on Christmas morning, smile. She felt almost giddy herself after seeing his smile.
Tommy looked at his three guests and grinned like the Cheshire Cat. He had never realized how much he actually missed people in these past few weeks, until he was around them again. It felt good to be with other humans.
The blonde was looking at him with a sparkle in her blue eyes. "What are you smiling at?" She asked softly. It was an innocent question but Tommy remembered himself. He coughed into his hand and covered his mouth for a moment controlling his smile. "Nothing, here we are, the medical bay." He added as the jump lift came to a gentle stop. Rocky helped Aisha into the stunningly bright white room and over to a medical bunk. Aisha for her part, kept her eyes squeeze closed to try and control the pain and stop the tears. It hurt so much.
Rocky got Aisha as comfortable on the medical table as her broken arm would allow her to be. It was broken for sure; arms didn't just dangle like that. Rocky looked over at the ranger, he was so quiet now. The others also noticed.
Kat looked at the power ranger. He seemed to be staring at the controls and rubbing his chin. "What's wrong?" She asked, walking over to him. Funny she didn't feel afraid at all, yet she did not know this person. Tommy sighed, well best to be honest. "I'm not sure how any of this works."
"You don't know how it works?" Rocky asked his voice questioning with just a hint of cold in it. "How do you not know how your own equipment works?"
"He's new." Tommy answered, also with a bit of coldness, gesturing to the white walls around them. "And I wasn't in charge of medical."
Rocky was about to snap back when Aisha's whimper of pain stop the words in his throat. The sound she made also hit Tommy right in the heart. Tommy was about to call for Ninjor when he noticed the blond head next to him looking at the console. "I think it's this one." Kat said and without hesitating reached out and clicked a flashing green button.
There was a crackling sound as a beam of light scanned Aisha on the table pausing for a moment here and there. Rocky stayed close by, ready to grab her if this was some kind of trap. After a moment the light focused only on her limp arm. Aisha suddenly sighed as the pain melted away like a snowflake in the summer sun. The light kept moving up and down on her arm and after only a few minutes it winked off. Aisha's broken arm was healed.
"How did you know which button it was?" Tommy asked Kat quietly.
She shrugged. "It was, just a feeling I had."
"You okay Aisha?" Rocky asked and she got up off the table. Aisha rotated her arm slowly. "Rocky, I feel better than I have in weeks. Not only is my arm better but look…she held out her other arm. "The bruises from the fight are all gone."
"Now it's your turn, both of you." Tommy said indicating Rocky and Kat. "I am sure you both would feel better fixed up." Tommy found himself unconsciously reaching out with a feather like touch, to run his hand along the deep purple black bruise on Kat's cheek and jaw line.
For a moment she relaxed but then remembering herself, Kat jumped slightly away from his touch. Tommy pulled back his hand as if it had been burned and turned to the console concealing his blush. He looked at his gloved hands. What was that about? Kimberly was still alive and yet Tommy could not deny the strange connection he felt with this girl. If felt like and yet not like how he felt with Kim. Rocky ushered Kat over to the medical table and soon she was bathed in the same healing light, followed after by Rocky.
Rocky hated to admit it, but he did feel really good and he needed to apologies. That angry outburst, that wasn't him. "Hey Tommy right?" Rocky called out and the white ranger turned to him. "I'm sorry about before, really I am I just, when the rangers didn't come…." Rocky let the words die in the air for a moment before speaking again. "I'm sorry for attacking you. It was a cheap shot."
Tommy came over a patted Rocky's shoulder and Rocky knew he was forgiven. "It's okay, I think I would have reacted the same way."
Aisha had been staring at Tommy quietly for the past few minutes and he finally noticed. "Is something wrong?" He asked the girl in yellow.
"Tommy Oliver, from Angel Grove High? We have…er…had home room with Mrs. Appleby together." Aisha stated matter of factly. "You were always coming in late or ditching early that's why I remember you. Guess now I know the reason why." Tommy looked at Aisha, she was a few pounds lighter but, yup she was the new girl in his home room...crap.
Kat perked up. "Wait, you're a human? And a teenager? Like us?" she was so curious about this shimmering man.
Tommy nodded, "I'm not sure how much I can tell you. The rules seem to have changed. Ninjor would know. Come on up to the cockpit and I'll introduce you. But just to warn you, Ninjor is not human but he won't hurt you." I hope… Tommy silently added, as the group of four stepped back onto the jump lift. Truth be told, he really didn't know anything about the ninja master, but Zordon trusted him.
That was enough for Tommy…
****************************Kitchen***************************************
"Like this Adam?" Justin asked flipping a pan cake into the air.
"Yup just like that Justin. Great job." Adam praised as he flipped several pancakes at once onto a big serving plate. "I think that's everything…oh wait forgot one. " Adam did a spin and flipped the last pancake. It landed on top of a big stack. Adam suddenly went quiet looking left then right before snagging a pancake off the top stack. "Eat it fast okay?" He said in a quick whisper handing the pancake to Justin. The boy didn't have to be told twice.
As Justin scarfed down his pancake Adam did a quick mental count. All of the food items requested were finished and waiting to be served. "Okay we just to get the putties to serve it and we can go back to bed." It was still very late or very early depending how you looked at it.
Adam opened the door to the kitchen that lead into the hallway. "Hello?" he called seeing no putties at ready command. In fact the hall was surprisingly empty. "Hello!" Adam called a little louder. If the Putties didn't come take the food to, wherever it was going and it got cold, Adam and Justin might be punished.
Adam took a few hesitant steps out into the hall. "Anyone there!? This order needs to be taken up."
Shadows moving down the hall caught Adam's attention but it was not putties that came into view.
"What's with all the noise, don't you know how late it is?" The blueberry colored monster said.
"Yes, you want to disturb the whole castle?" His dark and lanky companion added. Adam for his part did not run but his voice was uncertain and cracked as he spoke.
"Someone woke chef and ordered all this food. It's done but there doesn't seem to be any putties around to deliver it." Adam wished his voice sounded stronger, but neither monster seemed to notice.
"Hmm…I bet it was Zedd's pets that ordered it. After the night they had, they're probably awake." Baboo said after a moment.
"And hungry."Squatt added, quickly agreed with his cohort.
"You better get going then; you don't want to make Lord Zedd's favorite pets wait." Baboo said with an air of authority.
"You want me to deliver it?" Adam asked. This was unheard of. Slaves didn't just wander the halls. Baboo and Squatt looked at each other. Great, another dumb human and they didn't have time for this. Not with Rita about to leave.
Baboo sighed. "Go to the end of this hall, turn left, then right, then left, up the stairs and another left then a right."
"It's the blue and pink door, can't miss it." Squatt said, as the two turned tail and returned the way they had come.
"And be quiet about it." Baboo warned in a hushed whisper, just before they were out of sight.
"Adam?" Justin whispered when they could no longer see or hear the duo.
"Come on kid, let's make a delivery. Stay right behind me. Don't say anything and don't touch anything." Adam warned as they piled up as many plates as they could carry and started out into the dark hallway.
*****************************Billy and Kim's room****************************
Now that Billy was awake he and Kimberly decided to see what they could salvage from the destruction left in the wake of Lord Zedd. "This place is a mess." Bulk frowned looking over what was left of their beds and clothing. The floor needed a good scrubbing too.
"Yeah, you guys, you can't live like this." Skull added sincerely. He honestly didn't care how he lived, after all he was only a living toy made of wood and paint. He didn't need a warm soft place to sleep, water to drink or food to eat but Kimberly and Billy did.
"I doubt Zedd's going to give us new beds and we can't sleep in this pile of splinters." Kim frowned, going through the dresses on the floor that had been her and Billy's temporary bed. No good, every one of them was soiled, wet or ripped in some manner. She wouldn't be wearing anything from her wardrobe. Facing away from the others, Kimberly took off her sweaty gym practice clothes and hung them up before tossing on one of Billy's tee shirts. Thank goodness boy shirts were cut so big, and that a few of them had not been ruined during the encounter.
Billy was looking between the two beds. "I think yours survived the best Kim." He said brushing it off. "At least its good enough to be a table when food gets here."
"Oh No!" Kim suddenly cried out and a startled Billy spun to face her. "What? What's wrong?" He hurriedly spoke.
Kim said nothing but held up the broken neck of the now smashed guitar. "I really liked this one." She pouted slightly. "And I don't want to "earn" another one."
Skull opened his mouth to ask what they were talking about when Bulk shot him a look. Kimberly's tone had said more than her words. She had done something awful to "earn" that instrument.
A knock came to the door. Billy gave Bulk and Skull a moment to hide before calling. "It's open." Billy had theorized that there vocal commands controlled the door lock system keeping everyone out…accept Zedd. Neither Billy nor Kimberly were paying much attention, after all it was only the putties bringing the breakfast Kim had ordered.
"Cough...um…where would you like us to put this food?" Adam asked and watched both teens about his own age stiffen and swiftly turn around to face him. The girl's eyes had gone wide with a mixture of surprise and fear then she looked towards the teen boy for guidance.
"You can put it here." Billy said after the momentary shock wore off. He pointed to the better of the two beds. Adam moved forward and Justin stopped behind him, marveling not only of the greatness of the room but also of how bad it currently looked. "Wow this place is trashed." Justin said out loud looking around like a tourist.
"Justin!" Adam hissed in warning. "What did I say about speaking? Look he didn't mean that." Adam did his best to apologies for Justin's comment. If these were favorites of Zedd's no telling how they would react and Adam wouldn't be able to stand it if Justin was punished.
Kimberly sighed softly dropping a dress she had been trying to salvage back to the floor. "No, he's right it is trashed."
Billy watched the two put the food down. "Who are you guys? Are you from the harem?" Billy had not remembered seeing a kid in the harem but he wouldn't put it past Zedd's wickedness.
Adam looked from the boy to the girl and back again. They didn't look evil or cruel like some of the others he had met in the slave caves but he should still be on guard. "No, we are from the kitchen. We should get going. Please enjoy your meal." With that Adam moved to leave and Justin hesitated for just a moment before starting to follow.
"Wait!" Kim called. Adam and Justin stopped. "I ordered a lot of food and it's just the two of us. And it's still really early. Won't you join us?"
Billy nodded. "Affirmative, it would be nice to have company." He said, but he looked at Kimberly wondering. Had she offered because of how kind her heart was or was she worried the food could be poisoned or perhaps a little of both.
Justin tugged on Adam's hand. "Can we Adam? Please?" He begged with such hope in his eyes.
Adam sighed and bent down to Justin's level, "I want to say yes but what will happen if chef wakes up and we're not there? We might end up back in the wash room or separated." Adam warned and his heart broke as Justin's face suddenly fell, but he nodded silently agreeing.
Kimberly looked at Billy. Trying to convey her thoughts through her eyes. They couldn't let them go without eating. They both looked half starved. He read her body language right. "We'll take any blame." Billy decided and motioned for the two to come closer. Justin gave a squeal of joy and practically jumped headfirst into the pile of pancakes. Kimberly laugh at his joy, her pink energy seeming to bubble out and change the feel of the room from sorrow to joy. Adam felt himself relax from and unseen force or feeling but he still hesitated. "Really it's okay. My Name's Billy and this is Kimberly." Billy smiled and held out his hand.
Adam gave in and crossed the few spaces to the bed. And clasped Billy's hand. "I'm Adam and the kid stuffing his face with pancakes is Justin."
"Whaa? There...munch chew...so good." Justin mumbled out between bite making all three teens laugh.
****************************Rita's Chambers*********************************
"Are you sure now if a good time to be leaving my queen?" Finster asked, of all her minions only Finster could ever be so direct in telling the queen of evil she was doing the wrong thing. After all Rita was practically raised by Finster. Not only was he her monster maker but he had been her teacher as a child.
"Of course. I deserve a vacation, after all the earth is concurred; I have everything I have ever wanted." Rita spoke with her back to Finster as she filled another suit case with identical dresses.
Finster said nothing but merely stood quietly in the room. Rita leaving was one of the worst moves she could be making but he could not voice that, it was not his place. Zedd had already made it clear he was not interested in Rita romantically and there was more than a whisper of gossip that Zedd had already chosen Rita's replacement.
After all, he had tried to make her queen once before and only Finster's unfinished magic dust had kept that from happening.
"Finster you worry too much. It will be just a small trip. I won't be gone long at all." Rita said into the silence around her as she packed a few of her toys. That reminded her, where did her new toys go? Oh well no time for that now.
"Perhaps it would be wise to visit your parents? You're mother, I am sure, would enjoy the visit." Finster offered one last time. If Rita was with her parents Zedd would be unable to kill her outright and perhaps they could take her case to dark Spector.
"No, I need to clear my head." Rita's voice was oddly quiet and calm. Finster found it disturbing. "I will be leaving within the hour. You are excused Finster."
Finster bowed and left the room, once his soft footsteps could no longer be heard Rita dug her fingers into her packing. She would not cry, she had not cried in 10,000 years.
She would not cry now.
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