Chapter 11
Alex'a pov
"Mom how are you here?" I demanded as I fought to keep the tears in my eyes as my dead mother Jessica Smith walked towards me. She was dressed in a tight cap sleeve black shirt with a vest-corset combination that was a dark red. The straps and broach they all wore were dark blue straps crossed over her chest, well the broach was bronze color, secured on her vest, right over her heart. Her long red hair was braided from the back of her head and the end rested over her shoulder. I had never seen her in this outfit but it looked good on her. Especially since she looked like her old self, not the grey skin hanging from her bones sickly self that she had looked when she had died.
I didn't hesitate, I ran over to her and threw my arms around her, crying hard as she wrapped me in a strong hug. "Mommy, I missed you so much!" I shouted as I clung to her, cry on her shoulder. Mom squeezed me tight as I felt a much larger hand start to rub my back in a comforting manner. Looked behind me I saw the Terra's tower armor form standing next to us his body moving slightly as he continued to rub my back. I didn't know why he was doing it but it felt so nice that I didn't dare tell him to stop.
"Now enough of these tears sweat heart." Mom finally said after a few moments, pushing me back as she fished a hanky out of her pocket and offered it to me. I blew my nose and whipped my eyes as I noticed my mom whipped her own eyes, sometimes looking up at Terra. It was then I noticed that my mom was an inch shorter than me. "Your friends Riku and Sora are going to need your help soon and I only have so much time to tell you what you need to know."
"What do you mean they need my help soon?" I asked as I looked from her to Terra as I saw the way she was looking at him and I think he was at her, if his stiff body langue was anything to go by. "Mom do you two know each other?"
My mother suddenly look nervous as she avoided looking at me. "Right now is not the time to disclose such information-"
"Of course it's not!" I snapped as I pulled away from her and Terra and stepped over to what I now knew to be my long lost Zord. It or she was beautiful, with her gold and bronze armor, her form sleeker and much larger then Tommy's Falcon Zord. She actually looked much like my Phoenix Spirit, all the way down to the peacock feathered tails. Her hug claws looked sharp enough to rip through any armor or hid of the monsters my fellow rangers and myself fought oh so often. Well I looked up at her my Phoenix spirit squawked at me and understood what she was telling me to do. I focused my energies, of the Light Shard, Ninjetti, and Morphing Gride into both spirit and animal and Zord.
I watched in awe as the two merged, and turned to energy which circled around me and then settled onto my skin. As the energy was absorbed into my skin I took notice of the tattoos that now coved my arms. On my left arm were black lines forming some intricate patterns all over the limb the same on my right arm, silver patterns were also appearing. They were similar to the ones on my left arm but there was a distinct difference. The black ones were sharper, defined, like a barbs on a throne bush, well the ones on the right were much more curved and graceful. The gold and bronze colors of my zord added into the markings it gave my skin a look of the phoenix its self was etched there.
"Oh wow, that's so cool." I said well looking over the tattoos, even going as far to peak under my cloths, see them continue.
"I do not think I approve of you having tattoos, even temporary ones and I do not see Janet approving either." Mom said as she frowned at me well I saw Terra's helmet moving back and forth, almost like he was looking between us.
"You know about the Smiths then?" I asked her not meeting her eyes, shame fulling me some.
"I am pleased that you have found a family that loves and cares for you so much, especially your fellow Power Rangers." Mom told me as she began to fade as I had when I stood next to Riku, which made me panic. "It seems for now my time is up, as your friends Riku and Sora need you more right now. Know that you have passed your tests. After Sora has been saved and the danger has passed you and I will meet again for that long overdue talk. May the power vail you from the darkness and protect you sweet heart." With that she was gone, leaving me alone with Terra.
He turned to me, nodded and then he left light surrounded me once more as I was teleported away and I hoped it was to where Riku and Sora where. "Thank you for your help Terra!" I called out before I was gone.
End of Pov
Riku and Mickey glared up the aged form of Xehanort and the other black coat wearing members of the new Organization. After Alex had left him Riku had wandered around the World That Never Was, until he had come across Sora. His best friend had been floating in an energy bubble, locked in a dream. It was then that Young Xehanort explained that he had infiltrated Sora's dreams from the very beginning of the teat and on instinct Riku had dove in as well. Riku tried and failed to wake Sora and free him as he was sucked into a black corridor under his feet. Riku then once again fought and then locked away the piece of Heartless Ansem, hopefully for good.
Then with the help of the good Dream Eaters he was able to get back the floating headquarters of the old Organization where he found Sora was now sitting on one of their chairs, still asleep. Riku tried to get to him but Young Xehanort got in the way, easily pushing Riku aside. He then went on to explain that his older self-had traveled to the past and instructed him to travel the worlds, gathering the splintered pieces of himself. All so they could met at this very moment where his oldest self would make Sora his thirteenth vessel. Thankfully Mickey showed up and stopped time so they could grab Sora and get out of there but neither of them were prepared for spell to not work on the Younger. Riku and he finally fought with Riku only just beating him and the time spell ran its course.
IT was then that they sae the old Xehanort, as he smiled down at the two of them before he went on to explain what he had planned. He told them of the legend of the ancient Keyblade War that Keyblade wielders had battled for the ultimate weapon, the X-Blade and in the end the real Kingdom Hearts was lost forever. This caused the world to fall to darkness, where through the light and dreams from children's hearts gave birth too many worlds we now know. In the destruction of the X-blade seven lights and thirteen darkness were realised. It was only by war being raged between the seven guardians of light against the thirteen darkness would the X-Blade be remade. Not unlike the failed attempt he had tried with the one of the 4 now lost apprentices of his old friend Eraqus. It was then that Xehanort stood up on his throne summoning his keyblade. "But first, the thirteen darkness shell be united. All the seats have been filled and now the last vessel shell bear my heart like the rest." He said as the seat Sora was sitting in was raised.
"No Sora!" Both Riku and Mickey shouted as they ran towards the sleeping brunet, in another attempt to save him. Mickey tried to get close to Sora but Xemnus pinned him to the base of one of the nearby seats. Riku didn't even get that far as before Ansem appeared behind him and pinned him to the floor. They could only watch as Xehanort sent a piece of his heart towards Sora. It was about to retch the slumbering boy when suddenly a bursts of light and flames intercepted the tainted heart fragment.
"He made it!" Mickey shouted happily but he was a bit taken back and confused about the figure that was vailed in light that had landed behind Ansem. He could see the grin on Riku's face as he saw the figure pointing an arrow made of pure light at the back of the heartless head. "Move in anyway I don't like and you'll quickly regret it Ansem." The figures voice was masked but they could all tell it was female.
They turned their attention up to the seat that held Sora, the cloud of smoke and flames dissipating, reviling Lea, formally the Nobody Axel standing there. He was smiling as he held Sora under his right arm. "You." Xemnus growled in surprise.
"Axel." Xigbar snapped angrily.
"Axel? Please." The flame haired man said with glee as he smiled down at the former leader of the organization. "The names Lea. Got it memorized?"
"You're not supposed to be here." Xigbar snapped again.
"Promises to keep. I'll always be there to get my friends back." Lea informed them all. "What bad timing? You had your perfect little script, but you forgot to write the sequel. Now let's find out what happens!"
XIgbar was fuming for some reason as he banged his fist on his chair's arm rest, glaring up at Xehanort. What now, you old coot?" he demanded. "Our time is up!" Xehanort didn't seem fazed, in fact he looked pleased by the turn of events.
One of the other black coats jumped from his seat, flaying at Lea, summoning his weapon as he did, and aiming to attack the red head. Lea blocked his attack easy, though he was taken back as the force of the blow made the coat's hood fall back. Lea stared at the familiar face of his oldest friend, who was glaring at him. "Isa."
Isa or Saxi, didn't say anything as he pushed down on Lea, making the red head push back and eventually throw him off. Lea was able to jump, then flip out of the way as a burst of light arrows were sent flying at Saxi. With Lea and the light figure as distractions, Mickey and Riku were able to get free and stood protectively in front of Lea and Sora. "Why are you here Axel?" Riku asked him but keeping his attention on the group before and around them.
"No I told you my name is- Agk; whatever Axel, fine." The red head said giving up on correcting the silver haired teen as he looked at the still unknown glowing figure that stood next to Riku. "By the way who is sun spot here?"
"It ok, she's an old friend of mine." Riku explained with a smirk.
"Ok fine. Now let's get out of here." Lea said, very much not liking their odds if it came down to a fight.
"Right." Mickey agreed but then Ansem summoned a hug heartless and it grabbed both him and Riku. Lea and the light figure jumped clear, the girl ready to shoot a volley of three arrows. Just then there was a wail and some shouting before Donald and Goofy suddenly fell from the sky and right on the heartless. It disappeared, dropping Riku and Mickey, both of whom were able to land on their feet, were Donald and Goofy were less fortunate in their landings. "Were we supposed to do that?" Donald asked with a groan.
"I think so." Goofy offered.
"Goofy, Donald you saved us." Mickey said happy that his old friends had showed up in the right moment. Suddenly all of the Organization members started to fade. "We are out of time. Neither the union of light nor darkness has been achieved. And we all return whence from we came. Xehanort said, not sounding very disappointed. "But, the gathering of the seven and the thirteen is nigh. Let us finish this at the fated place, once your lights and my darkness's have joined together." And with that Xehanort and the others who fallowed the dark were gone. Riku heaved a sigh as he turned to her. "Thanks for showing up when we- no, when I needed help."
She laughed gently as the light around her grew. "Of course Riku. I'll always be there for you, Kairi and Goofball. All you have to do is ask." She said before she shot up and left them.
"Again I ask, who was that?" Lea asked confused but Riku refused to answer as they headed back to Master Yen Sid's tower.
-o0o-
Alex arrived in strange place. The ground and all the oddly shaped structures around her seemed to be made of some sort of colorful rock or crystal. As she walked around Alex could feel the power of the grid all around her, it was everywhere. "Greetings Keeper." She turned and saw the three Emissaries up a head if her, standing in front of a structure. "Where are we?" she asked them as she continued to look around as she walked towards them.
"We're in the grid." Jessica told her as she stood at the structures entrance, a smile on her face. "We've been waiting for you. Come inside there's much you have to learn before your fellow rangers finish gather the shards of the Zeo crystal and you return home."
"The Zeo Crystal! But we scattered it pieces to keep it out of Master Vile's hands, why are my friends looking for it?" Alex asked as she joined her mother and the Emissaries and they walked inside the building. She felt her jaw drop as she saw the countless book shelves full of books, scrolls made of made different materials and Alex guessed different languages.
"Yes you did but it is the only thing that can reverse the effects of the Orb of Doom and be their new source they will connect them to the Morphing Grid." Jessica explained with a smile as she started ti pull down books and scrolls and took them to a table. "Now let us begin."
-o0o-
After traveling through time and space, being tested by the forces that were protecting the shards of the Zeo Crystal Tommy, Kat, Adam, Rocky and Aisha retrieved the shards. However Aisha, who had been tested in Africa, felt that she had found home. So she had sent her shard back with a girl named Tanya, who had been a big help during her test. With all 5 shards back together in the command center, the only adult Billy, who had used a device and the ninja power coins to re-age himself, returned the last shard. Finally restored the energy of the Zeo Crystal shot into the earth atmosphere, the ground shacking under their feet. The rangers, Alpha and Tanya all fell to the floor from the immense shacking, so they stayed down till the shacking stopped. Billy was the first to sit up and he smiled when he looked at his friends and saw that they had returned to being teenagers. "We're back!" Tommy said happy when he noticed.
"It worked." Rocky said smiling as he tried to sit up and knocking his head on the console in the process. "Way to go Billy."
"It's good to have you guys back again." Billy said relived to not be the only teen ranger in the room.
"Welcome back rangers and congratulation on a job well done." Zordon commended them as they all got back to their feet.
"Tanya, are you ok?" Kat asked their visitor when she saw her getting up, her back to them. Tanya straitened and then she turned to smile at them, showing them all her true self. "After everything that's happened today I know it's going to take a while for me to get the hang of things."
"Don't worry, we'll be able to help you every step of the way." Adam assured her as he helped Alpha up. Just then there was a flash of light before Alex came stumbling into the command center. She couldn't stop herself in time, so she ran right into Alpha and Adam, the three fell to the floor, Alex on top of Adam.
"Ok that could have gone better." Alex muttered as she sat up and looked down at the blushing but surprised Adam. "Oh hay, Adam long time no see."
"Alex, your back!" Tommy shouted as he ran over, pulled her off Adam and into his arms, where he proceed to give her a bone crushing hug. "Where did you go? You had us all worried."
"It's a long story that I'll try to explain to you all when we have time but first could you please let go Tommy. I can't breathe." Alex wheezed as she tried to pull free of her big brother's grip.
"Oh sorry sis." Tommy said as he finally let her go. "I'm just relived you're alright."
"Yeah… you were scared that Jason would beat the crap out of all of you if something had happened to me. Right?" Alex asked him as she help Adam pull Alpha back to his feet. Tommy chuckled as he looked away as the others all welcomed Alex back. After that the others all went to say good bye the Alien Rangers, who had been so kind to help them well they were unable to fight as rangers. Alex stayed with Tanya as the calm was broken by the sudden appeared of Rito and Goldar in the command center, stealing the Zeo Crystal.
In the chaos that fallowed, with the command center being destroyed then rebuilt and the others activating their new powers, Alex couldn't' help but think. 'Out of the frying pan into the fire.'
-o0o-
Riku and the others had returned to Master Yen Sid's tower where the old master informed Riky that since he had opened the seven sleeping Keyholes, he now had the power of waking. Using this new power Riku dove back into Sora's dreams/ heart and fought a dark phantom. When he defeated it Sora fell out of the Phantom as it crumbled away, landing on the darkness under their feet. Riku tried to grab him but couldn't get a hold of him, only able to watch as the darkness swallowed his best friend. The darkness was soon gone leaving behind Sora's keyblade Kingdom Key and the stain glass window that was Sora's heart. Using Kingdom Key, Riku unlocked Sora's heart and soon found himself on the familiar dock of the play island. Turning around he found Roxas standing behind him and then asked him a question. After Riku gave his answer, Roxas disappeared and another boy that looked like Roxas but was appeared on the beach.
Once again Riku was asked a question and once he gave his answer, the other boy disappeared and Riku thought he saw Sora sitting up on the Papu tree. Running up to the tree Riky realised he was mistaken as it was a girl who looked a bit like Kairi but her hair was black. Once again Riku was asked a question and after he gave his answer Riku suddenly found himself standing on the beach. Then Ansem the Wise appeared and told him not only that he had placed data of his research and scans of Sora's heart but that Sora was now awake. Ansem told him more but most did not surprise Riku as he knew his best friend's heart well. Once he was back in the waking world Riku was relieved that Sora was awake, giving up trying to make Sora understand.
Then he and Sora were once again standing in front of Yen Sid's desk, waiting to hear the results of the test. "More than anything I am grateful to have you both back from Xehanort's deception unharmed." Master Yen Sid began. "And I am grateful to Lea, whose spontaneous actions turned the tides, as did the unknown friend of Riku's."
"Unknown friend?" Sora asked as he looked to Riku for an explanation, who whispered in his ear and Sora's eyes went wide in surprise. "What, really? She was there but how?"
"I'll explain later." Riku told him as he turned his attention back to Master Yen Sid, noticing the curious looks the others were giving them. Master Yen Sid apologised to them both for not perceiving the danger before throwing them headlong into a test. Though many truths were reviled to them it also showed that they needed a new Keyblade Master, with a new kind of power. "Sora and Riku you both deserve the honor. However one of you braved the realm of sleep again to unlock the final keyhole and save a friend. Riku, I name you are new true Keyblade Master."
"Way to go Riku!" Sora said excited for his best friend as he threw an arm over his shoulder, as Riku tried to digest what he just heard. "I knew you were going to pass with flying colors."
"Y-yeah?" Riku asked still in shock that he was now a true master. Once the shock had passed as everyone congratulated him he thanks them and this it was thanks to his friends. It was after this the biggest surprise came as Lea not only told them that he came for Keyblade training but that he actually had one. Not long after Riku brought Kairi to Master Yen Sid and they heard the story of Mickey find one of the 4 lost keylade wielders Aqua in the Realm of Darkness. That she had saved Riku when he had been there the first time and helped Sora close the door of Light. Hearing this Riku was upset with his friend but in the end understood that they had not been ready to save her.
Now with the power of waking and the experience he had obtained, he and Mickey were ready to travel into the Realm of Darkness and bring her back to the light. What Riku was ready and he knew that if they needed help, that all he had to was ask Alex and she would be there, to help them all. Even though he knew she was hiding how strong she really was and hoped that one day Alex would have the confidence to use it.
A/N: Now I know that this is not the best ending but I am done this story but as I said before there will be another and it will be up soon. Until then, let your heart be your guiding key. ;)