A/N: And another chapter! I am right on a roll here. Enjoy!
Drakkon
I had forgotten how much fun it was to slaughter people. The most satisfying feeling in the world is seeing their eyes widen as they realize what's happening and there's nothing they can do about it. Then, the life drains right from them. There's a moment, gleeful but fleeting, where you can see their very soul leave there body. That's the single most gratifying moment that comes with finishing the deed. It was one I had enjoyed during the beginning of my siege on the Earth, taking out my enemies one by one. Battles are close in the ranking system but nothing beats taking ones time to live in the glorious minute.
Finding targets was easy in this version of Angel Grove. People loved to walk to park a night, no fear to be held of the dangers. One would think that living in an area where monsters and alien attack were common, the civilians would practice living with some common sense. That didn't seem to be the case. I killed the gentleman the first night here and then moved on to a couple I found the next night. They were unsuspecting as well, not thinking anything of it until it was too late. The look in their eyes as I sliced their throats was damn near picture perfect. It filled the void I had been feeling for a while now, replacing it with warmth. It wasn't as long lasting as one would hope but it left me wanting more.
Last night, I found my fourth victim. It was a young guy who was riding a skateboard around the docks near the building I had sought coverage in during the day. I had thankful arrived her with civilian clothing but knew that the markings on my face would draw attention without a helmet covering my head. I opted to hide out, planning my next move. When I had grown tired of resting, I went out and stumbled across the fool trying to perform some tricks on the skateboard. He never saw me coming until I was on top of him, running the edge of my blade right through him as slow as I possibly could. He looked like a butchered pig by the time I was through with him.
But now, I found myself bored as I waited for the sun to set. My plan was simple: I was going to kill as many people as I could masked as the Green Ranger. This would cause an issue in the precious group of Power Rangers, no doubt. Especially between Tommy Oliver and Jason Lee Scott. If he was any way close to the Jason I had the joy of killing from our world, he was just as righteous and justice seeking as could be. The second he believes that there was a murderer in their ranks, he'd be up for fighting before looking at the logical side of things. I wished I could be a fly on the wall for the brawl that would break out once they discover it was a Green Ranger killing people. And who else would they suspect but the one who was once under the control of the evil witch on the moon?
Standing from my perch on the dock that over looked the ocean, I leaned against the doorway. This building had long been abandoned, the former fish market being rebuilt a few blocks down when the bay opened more. It was to help with the surplus coming from San Francisco. My adopted father had been the regional manager during the rebuild process and had spoken about it during dinner each night. It was a small detail I could recall from my youth, a time I did my best to wipe from my memory. The building had four stories to it and a vast emptiness that echoed with each footstep. I had made a makeshift shelter on the top floor, obtaining a bed and some other items I would need. It wasn't my chambers back in our world but it served its purpose well. The only thing truly missing was the Ranger Slayer.
I hated to admit it to myself that I wanted her there. She had been the reason why I needed to come here myself, her lack of completion resulting in me needing to step in. Even though I was enjoying my action here, I wondered how it would feel if she had been by my side as well. When I laid there, I longed for her touch and her scent. It made me frustrated but I recognized that my desire for her had been the fire that led me to where I was now. If I hadn't fallen in love with her, I don't believe that I would have fought as hard to rule everything I had in my possession. I also didn't believe that I would have so much enthusiasm in my accomplishments if she hadn't been there. Though our world was loud, hectic, and darker, it was our world. My world to control. This world was young and green, ready to be taken.
But, it was quiet. I did my best to sleep during the day when I wasn't attempting to learn if my actions had been reported. In the security building next door, I could hear a radio playing now and then. It reported the second set of deaths, the first following shortly after. Now as I sat, I could hear it slightly over the sound of the waves beneath me. My victim had been discovered in the early hours when the security guard had done his rounds. I had watched the police arrive, removing the body and taking what little evidence they had with them.
The sun streaked across the sky, the brilliant reds and yellows making everything seem to glow. I stood, watching it until it disappeared and the full moon rose high up into the sky. I needed it to be dark and late, ensuring that most of Angel Grove was at home and sleeping in their beds. Having them sound asleep and unsuspecting that their entire world was about to be turned upside down without as much as a warning. After all that was said and done, those that were lucky enough to survive would question as to why they hadn't been able to see it coming sooner. This was going to be the next part of the plan.
Morphing, I reached for my belt line. I found the dagger there and released it from its sheath. Bringing it to my helmet, I closed my eyes and played the old yet familiar tune. It called out into the twilight air, summoning a beast that laid sleeping deep in the ocean. I could hear rumbling off in the distance, the ocean bubbling. I could also make out voices yelling as the Dragonzord emerged from the Pacific Ocean. It let out a loud cry as it made its way towards shore.
Once it was on land, the towering mechanical fighting vehicle waited for its next command. I leapt from my place, landing on the nose of the powerful machine. I found the hatch, opening it so I could climb inside. It was like riding a bicycle. The controls came back to me as I placed my hands on them. If there was a way for me to return with this, I would. It had been my favorite part of being the Green Ranger. Being one of the more powerful Zords, I had no doubt it would help me succeed.
The Dragonzord moved forward, heading towards the north side of town. People screamed and ran as it approached, hopping out of cars to flee. The smaller vehicles crunched like leaves under foot, the metal twisting with screeching noises. As I passed buildings, I swung the arms and cleared them. Dust and debris flew into the air, large pieces falling to the ground. I fired the missiles loaded in the plate on the chest, the fiery explosions causing smoke to billow up into the sky.
"Run, you fools." I said, bringing the foot down on a house on my left. There were loud cracking noises as it was smashed into pieces, glass shattering from the windows. I moved on to the next, taking out an entire block of homes. I was moving faster than those inside of them could move. I knew I was killing people by the hundreds and injuring by the thousands. Another missile pierced through the night sky, colliding with a nearby apartment building. It seemed to disintegrate in front of my eyes, fire consuming its remains.
On the ground, I could see the scared faces of those fleeing. Parents grouped their children together, hoping to bring them to safety. Those injured clung to their rescuers who were trying to drag them away from the wreckage. Pulling the Dragonzord to a stop near the high school, I climbed from the cockpit and walked out to the extended palm of the Dragonzord.
"Oh, how I missed this." Above me, I saw bright streaks in the sky. Red, yellow, and blue lights were coming towards me in a quick rate. Smirking, I jumped from the Dragonzord and landed on the ground. Running, I disappeared into the shadows before they even had a chance to land.
After leaving the scene of my attack, I strolled through the dark shadows of town. I made sure to kill anyone I passed, leaving a trail of bodies in my wake as I went. My kill count as up to five by the time I made it to the East part of Angel Grove. I found myself standing in front of a two story blue home with white shutters on the windows. The lights were off and there was no movement inside of the home. My chest tightened as I looked up at it, recalling the last time I had seen it. I had been roughly 16, defeating a number of enemies. Rita had sent me here, telling me that there had been something I had to see.
Walking up the front steps, I waved my hand by the door knob and heard the lock click. The door opened slightly and I slipped inside. I unmorphed once inside, my uniform disappearing. Even in the dark, I knew where everything was. The living room was to the right, the hardwood floors underneath cotton blue furniture. To the left, a dining room with an oak table and chair set with enough seats for six people. There was also a shorter hallway that led to a kitchen and a staircase adjacent with it that led to the second floor. Pictures hung on the wall along the stairwell, showing a happy family and a boy growing from a baby to a teenager.
I was careful to be quiet as I walked up the stairs. I avoided the fourth step from the bottom, knowing it would creak loudly. On the landing at the top, I found myself on the second floor. To my left, there were three doors and two to the right. I started with the closest door to me on the left, opening the door. This was the office, a desk set up on one side of the room and a large bookshelf on the other. It was jammed to its limit with books of all shapes and sizes. Stepping closer, I shut the door and ran a hand over the spines of some of them. They felt leathery against the skin of my fingertips, reminding me of the smell that would be there if you opened them.
I could recall a memory of sitting with my mother on the back patio, her nose buried deep within the pages of a book. She would read aloud the parts she would find most fascinating or that she believed I would enjoy hearing. We would spend hours like this, her lovely voice reading to me since I was a child. She had a way of making you feel involved with the story, the words wrapping around you until you dissolved into the world she was describing. She had always dreamt of being a writer, prompting my father in building this office for her to write in. Turning to the desk, I saw that there were pages bonded together with clips on one side of it. Stepping closer, I picked on up. I saw there was typed print on the front of it. The Missing Piece was written here, my mother's name written underneath it. In this world, my mother had been able to achieve this dream where she hadn't in mine.
Setting the book back down, I moved back out into the hallway. My parents' bedroom was across the hall from the office. The door was propped open a crack, allowing me to open it fully without making a sound. They were laying in the bed, my father on the right side of the mattress and my mother on the left, closest to me. They were both sound asleep, a deep breathing coming from my father. My mother looked peaceful, her eyes closed and a small smile on her lips. I wondered what she was dreaming of or what was going through her head as she slept. I felt a smile on my lips as I gazed down at her.
When Rita had sent me to my home in my world, I discovered she had sent someone to kill them while they slept. Upon discovering them, I was distraught. Granted they were not my biological parents, I had grown to love them as my own family. Especially my mother. She had been the only innocent person in my eyes, me ensuring that she was not in harm's way before each attack while I was the Green Ranger. Rita saw this as a weakness as we were growing stronger and getting a better grasp of the upper hand. She took out the last remaining tie of me being human in her eyes, leaving me with no reason to show reserve or mercy towards Angel Grove or the Earth. She had succeeded, leaving me with no emotional tie to this place anymore. But as I looked down at them now, I felt that same throbbing pain in my chest that I had when I had found them slaughtered.
I had been closest to my mother, our relationship built of similar interests in reading and hobbies like that. My relationship with my father had been pleasant as well until I was placed under Rita's spell. Things between us became strained then, me trying to fight my father for the alpha status in the house. I had been cocky and knew that I could take him down without batting as much as an eye at him. Prior to this, we would watch kung fu movies together and go to baseball games. After moving to Angel Grove, our relationship flourished more than it had in Arizona. The move had been a good idea and I found myself thankful for them being in my lives. When Rita took them from me, it cracked all the rational emotions I had inside of me.
Walking over to the side of the bed, I knelt down so I was closer. I gently kissed my mother's forehead and smoothed the hair out of her eyes. She didn't move, her not being awaken in her slumber. Standing back up, I headed out of the bedroom and closed the door behind me. I made my way up the hallway to the next room. The bathroom was across from me, the attic next to it. At the last door, I found myself staring at a poster of some band I had liked as a teen. I opened the door with a wave of my hand, expecting to see the teen version of me sleeping in the bed. He had not shown at the disaster area I had created, leaving me to suspect he would be here.
He was not, however. The unmade bed was empty on the left side of the room. Clothes and other things cluttered the floor, covering the dark grey carpet that was under there. I glanced around the room, the memory of being here washing over me. In the right corner, there was a shelf filled with trophies from the karate tournaments I had competed in over the years as a child. There were also various trinkets I had collected from our times on vacation or just traveling in general. Posters littered the walls, most of them from kung fu movies or action flicks I had enjoyed.
Near the bed, I saw there were Polaroid pictures taped to the wall. I walked over, leaning in closer to see. I saw stills of the Power ranger team, their smiling faces looking up at me. These must be pictures that Tommy found important to him. There were some from spending time together in the park, one from Halloween. There was one that was closer to the head of the bed than the others. Putting my knee on the bed, I grabbed it between my thumb and pointer finger and pulled it from the wall. Standing, I gazed down at it in my hands. 15 year old Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart were smiling up at me. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder and hers were around his torso in a friendly hug. Her attention was on the one taking the picture while he couldn't take his eyes off of her as they smiled.
This was why Tommy Oliver was weak. He was more concerned with the well-being of those around him than his own purpose in life. If he had opened his eyes, he could have seen that he was capable of having everything he had ever desired. He would still have Kimberly. He could have had his family as well, taking them with him to the Moon Palace to ensure their safety. He could have all the powers he could imagine and the control of billions in the palm of his hand. Instead, he choose fighting for those who were willing to turn on him in the blink of an eye. I tossed the picture on the bed and sighed. There was one thing that the two of us still had in common, no matter how hard I had worked.
That love for Kimberly was still burning enough to stop everything.
I left the house, leaving no trace of me being there. Outside, I morphed again. I my ear, I heard a cackling noise. "Finster?" I asked, bringing the communication device to my mouth.
"Sorry, sire. I was trying to reach you. I was able to repair your morphing abilities. You will be able to morph to your full capacity in a matter of hours."
"Good work, Finster. I think it's due time I introduce this team of Rangers to Lord Drakkon."