Chapter Three
The first thing he noticed on the planet Hyperion was that it was a wasteland. With the sun beaming down proud and hard it was difficult not to see the terrain. What had once been a lush planet no doubt was now a dried out rock.
"Hey look. There are two suns."
Tommy turned to see of Rocky's claim. Sure enough, there were two suns both at opposite ends of the sky. One appeared the same as the Earth's sun. The other wasn't as bright but it was definitely red. Bright red, like blood on fire. He tore his eyes away.
"Let's find this labyrinth and get through it," he suggested.
Rocky agreed and they started off. It was a rather hot planet, though there was no humidity. Just dry heat all around. Tommy recalled the ninja quest that team had taken a year or so ago. When their original power coins had been destroyed. The Desert of Despair had been just as dry though not nearly as bright.
"A penny for your thoughts?"
Though he couldn't see Rocky's face, Tommy was sure something must be going through his mind. Rocky scanned the area.
"Not much to tell. I'm just getting a little feeling of déjà vu," he answered.
"The Desert of Despair, right?"
Rocky let out a low whistle.
"Yea. That place was no joke. It almost swallowed Aisha whole."
They'd had to form a human chain to pull her free.
"Let's hope this place is a little less active," Tommy remarked.
The two continued on for what felt like a good hour. All around them remained the endless sand, the double suns' brightness. Beginning to feel the first signs of frustration, Tommy stopped to take a breather.
"I don't get it, we've been walking for so long and still nothing. No labyrinth, no garden. I'm beginning to wonder if we're already in the labyrinth."
He took a look around. Nothing but sand as far as the eye could see. Not even a mountain or sand hill.
"I'm going to power down."
No sense in wasting energy. The second he was out of his suit, Tommy noticed the difference.
"Whoa, Rocky check it out!"
He spun a couple of times to take it all in. He couldn't believe it.
"It was all a mirage?" Rocky asked no one once he'd de-zeonized.
The sand gave way to lush green grass, tall trees stalked the orange sky. All around them vines hung from exceptionally fat trunks.
"I don't understand," he breathed.
"Why was everything different when we were morphed?"
Tommy touched a trunk with his bare fingers. Like Earth trees it bore a rough surface.
"I don't know."
Maybe that was the trick.
"This could be the mirage," Rocky warned as he approached a running spring.
"Maybe our suits protected us from whatever's going on here."
He kneeled down to let his fingers touch the water. It felt real enough.
"Or not," he corrected himself.
When he came to his feet Tommy was there.
"We've got to find that labyrinth. Reggie's counting on us," Tommy remarked.
He glanced back from whence they'd come. He hoped they hadn't passed it. Tommy was ready to voice his concern when a breeze tickled his ear. Involuntarily he shivered.
"Did you just feel that?" Rocky asked before he could.
Apparently he'd felt it too.
"Yea, it came from East."
They turned in that direction. Only more trees and hanging vines greeted them.
"You get the feeling we should be going that way?" Rocky had to ask.
Tommy nodded.
"Oh yea."
Rocky swallowed.
"Ready when you are then."
The two rangers breathed in deeply and made their way into the grove. A few yards in they spotted a large limestone plaque against a tree. The words were carefully scripted as if the engraver had taken special care. Tommy leaned into read.
"Only the naked eye sees all."
He scratched his head. What did that mean?
"It's in English," he observed.
"Maybe that means we're not the first people from Earth to come here."
Hopefully they'd gotten out. He was sure that he and Rocky would.
"Come on," he urged.
They went further along. As the trees grew denser the vines seemed to grow thicker. Pretty soon they were pushing them aside like curtains. Tommy noted the strange colors, orange with brown spots, lime green with maroon spots. The things were practically the size of his wrists.
"Hey Tommy, I think I found something."
He met Rocky at the base of the largest tree he'd ever seen. Its bark was an odd squash-like tint, stretching as far as two trucks at least. In the center was a jagged opening. Right above it was another sign.
MERO: ENTER AT OWN RISK
Unlike the first sign, this writing was carved recklessly into a block of wood. Still, at least it was in English.
"We found it," he was glad to say.
"Good job, Rocky."
The entrance was low, they would have to duck down to enter.
"Don't congratulate me yet," Rocky remarked, "we still have to find our way through to the dydot root."
In other words the fun hadn't even started yet.
"Whatever we do, we have to stay together," Tommy instructed.
"Something tells me this place is no joke. We're going to need each other if we want to make it out of here."
Rocky nodded.
"Okay. Let's do it."
"Only three rangers?"
Prince Sprockett couldn't believe what he was hearing. After nearly a year of watching his parents try to take down the meddlesome goody-goods they'd managed to dwindle the rangers down to half a team. It would be much easier to defeat them at half-staff.
"Yes you heard right," King Mondo declared.
"We go that interloper out of the way and now Zordon has sent two rangers off to the planet Hyperion. Which is absurd. That planet is a dump."
His wife fanned her metallic body with an equally metallic fan.
"But Dear, don't you remember what used to grow there? All sorts of plants and antidotes to deadly poisons. In fact, dydot root was among them. If there is still a trace of that plant on that planet then our poison will be rendered useless."
The machine king was not worried.
"Relax my queen. No plant life has grown on Hyperion in centuries. It's nothing but a desert throughout the planet. If those rangers think they can find something useful then let carry on the goose-chase. As long as they're away we have ample opportunity to attack while the Earth is vulnerable."
"But what if they come back?" Queen Machina asked.
"That red ranger will never abandon his team. Surely he and the other will return and ruin our plans."
Sprockett had an idea.
"I know, why don't we send cogs to Hyperion to delay them? They'll be so busy fighting the cogs that they won't be able to get back to Earth to help their friends."
His parents seemed pleased with his suggestion.
"Excellent idea son. How wicked you're becoming!" his father beamed.
"Oh yes Dear. He's getting to be more like you every day," his mother crooned.
"It makes me so proud."
Jason hadn't been up for school with everything going on. He was worried for Reggie, he was worried for Rocky and he was worried for Tommy. It had been a few hours now and still no word. When Alpha had tried to communicate with them Tommy and Rocky hadn't answered. Which meant they were already in the labyrinth. Still, Zordon had sent the remaining rangers back to school. They'd be alerted the second things changed. But things seemed to be taking too long to change.
"Jason, you okay?"
It was the middle of lunch but neither he, Adam or Tanya could come up with an appetite. He lifted his eyes from his untouched burger.
"Huh?"
"I asked if you're okay," Tanya repeated.
"You've been staring at your tray for the past ten minutes."
He sighed. Adam glanced down at his communicator then back at him.
"This is killing me," Jason finally confessed.
"Just sitting here doing nothing while my friends put themselves at risk. I really should have gone with Tommy and Rocky."
"Then it would have just been me and Tanya here to defend Angel Grove," Adam reminded him.
"You did the right thing by staying back. We all did."
He glanced at his communicator again. Tanya caught it.
"Zordon said he'd call us if there was anything to report," she reminded him.
"I'm sure everything's fine. Tommy and Rocky have been on quests before."
At that Adam recalled both occurrences. The first had been the ninja quest, the second was the quest for the zeo crystal parts. Both times the team had prevailed and ended up with an even stronger power than before.
"I remember the last time Tommy and I were on a foreign planet together," Jason noted with a smile.
"Back when I was leaving for the peace conference. The whole team had to go to this abandoned planet and retrieve this sword for the power transfer of our powers to you, Rocky and Aisha. Let me tell you, that place was no joke—especially with Zedd after us. But Tommy handled himself. I know he and Rocky are capable."
"But you still want to be there to help them anyway," Tanya read.
"It's understandable, because we're all thinking the same thing."
For the third time Adam glanced at his communicator.
"You can say that again."
"Okay, I will. It's understandable because we're all thinking—"
The beep of their communicators cut her off. Quickly, the three sequestered themselves and leaned into Jason's communicator.
"Zordon, we're here," he answered.
"Rangers, Mondo has sent down a monster to attack the Angel Grove food plant. His aim is to poison the entire earth's food supply a town at a time. You must stop him before he succeeds and moves on to bigger factories."
Jason nodded curtly at the mission. It was just the action he needed.
"We're on it Zordon."
The three of them hurried out into the hall where there would be no audience. He raised his arms, prepared to morph.
"Wait!"
Tanya's hand on his bicep stopped him in time to spot the janitor sweeping down the hall. He breathed.
"Good catch."
Adam glanced around.
"Quick, in the locker-room."
The boys' locker room was always empty this time of day and as it was the closest privacy option, Jason saw no problem with scooting Tanya along inside. With Adam leading the way they rushed inside and prepared to do business.
"It's morphin time!"
"You see anything?" Tommy asked after a long, silent trek.
For a dangerous labyrinth this sure was…uneventful. He brushed another vine from his way.
"No, just vines. And another wall. You want to go left or right?"
Tommy thought about it.
"Right."
They made the turn.
"So, Zordon said there were dangers here," Rocky stated, "but so far we haven't come across anything. What gives?"
Tommy shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe our eyes aren't naked enough," he joked.
The naked eye sees all.
Rocky chuckled.
"That was a weird saying wasn't it. Kind of reminds me of one of those fortunes in a cookie. Or the moral at the end of a fable. Like it means more than its saying."
Tommy thought about it. What could it be saying?
"You know Rocky, I'm pretty sure it does mean more. Remember when Adam's family trusted him with the lantern that was passed down from generations? He didn't get the script on it at first but it turned out to mean 'believe in yourself.' Maybe the key to beating this labyrinth is to figure out the sign."
But how were they going to do that?
"Okay, a naked eye is pretty clear, I guess," Rocky stated.
"Naked can mean bare or uncovered. What do we cover our eyes with?"
"Sunglasses, eyeglasses, visors."
"Naked can also be pure, unadulterated. Like a baby or fresh fruit."
Tommy thought on it.
"Hey, remember when we first got here and we couldn't see anything. But when we powered down we saw—"
"Everything," Rocky finished.
"Tommy I think we just solved the riddle. As long as we don't morph and cover our eyes with our helmets we'll be able to find our way out of here."
He and Tommy high-fived, elated at the discovery. Then it began to sink in. They couldn't morph. At all. But what if a great danger showed itself? They'd just have to rely on their own inner strength was all. They'd done it before. They could do it again.
"Okay, so we figured that out," Tommy deduced, "now what?"
As if the labyrinth could hear him, there was a sudden shifting. Both rangers took a battle stance instinctively as the dark wall of vines to their left began to shuffle aside. After much shifting it revealed a new path with walls of bright yellow foliage around them. As Tommy stepped forward he found another engraved sign at the foot of the entrance.
"The naked heart shall tell no lie."
He glanced at Rocky.
"Something tells me this is the purity definition. I doubt the labyrinth wants us to take our shirts off."
The two stepped inside. Immediately the wall behind them shifted back, sealing the entryway. There was nowhere left to go now but forward.
Pure of heart. Like when we had to retrieve the zeo crystal. Kat and I were both afraid that we weren't pure enough to touch it after what Rita did to us.
Tommy shook off the memory. He didn't want to think about Kat right now.
"At least this place is brighter than the last one," Rocky commented.
"I wonder how many routes we'll have to take."
"Or truths we'll have to tell," Tommy added.
As they approached a four-way intersection a small figure appeared to be seated directly in the middle. Her stool was the color of gold as was her hair. Her eyes were large and round, the pupils as gold as her accessories. She set her eyes on Tommy and Rocky.
"Why have you come?" she demanded to know.
Her voice held the bass of a powerful entity. In class while reading Greek mythology Tommy had always imagined Hera—the queen of the gods with such a voice. He cleared his throat.
"We've come to save someone. To find some dydot root to take back to her," he answered honestly. For a moment she seemed to stare right through him.
"That is truth," she judged.
Two of the paths disappeared, leaving one to the right and one forward. Tommy switched his gaze from path to path, attempting to discern which to take.
"You."
Her eyes fixed on Rocky.
"Why do you carry a heavy heart?"
Rocky blinked for a moment, utterly speechless. Tommy watched as his friend stared at the woman in disbelief.
"I…"
He wore the expression of a cat with his hand caught in the birdcage. Pure wilderment.
"I…uh…"
"You must answer," the golden woman instructed, her tone stern.
Not wishing to see his friend suffer, Tommy offered an answer.
"He's upset about the girl, the one we need the dydot root for. We both are."
The golden woman didn't even glance in his direction.
"One cannot answer for the other. Each soul is accountable for his own," she declared.
Her eyes never left Rocky.
"You must answer. Failure to answer in truth will result in failure to move any further. So Mero has decreed."
Tommy couldn't have his friend held back. Not when they'd made it thus far. He started back to him.
"Come on Rocky, tell her," he urged.
"We haven't got much time."
Rocky was shaking his head.
"My heart's not… I mean, I'm worried about Reggie."
She penetrated him with her golden gaze.
"That is not truth," she judged.
Tommy froze. Rocky began backing away.
"B-but I am—"
"Only full truths can move you forward, Earthling. You are worried for the girl but that is not the cause of your heartache. Answer me truthfully and you shall pass. Answer me not and you shall be trapped within this place until you do."
Rocky opened his mouth but closed it. His face was no longer a mask of bewilderment but of terror. Whatever truth he needed to admit terrified him to do so. The golden woman waited, no mercy in her glare. She was all business. Tommy knew that he had to do something.
"Hey Rocky."
His friend was a little startled when Tommy took his shoulders. As he again tried to back away, Tommy took a firm grip."
Listen to me. I'm not going to let you get trapped here, okay. Whatever it is that's got you down, you have to say it. Not only for yourself, but for the team. We can't do without you. Reggie can't do without you."
Rocky shook his head.
"You don't understand, Tommy—"
"I'm your friend. I'll understand. That's what friends are for," Tommy assured him.
"You can talk to me anytime about these things. Things that bother you or weigh on you. You know I have. You guys have been there for me through so much. Kimberly, my brother, now Kat. You don't have to be ashamed to come to me about anything. So whatever it is, just tell her and we'll get through it. Together."
When Rocky looked away Tommy gave him a little shake. That brought him back. He inhaled deeply. Then exhaled.
"Just don't," his eyes found his feet.
"Don't think I'm a crummy person okay? I mean you're my friend and I would never think anything bad about you or wish anything bad on you."
Before Tommy could respond the golden woman spoke.
"That is truth."
He'd almost forgotten she was there. Rocky took a step to the side, freeing himself from his grip. He then looked to the woman.
"I know why my heart's heavy. It was this way long before Reggie came along. Ever since…ever since I realized that there was something missing from my life. It didn't really hit me until Jennifer. You know it took her a while before she actually made the time to go out with me. What I never told anybody was that we actually did go out a while back. We went to the skating rink but before we even had the chance to get anywhere Mondo attacked. I had to go. When I finally got back she thought I'd stood her up and left. She hasn't talked to me since."
Tommy stared. This was news to him. Why hadn't Rocky confided?
"I wanted so bad to explain to her," Rocky continued, "but I couldn't."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"What could I do? That's when I started noticing you and Kat. Adam and Tanya. You guys had it made. You didn't have to make up excuses why you had to break dates why you didn't answer your phone. You never had to hide the most important struggles in your lives from each other. I wanted that."
Tommy didn't know what to say.
"When Kat left I thought about Jennifer and how this would fix everything. She'd understand why I left her that day, the team would have a new tech person and all would fit into place. It was a win/win situation. Then all of this happened and that was shot out the window. So I thought that maybe if Reggie and I got to know each other like Adam did with Tanya then maybe…"
He looked at Tommy.
"I really do care about saving Reggie. I just wanted to be the one to do it."
Which was why he'd volunteered for the journey.
"I know that makes me a jerk. I just, I didn't want to be alone anymore."
His head hung low, the shame pouring from him. It was obvious that he felt bad about his feelings and what he'd planned.
"That is the truth," the golden woman spoke.
"You may pass through."
The final path was cleared, the other folding into foliage. The golden woman stepped aside to allow them passage.
"Go on to the next leg of the journey," she advised.
When the two rangers hesitated, her voice softened slightly.
"To expose your innermost pain is the most courageous thing to do Blue Ranger. In all truth a jerk would not have been able to do so. Go forth now and may the both of you succeed in your journey."
When Rocky again hesitated, Tommy placed his hand on his back and nudged him forward. The gesture worked and the two crossed into the next leg of the journey.
"Back off you overgrown bacteria!"
Jason, Adam and Tanya squared off with the large green-faced creature on eight legs. It was an ugly contraption in every sense of the word. But it was beatable.
"Ah Gold Ranger such a mouth on you," the creature taunted.
"I shall infect you with my venom first!"
Hot liquid shot from its mouth straight at Jason. With skill he dodged the spray.
"Nice shot poison face. My blind grandmother has better aim!"
The monster was hopping mad, which could prove to be a good thing. Anger always clouded the mind, hindered good judgment. As the rangers were only half the team, they could use the assistance.
"Why you teenaged brat!" it fumed.
A couple more shots flew by him, one narrowly missing his helmet. Jason dodged a third before gesturing to the others.
"When I give the signal, blast!"
The monster was losing its patience, what little it had to begin with.
"I'll blast you power brat!"
Jason maneuvered his way across the parking lot, his plan set. As he'd hoped, the creature pounded after him. Adam and Tanya separated into their positions.
"Eight legs and you still can't catch me? What's the matter a little two-legged human too much for you?"
He made sure to find a spot void of cars. He didn't want the power rangers footing a bill for destroyed property. The arachnid monster leaped into the air, flying straight for him.
"For that gold ranger I will make you an example!"
Jason rolled to the side, his golden staff ready.
"Now guys!"
Blade blasters aimed, Tanya and Adam pulled their triggers. Jason joined in with a blast from his staff. The creature had no time to react. Screaming in agony, the monster fell to the ground. In a blare of flames it exploded, leaving a cloud of gray smoke in its wake.
"Wow Jason, that was incredible," Tanya beamed once she caught up to him.
Adam was right behind her.
"Good plan."
Jason observed the smoke still rising from where the beast had fallen. The carcass, however disintegrated.
"It couldn't have worked without you guys. Good job, both of you."
Tanya holstered her weapon.
"Let's get back to the command center. Maybe Alpha's got news on Tommy and Rocky."
The three rangers high-fived before teleporting back. Upon arrival, however, there was no news.
"They can't be reached," Alpha explained.
"Most likely they're still in the labyrinth."
Jason glanced over at Reggie, comatose in the chamber. He himself had recently lied there when Mondo's Midas Hound had turned into gold. Though he couldn't remember the actual being gold part, he remembered the before and after.
"Is she going to be all right?" he asked Zordon.
"Yes Jason. She is in a deep dream state at present. As long as she ingests the dydot root she will awaken safely."
That was good to know. Adam sighed.
"You have any idea what that labyrinth is like?" he wanted to know.
"It might make me feel better to know what they're up against."
Jason and Tanya nodded in agreement. Alpha continued monitoring systems as Zordon spoke.
"Mero's labyrinth is not like the others. While most are about the maze in a physical sense, Mero challenges its occupants in different ways. There are physical obstacles but also internal. In order to beat it Tommy and Rocky will have to know themselves and be willing to confront the deepest parts of their natures."
Jason folded his arms under his chest. That should be no problem for Tommy. He'd faced his inner demons time and again. When he'd had to obtain the zeo crystal, when he'd first learned to pilot the red zeo battlezord. When he'd faced a green ranger clone of himself so many years back. Though Jason had been out of the country at the Peace Conference during those times, he and Tommy had kept in touch.
"If anybody can do it, Tommy can," he was certain.
"And I may not have known Rocky as long as the rest of you guys but he's a strong person. I have faith in the both of them."
After all, they wouldn't have become rangers if they weren't tough enough to face different challenges. Ultimately that was all that the labyrinth was—a challenge waiting to be conquered.
"So what do we do now?" Adam asked rhetorically.
"Just sit here and wait until they get back?"
"All you can do is wait," Zordon replied, "and keep your eyes open in case Mondo attacks again. You must go to school now Rangers. Alpha will call if you are needed."
They didn't like it, but they had no choice. Begrudgingly Jason, Adam and Tanya headed back to Angel Grove thinking of their friends the entire time.