Summary – Tommy really should know better than to make off-handed wishes.

-o-

Be Careful What You Wish For

Tommy

-o-

Pain, blinding, excruciating, mind numbing, pain. Someone kill me now. Shoving myself out of the way I narrowly escape being slammed with the mallet again. Yes, that's right, a mallet. The psycho has a mallet.

The crying and screams of panic had distracted me when I'd entered the school. I had seen the kids and teachers huddled against the walls, crying in corners, some cowering under desks in the rooms, but no monster.

I had tried to reassure them all that it would be okay, that I was here and I'd get them out, please just everyone calm down. I had been careless. Distracted. When I saw the girl tied to the lighting fixture I had dropped my guard. She was alive, crying, begging for me to get her down, please, please get her down it burned, she hurt, please. I was stupid. Lowering my staff I had begun to reassure her, saying to please hang on, I'd get her right down, don't worry. That's when it hit me, literally.

The sharp blow to my back would have no doubt shattered my spine had I not been morphed. Even still, I'm sure I felt a rib or two break.

How the hell did my day get to this point? It was not supposed to be a stressful day. No, if anything I was supposed to be bored and anticipating a nap later on.

-oooo-

(30 minutes prior, Reefside High)

"Alright now who can tell me what type of minerals make up this phosphate rock?" As I get nothing but several blank stares from the teenagers before me, I know I should just give it up. It's very likely they don't even know the difference between a phosphate rock and piece of cement.

"Anyone? Anyone at all?" Drumming my fingers on my desk, I really need to go home now. Just call it a day and pick it up tomorrow. "What if I said I'd give whoever can tell me just one mineral in it an A for the semester?"

Sighing as they all throw open their books and begin frantically searching, I'm starting to see why my teachers were always in a rather disheartened mood and carried decorative flasks in their bags.

"Dr. Oliver." Oh let's make the day a tad more migraine inducing shall we.

Turning to give principle Randal my attention, I obviously did something by that glare. Okay I was here on time. I didn't park in her spot again. Not really seeing the trouble today. "Can I help you?"

"Perhaps, these two say they belong to you." Moving to the side and revealing the two sheepish looking adults, I nearly fall over as I realize just who they are and that they're actually here.

"I, um…they…uh." Nice, once more with words perhaps?

Smiling and giving me a small shrug, Kat is clearly at least on the same level as me. "Um, hey Tommy, before you get mad I just have to say it was all his idea." Right and you didn't stop him because?

"Traitor."

"I'll leave them here. May I remind you however that-" Cell going off, Randal gives me a last look before quickly heading off as I've no doubt that it's her master calling. Face it we both know who the other is, we're not stupid, the only reason she let's me work here is so she can keep an eye on me for Mesagog. Just like the only reason I put up with working here is to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't kill my kids.

"Man what's with her? Related to Rita or something." I already told you what's with her Jase. Remember evil, follows me around a lot, seems to want me as her sex slave. We covered this over the phone last month.

"The vote's still open, but I'm thinking Divatox." Thanks Conner.

Shaking myself out of the stupor they've put me in, I make a move towards them unsure if I should yell or dish out the hugs. Perhaps both. "Guys what are you doing here? I mean I thought we said Friday."

"Would you believe we couldn't wait that long." Right.

"And what may I ask would be so important that you just had to take off and-" As the building is suddenly rocked by an explosion, I grab onto the nearest thing to keep from falling over. Unfortunately for me that nearest thing happens to be Jason.

"It's the elementary school next door." Already edging towards the door at Kira's information the three know not to wait for my instruction.

"Guys can you-"

"Go." Already pushing me towards the door, Jason and Kat give a reassuring look. Good they can keep an eye on the kids here and cover for me. I wonder if Superman ever needed a stand in at the paper.

"I'll see you guys at the house. Thanks."

-oooo-

(back to present…)

Pushing back to my feet I whip around and find myself face to face with something straight out of a Steven King novel. Its face, and I use the word loosely, is painted chalk white with a greenish tint caked into it. Eyes a putrid brownish green, hair blood red, teeth and nails a rotten yellow and all sharp as knives. This is bad. Oh and let's not forget the five-foot long mallet in his hands.

By the way, did I mention I have a phobia of clowns? No, well I do. I watched the movie 'Kill Clowns Form Outer Space' when I was ten and didn't sleep for a month. Raising my communicator, I think it's time for some back up. "I need help guys."

"No can do Dr. O, we have two clowns attacking downtown Reefside, and I do mean clowns. Yer on your own for the time being." Kira's voice is quickly lost in the sounds of blaster shots and screaming.

Cutting the connection, I turn back to Bozo. Okay I can do this. I'm a Power Ranger, I can handle one stupid clown. If everyone would just stop screaming and crying!

"Who wants a balloon animal?" The nasally voice sends a shudder through me. He's not actually making… yes, yes he is, balloon animals. Tossing a poodle to some teachers in the far corner he takes a step back and actually shoots me a wink. Only when the creation explodes do I get the joke. Sick son of a …

Running, I flip into a handspring and vault over it. Landing no more than a foot behind him I lash out in a sidekick intent on nailing him straight in the spine. Unfortunately he decides to pull a Linda Blare on me at the last second. Head rotating a full one eighty degrees his putrid smile throws me off, my kick missing him by a mile. Oh come on, someone cut me some slack here.

"Ah, ah, ah." Head still turned to me he raises his hand and makes a rather idiotic gesture with his index finger. As if he's tsking me for being a bad boy. You have got to be kidding. "Now is that any way for the birthday boy to act at his own party?" Birthday boy? Party?

"I don't think he's enjoying his party." Oh lovely, Elsa, just the perfect addition needed to complete this nightmare. Standing off to the side of a pile of brick and rubble she offers me a smirk. "What's the matter feeling a little too old for a birthday party? My master will be so disappointed you didn't like his present." So that's what this is about. Guess I should have know Mesagog and Mercer wouldn't forget.

"Next time just send cash." Backing away and reaching for my staff, I slip in to the defensive position.

"My aren't we ungrateful." Body turned in the same direction as his head now the clown casually raises the mallet again. No more hitting me with that thing, come on now play fair. "What's the matter little boy, don't like to laugh?" Swinging the sledge hammer he barely manages to graze my left shoulder, another millimeter more and he would have broken the bone.

Forced to stagger further back, I see my mistake too late. How many have I made already? Well this has got to be one of the toppers, for I've been incredibly stupid here and allowed myself to be backed up into- My back hits the wall with a smack as the clown continues to swing the weapon ever closer to my head. Can someone shut those kids up.

"I don't suppose we could talk about this?" Dropping to my knees just as the tool slams into the wall where my head was previously at, I tuck and roll to my right. I feel the plaster raining down on me more than see it, he's actually broken through the wall and into the classroom it was dividing the hall from. Can anyone else see how outrageous these monsters are getting? I mean really now, we're talking complete lack of sanity here.

Jumping back to my feet I try to conceive the best way to handle this without getting myself and everyone else here killed. Of course this doesn't really work to my best interest as I'm once more slammed from behind, this time right in the base of my spine. My staff is flung from my grasp and I vaguely register the sound of metal scarping as it skids across the floor well out of my reach.

"Black Ranger, look out!"

Hysterical laughter and the sound of explosions is what finally forces me to get back up. I'm seeing triple, I can't move without feeling the need to vomit, and yet I'm standing back up. Two more explosions shake the ground and I'm sure my head's going to explode from the noise.

"Catch!" What? I almost miss it, but at the last possible second I manage, don't ask how, to catch the bright yellow duck balloon. Wait don't these- As I'm once more having an intimate moment with the floor I try to recall just when my life went to complete and utter hell. Well look at the bright side right, at least now I know my costume can withstand balloon explosions.

"Hey!" Oh thank God the cavalry's here. I catch a faint streak of yellow and blue out of the corner of my eye. This is my thought two seconds before Kira is thrown to the ground three feet away from me. Yeah, been there myself kiddo. And don't all the screams just add an extra kick of fun to it all too?

"Hi Kira." Somehow I actually, no clue how, make it back to my feet without falling back to the floor. Reaching out I help the stunned girl up, neither one of us standing steady.

Grabbing my arm, which is probably broken, she stumbles back a step. "Hi Dr. O. Exploding balloon animals?"

"Yeah, really ge-" Oof! I'm just one with the ground today. Hello Ethan. Sprawled on top of me is none other than the red splattered Blue Ranger. God I hope that's not all his blood. Oh wait that's mine.

"I really think it's time to finish this freak." Right there with you Kira. Just give me a second to make sure I'm not hemorrhaging.

Suddenly stopping his wave of terror, the monster quickly whips out what looks to be a cake. Actually by the candles, I think it's safe to assume it's a birthday cake. Oh how sweet. I think I'll send him Mesagog a bomb for his big four o this year. "Now, now little Rangers, the party's not over with. The birthday boy still has to make a wish."

"I wish you were in pieces." Snatching up my staff and setting it to wind strike, I slam the tip into the ground. He wants me to blow out the candles, who am I to disappoint.

"I think we can help with that." Aiding me with their blasters, it doesn't take long before the three of us have the clown reduced to a pile of body parts and frosting.

-oooo-

(15 minutes later)

"Did everyone get out alright?"

Nodding and helping me check the last bit of the building the three kids definitely deserve some thanks after this mess. Man talk about a crazy attack. "Yeah we just got the last of the kids out to the ambulance. Everyone seems to be okay." Good to know.

"Alright, well there's nothing more we can do. Good work guys, let's call it a day." Stepping over some debris and moving to lead the kids out, I'm stopped as Conner suddenly calls my name.

"Hey check it out." Pointing to the large, black, still lit candle laying on the ground, I guess I didn't completely destroy the monster after all. "Hey, make a wish."

Walking over to him and looking down at it, I shake my head about to tell him I just want to go home, but damn it if all three aren't now urging me on. "Conner I really don't think so. It probably explodes or something."

"Come on, have a little fun. If it explodes I'll never make fun of you for being old again." Tempting.

Giving the three a look as now Ethan and Kira have joined in on the baiting, I finally cave, just wanting to go home already. "Fine. I wish I didn't have to deal with this sort of thing day after day and I could just take a nice long vacation, where I'd be waited on hand and foot. Oh and where I could eat whatever I wanted and not have to run for an hour to make it okay. Ew and I didn't have to go teach kids what rock came from what year. Oh wait, also-"

"Blow it out!"

Laughing as the three look ready to pounce on me, I lick my fingers before extinguishing the flame. There, now let's all move on with our lives shall we.

"You were an only child weren't you?"

To be continued……….