To the readers: Thank you so much for sticking with the story during such a down period. More content will be coming along more timely in the coming weeks. A little reminder: This chapter has a lot of explanation in it, but I hope you enjoy!
Ash, Misty, Brock, Tracey, and Lia couldn't see the ground below them or the air above and around them. They were enveloped in some kind of dynamic energy that propelled them past the cave.
In a matter of seconds, the group touched ground once again, only this time they felt something more solid than the terrain they had been exploring earlier.
"Is everyone alright?" asked Ash as everyone got to their feet.
"I think so," Lia answered, brushing herself off. "Everyone?"
"We're all in one piece," Brock said.
"But what is this place?" Misty asked. The kids turned their eyes away from each other and gazed at what lay before them. Gleaming metal tubes surrounded by multicolored lights stood like futuristic Roman columns; a gigantic, empty, aquamarine-colored tube stood in the center wall. In fact, the walls radiated soft colors of all kinds, like many skies blended into one. The floor was a solid, smooth deep purple and it supported a ring of computer terminals that looked nothing like the teens had ever seen.
"This is astounding!" Tracey exclaimed, examining the many buttons and dials in front of him. This was nothing like Professor Oak's laboratory.
"It's beautiful," Lia whispered, taking in everything.
"Whatever it is," added Misty.
"I wonder what these controls do…" Tracey said, moving to press one of the buttons.
"Wait, wait! Don't touch those! Wait…"
The group turned behind them to hear metallic footsteps and see a person scurrying along to meet them. It tripped over its own feet and crashed to the ground, making some of them gasp. Ash and Tracey went to pick the person up, only to see that the person was a robot. Its golden head was shaped like a flying saucer with an electronic red visor going around the middle. Its ruffle-tube arms and legs ended in gold hands and feet, all connecting to a shiny red torso with lights flashing; a glowing lightning bolt was in the center.
"A robot?" Ash said, puzzled.
"Not just a robot," Tracey replied, helping the being up. "A fully sentient, multi-functional automaton!"
"What?" Misty asked.
"A robot," Lia said excitedly.
Static crackled loudly before anyone else could speak. "Welcome, humans," a voice boomed.
Everyone took a look at the large tube positioned on the wall. It was no longer empty; instead, a large face occupied its center.
"Who are you?" asked Ash, more mystified than before.
"What are you?" added Brock, even more mystified than Ash.
"My name is Zordon. I am an inter-dimensional being who was sealed here long ago," the voice replied.
"And I am Alpha 5," the robot chimed. "It's wonderful to meet you."
"Okay…" Misty began, rubbing her eyes. "This isn't the strangest thing I have ever seen, but what are we doing here? And what is all of this?"
"Yeah, something terrible is happening back at our home!" Lia cried. "We need to help!"
"That is exactly why you are here," Zordon said. "The Earth is in great danger, and you five have been chosen to save it."
"Save…it?" Tracey said slowly.
"Well, he isn't picking the most inexperienced people out there," Brock thought. "But certainly not the best."
"We're ready to help those people and Pokémon out in Feron Grove, but what's this about the world, Zordon?" Ash inquired.
"Yeah, this doesn't seem that real," Lia added.
"Your many questions and doubts will be answered if you look at the Viewing Globe behind you," Zordon said.
The teens turned to where Alpha had entered the room and focused on a clear white sphere positioned on a column with light-rings around the structure. The globe began to flash images of the turmoil happening in Feron Grove, including the earthquake, sickened children, and injured Pokémon and animals. The Adder monster was shown sinking his teeth into an unsuspecting man.
"What you see before you is not the result of some virus or natural disaster," Zordon began. "The danger happening now is being caused by Rita Repulsa, a manipulator of dark magic." Now the teens saw Rita and all of her cohorts on the Viewing Globe. "Ten thousand years ago, her and her court of monsters caused a destructive cataclysm that nearly wiped out all life on Earth. They were brutal and merciless. I was able to seal Rita and her minions away, but at the cost of my freedom. She has just escaped and has sent down a dreaded Adder creature to finish what she began."
The images stopped, and the group was trying to comprehend everything. Misty choked back tears. Ash gritted his teeth. Tracey was trying to find a way to make everything seem rational. All of them clenched their fists in anger.
"I can sense your frustration and confusion. I understand completely," Zordon said.
"None of this makes any kind of sense," Brock said. "It all sounds like something out of a book or movie or something."
"It all fits with what I know about Amalei and Feron Grove though," Lia said. Brock looked at her perplexed. "I don't know, but it does…"
"We need to get our Pokémon and stop these guys!" Misty shouted.
"I'm afraid even with all of your experience in past crises, you will be outmatched against Rita's forces," Zordon answered. Nobody asked how he knew about anything they had been through in their lives.
"Luckily, we can make sure you can take her on!" Alpha said. He pushed a button on one of the consoles and a steel box materialized out of static electricity. He opened it to reveal five round objects that looked like belt buckles. Alpha motioned for each member of the group to take one. The objects were silver with black angular ribbons emblazoned on the front, surrounding two red circles; one was hollow, and the surrounding circle had the words "POWER RANGERS" running top to bottom engraved on it.
"You will be given access to extraordinary powers that have the potential to stop her evil crusade," Zordon interjected as the teens inspected the buckles. "You hold in your hands Power Morphers, the conduits for a universe of power. But these devices are nothing without the keys."
"Keys?" Ash asked.
"Hold out your hands and receive them now!" Zordon focused and directed energy from two surrounding columns. Black, pink, blue, yellow, and red bolts flew into Brock, Lia, Tracey, Misty, and Ash's hands and materialized into lustrous gold coins. Each coin featured a symbol of a creature.
"Wow!" Brock said. "This is pretty cool."
"They're beautiful," Misty said.
"These are your Power Coins," Zordon explained. "From them, you will draw from the strength of the ancestors of the magnificent creatures you have trained and traveled with, the dinosaurs. When there is danger, place the coin in the Morpher and raise them to the sky, calling the name of your dinosaur. Then, you will become the elite fighting force known as the Power Rangers."
Ash couldn't help but smile when he heard all of Zordon's words. It was like something out of a dream.
"Brock," Zordon boomed, making the boy snap his head straight to the speaker. "Powerful and sturdy, you will command the power of the Mastodon. Lia, your grace and love of life will give you the power of the Pterodactyl. Tracey, you will draw from the Triceratops, its patience and wisdom added to yours. Misty, with your agility and fierceness, you will call upon the Saber-Tooth Tiger. And Ash, your courage and loyalty enable you to use the power of the Tyrannosaurus."
The teens were awestruck. No words, no gasping, just emotion.
"There is much more!" Alpha added. "Look at the Viewing Globe!"
"Correct, Alpha," said Zordon. "You must work together to overcome evil. Only together will you succeed. When problems prove too great for your Ranger powers alone, you will have extra help." As he spoke, large mechanized versions of their dinosaurs appeared onscreen. "When the battle escalates, you may call upon the power of the Dinozords to defeat your foes. And I can assure you, they are not just mere machines. As you work as a team, so do your Zords. By combining them, you can form the mighty Megazord."
"Zords, powers, dinosaurs, just magnificent…" Tracey whispered, amazed.
"This can't be really happening, can it?" Misty asked Lia, more excited than unbelieving.
"We all are holding magic coins and saw and heard the talking robot. I think so." answered Lia.
"Zordon," Ash started. "We'll do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe, but…"
"This may not be our first time in a huge crisis, but what do we know about being superheroes?" Brock finished for him.
"I have every confidence in your abilities," said Zordon. "You will do well."
A loud alarm blared throughout the chamber, causing the kids to cover their ears.
"Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!" Alpha cried. "The Adder monster is starting to spread his venomous gas from his location at the cave!"
"Rangers, there is no time to lose," Zordon instructed. "I will teleport you to the Adder's hideout. You will know what to do. May the power protect you."
Before the teens could say another word, they were overtaken by that strange energy again, and just like that, they were gone.