A/N: What up Ranger Fans it is I the one and only SDR09 better Known to you as Dave. And I'm back with another tale of adventure from our fav bad girl rangers Creed And Selena now this chapter has a very dark sub plot so please don't be mad now lets ride
Delta Dawn
Selena watched the nervous girl as she took her seat at the end of the bar as she fixed her usual smoothie. In the near four weeks since she and Creed arrived in Delta Nevada the couple had taken jobs at the local teenage hangout, Matrix as a way to keep an out for potential clues to their mission. But the only thing that concerned them or at least Selena was the nervous girl at the end of the bar
The girl's name was Ashley Jones. She was slender freshmen with dark red hair who favored the goth style bit which made her a bit of a target for the schools "upper crust". And its queen bee Tara Milard. Selena only knew these things because she had made an effort to get to know her and she truly sympathized with her. As she still carried the scars of her pre Atlan past.
"Here you go Ashley," Selena said handing the girl her smoothie .
"Thanks," Ashley said fidgeting a bit.
It was then Selena noticed the oversized sunglasses Ashley was wearing. She had seen this old tactic many times as well as used it herself. She knew that Ashley was hiding a black eye. But decided not to call direct attention to it even though her heart broke for the girl.
"Rough day at school today?," Selena asked sincerely.
"If you called being jumped and shoved in your locker rough," Ashley said taking sip of her smoothie as a girl came by and purposely bumped her and made her spill her drink on herself and the bar
"Look the freak made a mess," Tara said as she and her group of popular kids
Selena quickly grabbed the bar rag and began helping Ashley clean herself up. As she dapped the girls arm her sleeves came up and she noticed the hair clip shaped burn scares on her forearm. "Ashley did they do this you?" she asked growing angry at the girls.
"No," Ashley said as she started to cry. "I did ," she said her tears flowing like rain.
"Why?" Selena asked her heart breaking more for the young girl.
"Its the only way I can stop the pain," Ashley said her tears dripping on to the bar. "No one likes me no one understands me. My parents think I'm a freak just like everyone else no ne wants me around. Everyone hates me," she sobbed. "What am I crying to you for Sel you're beautiful you've never had it hard."
Selena sighed and turned her arms so that the inside of her forearms. "Look real close," she said. "Tell me what you see?" she said lo focusing on the crocks of her arms
"Scares, " Ashley said noticing the slightly faded wounds inside the crocks of Selena's arms
"Track marks I used do shoot up," Selena said in a matter of fact tone
"Really?," Ashley sniffled
"Yeah I've been worse than were you are my stepdad raped me when I was thirteen and my mom kicked me out the same night," Selena said reflecting on her own life. "I was on the streets for awhile then juvie then there was the drugs the hooking for fix and a bed then the other bad things," Selena said somewhat glossing over her days as an evil villainess.
"How'd you get out of it ?," Ashley asked tears still streaking her eyes
A smile came across Selena's face as she reflected on what brought her from evil. "Well first I met a really great guy who had a great family. Then I met his blonde best friend," she said pointing over Ashley's shoulder.
Ashley turned around to see a blonde girl wearing a white v-neck shirt and black jeans under a dirty white apron. "You and her?" Ashley asked.
"Yep that little blonde bust girl is the love of my life and has helped me a lot," Selena said beaming brightly.
"Yeah well I don't have friends or a boy or girlfriend. So yeah no one's coming to my rescue so spare me the lecture ok," Ashley sniffled drying her tears a bit.
"Well I know you have one friend me," Selena said sincerely placing a hand on Ashley's. "And as a friend I'm telling you need to stand up for yourself its the only way to stop it," Selena said in her honest opinion.
"Yeah whatever." Ashley said as she stood up and gathered her things to leave. "Thanks for saying you were my friend but I better go while they're distracted if I want to get home safe," she said reaching into her pack for her money.
Selena halted her hand and smiled, "Friends don't pay I'll take care of it." And let Ashley leave. I wish I could help her more. But I can't be her bodyguard forever. Maybe I can convince her to take off with me and Creed? We could drop her in Angel Grove with Talia? Nah kidnapping her isn't going to fix everything. If only she had a David or a Creed she thought watching her goldenhaired girlfriend approach. God help I love this girl she said to herself.
" So fancy face what's going on with your new friend," Creed said seeing the look of discontent on Selena's face.
"Just the usual bullies and stuff ," Selena explained still down hearted about the situation with Ashley
"Good," Creed said with her signature smirk
Selena raised an eyebrow and said, "Why does a poor girl being bullied sound good to you Credence?"
"Well for a minute there I was thinking she was completion," Creed said honestly while still keeping her ever present smirk.
Selena smiled and kissed Creed on the forehead. "You have no competition baby all I want is you," she said running a hand over Creed's cheek before giving her a deep open mouth kiss. Not making any attempt to break the passionate exchange until they were both ready.
"Hey your shifts over," Selena said coyly her own devilish smirk on her lips.
"Yeah so is mine," Creed twirling a strand of Selena's raven colored hair. "What do you say we go down the block to that Chinese place get a little Kung Pow chicken and some Hunan beef and then we can go back to the hotel and work off the meal," she said suggestively.
"You read my mind," Selena said beaming at her girlfriend. If there was one thing she loved about being with Creed a bit more than the companionship it was the passion. The young women seemed insatiable at times craving each others touch. But it was more an emotional passion the two loved each other so much that they'd gladly risk their lives to save each other which they gladly had done a number of times. And would do again.
"Well first I think we need to call our brainy little friend about our mission," Creed said in reference to the young lab tech Kori Ake. The young mixed raced girl who served as the go between the two nomad rangers and former Ranger Billy Cranston.
"Yeah I think the ladies room is free," Selena said cocking her head towards the restroom.
"Lets go," Creed said as Selena came from behind the bar.
Within a few moments the girls found themselves in the ladies room. Being ever cautious and not wanting to reveal their secret identities Selena carefully checked each stall. Upon getting the all clear from Selena Creed locked the door and pulled out her phone and USB drive. Once the drive was inserted Creed pressed a series of numbers causing an image of Kori from the waist up. Dressed in a white lab coat and one of her many sailor moon shirts sipping what appeared to be a frappechino of some kind.
"Hey Kori you busy?," Creed asked
"Oh nothing just helping monitor a trillion dollar satellite that controls half our cable cell phone and internet connections. Nothing important," Kori said the sarcasm heavy in her voice.
"Kori we've been here almost five weeks no monsters not so much as a bank robbery or a thunderstorm what gives?," Selena said. While trying not to kick a gifted horse in the mouth.
" Take it easy Sel there is a riff in the area just give it a few days then you can go on to the next site in the Toronto back country understand you have some interesting friends there," Kori said in reference to the tripe of sasquatches Selena and Creed were honorary members.
"Ok Kori a few more days then we head up north," Creed said flatly agreeing with Kori's suggestion.
" Good. Well girls I'll see you later bye," Kori said ending the transmission.
"So what now blondie?" Selena asked her girlfriend pretty mknowing the answer.
"Chinese," Creed half asked throwing her arm around the tall brunette's shoulder and walked out of the restroom.
Elsewhere in a the suburbs of Delta in a quite two story three bedroom house Ashley set in her dimly lit room. The sounds of Lithium by Evanescence blasting throughout the room. She rolled up the sleeves of her top then took the hairclip in between the scissors in her right hand. And the lighter in her left hand. She the ignited the lighter and held it to the hairclip until it glowed bright orange. She then brought it down onto an un burnt piece of skin.
As the scolding hot metal burned her flesh and the pain tore through her body. A oddly calm look came over her as she preformed the ritual mutilation. She had been burning herself since the seventh grade after reading an article online. Something about the pain she caused herself, seemed to erase the emotional and physical pain others caused her. If only for a brief while but she knew the pain would once again come.
"It has to stop," Ashley said plainly as the hair clip cooled and the burning ended. "It all has to stop."
As dusk gave way to night a well fed Selena and Creed made there way up street hand and hand back to their truck. Enjoying each others company and laughing as Creed told stories about growing up with the Hawks. "So wait David is actually afraid of clowns?," Selena laughed getting a nod from Creed "Wow I thought they were all joking about that."
"Nope we watched IT when we were little ever since then clowns just spook him," Creed said with a chuckle.
"Wow the big tuff silver ranger scared of -," Selena started being cut off by a loud blast knocking them back first into a near by wall. As a purple cloud of smoke and grey ash. The street became filled with the familiar sounds of people panicking.
When the smoke cleared Creed and Selena looked up and saw what appeared to be red skinned drones. Each drone appeared to be dressed in a heavy black breast plates gauntlets helmets an black loin cloth and black armored boots. Each carried the same whip like laser on their left hand. And ha a braid of blue hair sticking out of the back of their helmets and yellow eyes that show through their visors.
Seeing the drone warriors that reminded them of some hybrid of both Atlan and Chimera's drones. Knowing what they had to do Creed and Selena got up and dusted themselves off and went into fighting stances. "Ready?," Creed asked fist clenched.
"Yeah ," Selena said taking up a similar posture.
A few seconds later the duo found themselves in the middle of a fight with the red skinned drones. Each throwing kicks and punches while trying to avoid the whips. Both taking a few small lashes. Soon both Creed and found themselves standing back to back fending off the foot solders as best the could but becoming over powered. As an effort to gain some equal footing Selena raised her hands and used a powerful blast of telekinetic energy to push the troopers back enough to give she and Creed some breathing room so to speak.
"Ready to ramp this up babes," Creed said drawing her hand held morpher.
"You know it pretty," Selena said drawing her wrist mounted morpher. "Lets ranger up!,"
"GEM CHARGE!," Creed said making the power ruby in the center of her morpher glow, "PHANTOM POWER!," she yelled raising her morpher to the sky making a flash of red and grey light cover her body. When the light faded Creed stood in the black and silver armor of the phantom ranger her power gem in the middle of her chest.
"My turn!," Selena said sticking her glowing morpher straight out. "ZETA STORM RANGER FORM!," she said raising her fist into the air and bringing it her chest. Letting herself become wrapped in a burst of black and crimson light. When the light faded Selena stood dressed in the black and crimson armor of the sixth Quasar ranger.
"Quasar Eliminator Rifle Mode," Selena summoning her weapon in its blaster form. "Scatter shot!," she said charging her laser rifle
"Phantom Laser," Creed said call forth her powerful large laser pistol "Phantom blast!," she charging her weapon.
"DOUBLE BLAST!" they both called sending powerful bolt of energy that destroyed a bulk of the drones.
"Very impressive girls," Came a slightly feminine sounding voice drawing their attention to a shadowed figure standing on the ledge of a roof top. Where they only need look for a few more seconds before the figure leaped from the roof top coming to land not ten feet from the two rangers.
In the glow of the raising moon Creed and Selena could see that the figure was male and dressed in a chain mail shirt black leather pants with knee high leather boots with a three inch heel. A crimson and black tunic draped over his left shoulder. His skin was a pale porcelain crystal like color which was brought out by the glimmer of the moon. With his fingertips capped by red nails. His golden blonde hair came to the middle of the his back in a French braid. With bangs in the front framing his surprisingly handsome elf like features.
"Allow me to introduce myself the name is Vykor and I'm here to destroy you," he said giving a mocking gentlemen like wave and bow.
"Ugh really.," Creed said rolling her eyes under her helmet, "Seriously do they teach you guys the same lame as lines in bad guy school. Try being original."
"You have a sharp tongue. Lets see if its as sharp as my blades," Vykor said drawing what looked to be a combination between Katanas and broad swords from under his tunic. Each with a crystal blade and black handle.
"Looks like he wants to dance Creed," Selena said shifting her eliminator into its powerful claymore like sword form
"Then by all means lets," Creed said drawing her phantom blade the powerful thick rapier like sword.
Vykor merely grinned and charged the two rangers. Who likewise charged at him. The three blades meeting with a loud clang and clash over and over again. For every trust slash and strike Creed and Selena made Vykor seem to match it. He was quickly beginning to out match the two black clad rangers. Creed using her stealth abilities made herself invisible. Took a whirling slash at Vykor 's back only getting a small lock of the elf like warrior's hair and vicious slash that knocked her into Selena making both rangers fall.
"Its been fun girly's but I have to go ta ta," Vykor said with a wave of the hand fading from the sight of the two rangers.
"Ugh power down," Creed said as she and Selena demorphed.
"Well he was tuff. You ok babes ?" Selena asked looking over her girlfriend .
"Yeah the suit took most of it. Now lets go before anyone sees us." Creed said rubbing the right side of her ribcage
"Right," Selena said as they made their way to their truck.
Minutes later Creed sat on the hotel bed in just her grey boy shorts with a black skull and cross bones on the front left corner and black bra. Holding a zip lock bag of ice to her injured ribs as she flipped through channels. "So where do you think this Vykor clown came from?," Selena asked from the bathroom.
Creed to her credit had thought about this situation in the half hour since the battle and came to one conclusion. "The Advent Void," she said a bit too plainly.
"The Advent Void?," Selena said coming from the bathroom and a blue cheetah print thong and matching bra. "You mean where that Chimera chick came from? But I thought that was over when you guys destroyed her?" she said crawling into the bed alongside Creed.
"Maybe its just," Creed said pausing to phrase her next statements carefully. "You remember that dream we had last year?"
"You mean the one with the future rangers and that Kit chick and the Dark titan from the future?," Selena asked remembering the dream that all the members of the ranger team shared.
"Yeah well what if it wasn't a dream?," Creed said.
"What do you mean babe,?" Selena asked as she herself had wondered that dream was just a dream.
"I mean think about it Erica did give me my powers. Don't you find it weird that she showed up in the dream knowing so much about us and taking responsibility for sending me and Dave through time?," Creed said getting a questioning look from Selena. " And what about a few weeks later we get called to the spirit world for that tournament where we hear the Dark titan is coming back just two weeks after a team of rangers future show up talking about some big crises?"
"So you're saying the dream really happened, and this is the crises?" Selena asked a look of slight distress coming over her face.
"Maybe," Creed said with a sigh.
"Think we should call Talia and the guys?," Selena asked figuring that calling their teammates would be a good option in this case.
"Nope they're all busy doing the collage thing we'll handle this for now," Creed said taking the leadership role that both girls shared.
"Ok if you say so sweetheart," Selena said snuggling close to Creed and sitting it on the nightstand, " anyway I think we need some sleep," she continued.
"You come to bed in your fuck me panties and expect me to sleep?" Creed said smirking before she straddled Selena. "That's not how we do things Ms. Payne," she said taking off her own bra revealing her full C cup breast.
"Umm then by all means Ms. Jericho fuck me," Selena said lifting up and unclasping her own bra and letting it fall reveal her slightly larger breast that were capped with pierced brown nipples.
"Don't have to tell me twice," Creed said laying Selena as the two girls gave into their passion for each other.
The next day in the girls room of the local high school inside the handicap stall. Ashley sat eating her lunch. She did this as away to escape the torment of her so called peers. The ones who called her names shoved her into lockers, mud puddles and trash cans. No these were not her peers these people were demons from hell sent destroy her she thought.
As she began to take a bite of her apple Ashley jolted as the door to the stall swung open and she was face to face with what she saw to be the devil incarnate flanked by demons. Before her stood Tara Milard and four other girls with evil venomous smiles across their painted lips.
"Well look what we have her girls Ashley the freak eating lunch all by herself," Tara said curtly. "Her let me help you Ash," Tara said snatching the container of pasta form Ashley's lap and dumped its contents onto the floor. "Now be a good little side show freak and eat you food off the floor or you know what's gonna happen,"
Hearing Selena's advice echo in her mind Ashley stood up and said "No," her voice trembling a bit.
"What did you say," Tara asked in a mean offended tone. Almost as if she had the right to be so.
"I said n…. ngh!," Ashley groaned as a massive blow from Tara's back pack hit in the stomach. Making her crumble to her knees as all the wind escaped her lungs.
"Big mistake freak," Tara snarled as she grabbed Ashley by the hair, "Now you're gonna learn your lesson," she said dragging her to the middle of the room where she and the rest of her hoard began to beat Ashley.
Meanwhile in a park near the out skirts of town Selena under a tree with her head resting in Creeds lap. Both girls had opted to wear tee shirts and jeans with Selena wearing a white Iron Maiden shirt tied in a knot to show her belly button and acid washed ripped jeans. And Creed wear white Public Enemy tee with the sleeves cut off and black jeans her hair in a ponytail. Both girls relaxing in the pleasant heat sharing a single cigarette. As they often did before working one of the odd jobs they took.
"This nice isn't baby," Creed said taking a long drag of the shared Newport cigarette.
"Yeah just me my girl and the birds," Selena said looking up at the birds flying overhead in a somewhat erratic pattern. Taking this as curious event she focused her ability to understand animals on the birds and what she herd made her sit straight up and get a serous look on her face. "Put the cigarette out," she said her voice serious.
"What for?," Creed asked as Selena stood up.
"We're about to have company," Selena said.
No sooner did she say those words did Vykor and a platoon of the red skinned drones appear. Looking ready to strike the two unmorphed rangers. "Hello girls shall we dance again or can I kill you now?," Vykor said smirking
"Really dude who writes your dialogue ?," Selena said as she and Creed drew their morphers and quickly transformed into their ranger forms. Their swords already drawn
"You take the twenty on the left and I'll take the twenty on the right," Creed said.
"Deal," Selena said as she and Creed charged into battle against the drones.
Elsewhere Ashley limped into her empty house. Tears dripping from her now two black eyes and clutching her ribs that she was sure was broken. Hearing the words of Selena telling her to stand up for herself as well as her own mantra of 'This has to stop' over and over as she walked up the stairs. By passing her own room she made her way to her parents room. Then to the closet where she painfully reached up and pulled down a thick black case with a lock on it. Hoping her prayers would be answered she pulled at the latches of the box finding them unlocked she opened the box and pulled out her father's 9mm handgun.
Starring at the gun Ashley thought of all the years of abuse she had suffered over the years. The name calling the beatings and everything else she'd endured and a tear rolled down her already tear stained face. With her tears blurring her vision she loaded the gun as her father and mother had taught her and stuffed it into her back pack.
"It has to stop. I'll make it stop," she said.
Creed and Selena having defeated the drones focused on matching steel with Vykor. The ranger duo had managed to land several more cuts on the elf like warrior than they had in their encounter the night before. But the creature still seemed to be toying with them a bit.
"I would've expected you to be a better swordswoman Selena seeing as you once served the imposter," Vykor said as he clashed steel with the two girls. "But you and you're little juvenile delinquent girlfriend are quite the disappointment," Vykor hissed as he trust she and Creed back with a thrust of his swords.
Creed and Selena each rolled onto to a knee and clutched the hilt of their swords . "How do you know so much about us," Selena grunted behind her helmet.
"Oh I know a lot about you girls and so does my master he's just waiting," Vykor said
"Well if you know about us you know we don't quit," Creed said as she and Selena got to their feet and once more charged at Vykor.
Ashley walked into Matrix and spotted Tara and her group of her friends. Her left hand tucked into her backpack as she walked up to the table. The tears from earlier still streaking her face
"Well look what we have here its smashley,' Tara teased getting a laugh from her friends at Ashley's expense. "What's the matter freak didn't get enough earlier?"
"Apologize," Ashley sniffled making Tara and her group laugh
"What did you say freak," Tara chuckled
"I SAID APOLOGIZE!" Ashley screamed as she pulled the gun from her bag and began to fire at the group making them and everyone in the build scatter. Everyone but a now wounded Tara.
Elsewhere in the park Selena and Creed still did battle with Vykor. And in spite of the armor they were sure their bodies had taken some damage. Despite their best efforts they couldn't seem to do any real harm to the elf creature. Then Creed noticed something, something that could prove useful. It seemed like every time she or Selena got close to his long braid of hair Vykor would fall back. Then it hit her the night before after she had taken a lock of his hair Vykor retreated. This gave her what seemed like a longshot of an idea.
"Sel switch to rifle mode and give him a scatter shot," Creed said already starting to turn invisible.
"Ok?," Selena said flipping her sword into its blaster configuration. She then fired her scatter shot blast. Hitting Vykor with a blast of crimson energy orbs.
"Was that the best you could do Selena?" Vykor said before letting out a loud grunt and feeling himself begin to grow weak. "MY HAIR!," he screamed seeing his long braid fall to his side feeling all the strength leave his body "You cut my hair!"
"Now its your turn," Creed said from behind Vykor "ready Sel!"
"Yeah baby," Selena said flipping her blaster back into sword mode "Shadow Strike!"
"Phantom Slash!" Creed yelled charging her own sword.
"Double Team!" the girls said charging Vykor their blades scraping over each other as they cut through him before he exploded. Leaving nothing but a pile of smoking ash where Vykor once stood. "Power down," Both girls said unmorphing.
"Great work babe," Selena said walking up to Creed and wrapping her arms around her
"Couldn't of done it without you," Creed said pecking Selena's lips. "Now lets go quit our jobs," she said as they began walking to the truck.
As Creed and Selena screeched to a stop in front of Matrix they instantly saw the crowd of police teenagers a few older citizens as well as emergency personal outside the building. The duo quickly exited their vehicle and joined the crowd. "What's going on," Creed asked a random blonde haired boy.
"Freaky Ashley came in and started shooting up the place she has Tara in there hostage," the boy said
Selena felt a chill go down her back at the thought of what the meek young girl was doing. And she couldn't help but blame a small part of herself. It was her that told Ashley to stand up to her bullies but she hadn't missed this way. She new she needed to do something now she needed to fix it.
"I have to go in there. I have to talk to her!" Selena said pulling Creed away from the crowd.
"Babe I know you want to help but those cops aren't gonna let you in there," Creed said honestly knowing her girlfriends desire to help her friend.
"I know they won't let me in dressed like this but in my other outfit they will," Selena said "I just need you to cover me while I morph," she continued.
"Sel we don't know if she'll listen to anybody even a power ranger," Creed said honestly partly wanting to keep her lover safe. Partly not wanting to break Selena's heart if she couldn't reach the girl.
"I have to try baby I have too," Selena said her voice showing all her emotional distress.
"Go into the ally morph quick," Creed said.
Selena nodded and ducked into the ally behind them not fifteen seconds later she emerged in her ranger armor. Running full speed into Matrix amongst the screams of people recognizing her as a ranger. Once inside Selena saw Ashley standing over a wounded Tara whose leg was bleeding as she coward in a corner. The gun shaking as she healed the gun.
"What's the matter Tara scared," Ashley said snifling a bit.
"Ashley put the gun down!," Selena said hoping her authoritative tone would make the young girls drop the weapon.
Ashley looked over her shoulder seeing the power ranger and felt bit intimidated and shocked but did not waver in her or turn the gun away from Tara. "No! no I have to I have to stop her."
"Look…. Ashley….. I'm….. sorry ….. ok!," Tara said sobbing.
"You're not sorry," Ashley said tearfully aiming the gun at Tara's head.
Selena seeing no other way to reach the girl used her ranger skills to leapt in front of Ashley and demorphed. Exposing her true identity to both girls. "Ashley look at me its me Selena your friend you don't want to do this. You don't want to be a monster like her you're better than that." Selena said hoping she'd reached the girl.
"No its the only way," Ashley said slowly turning the gun towards her chest. "I have to do this to make it stop,"
"No!" Selena screamed a split second before Ashley pulled the trigger and fell to the ground. Ending her pain and her life. Tears flooding her eyes and anger flooding her soul and heart. Selena morphed back into ranger form and scooped up Ashley's now lifeless body in her arms. She then looked back over her shoulder at Tara and said "I'll be back one day t o visit my friend and if hear anything about you bulling anyone or that you've told my secret I'll chop that pretty little blonde head of yours off ."
Hours later Selena lay with her head in Creed's lap crying as two rangers headed to their next mission. The physical and emotional scares of this one still fresh and open.
A/N: Well folks that's it for this one. I know dark right but see I felt I needed to tell this story because I've been where Ashley was. I've never taken it that far but I have thought of it and thought of taking my life. And recently I've been fight darkness of a different kind and writing these stories and reading these reviews have kept me from the edge. So I think you for letting me be me thank you.