Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers, Saban does. I own all characters, events, and places not found in Dino Thunder.
AN: Remember when I said this was an adult themed fic? This chapter will show why. Fair warning: This chapter will contain language that some may find offensive. Read at your own risk.
Chapter 6: Unwanted confrontations
The front door to the house flew open, and Steve McKnight staggered into the house, tripping on the rug in the living room.
"Conner! Conner! Get down here!" Steve's words were slurring together, as was usual of Conner's foster father.
"Great. Drunk again. What else is new," the Red Ranger thought bitterly.
"Yes," Conner said in a bored tone as he came down the stairs from his room. He really wasn't in the mood for this right now; he awoke with a terrible headache, and his bones ached. His "father's" screaming, brash behavior, and bad breath certainly weren't helping matters.'
"Call Sarah. Get her here."
"Can't you call your hooker yourself? Or are you too drunk to do it?"
"Don't talk to me like that, whelp!" He smacked Conner with an empty whiskey bottle, and he crashed to the floor. He got up, shook his head sadly, and started to walk back upstairs to his room.
"Get back here! Get back and take your medicine," the elder McKnight bellowed to Conner.
Something came over Conner at that moment. He felt an anger rise up in him, and a power that was intoxicating. It got stronger as his anger did, and he heard a voice inside his head telling him to seize the power and claim what was his. Conner spun and glared at his foster father.
"Or what?" Conner bellowed right back, walking around Steve like a predator. "What will happen if I don't? You'll beat me again? Murder me like you did Mom? Or better yet, will you and your fellow drunken asshole friends rape me again, you fucking faggot?"
Steve McKnight stopped short. He was usually the one to get upset and have the power. He showed his wife who had the power 3 years ago when he finally disposed of the whiny bitch. But now here was Conner, who by all rights should have been broken, and had been broken, after years of him and his friends beating and raping the boy. He grew incensed at this shift in power.
The nerve of this little shit! Nobody talks to him like that, and it was time for Conner to be made aware of that fact. He swung at Conner, who casually sidestepped it and crashed his own fist into Steve's stomach, making him bend over in pain. Conner smashed his knee into Steve's head and followed through with a savage punch, knocking him out cold.
Conner looked down at his caretaker with disgust. It had been 3 years since his mother passed away due to injuries sustained from Steve's abuse, and Conner still remembered it as if it had happened yesterday.
"Sleep it off, you little shit," Conner hissed as he took some aspirin and stormed out of the house. Maybe Krista was up for a trip to the Cyberspace. He would deal with the pain of his bones and head. He'd have to if his father were to come after him upon waking up. On that thought, Conner walked back and kicked his father twice in the ribs, hard. He left the house, and was promptly engulfed in a Red light and sent off.
Command Center
Hayley looked up from the computer as Tommy walked in from the large gym he had built into the basement.
"Anything new on Krista and Conner yet?" Hayley groaned. It had been a month since the two teens came back from their kidnapping, but they were definitely not the same. Conner's attitude seemed to change. He was no longer withdrawn, but bitter. Krista had also undergone a transformation, and it wasn't one her Aunt cared for.
"Nothing! Ever since those two came back, something was different. Krista is cold now, so cold. It's as if the light had left her eyes and bitterness took its place. Since Conner was also kidnapped, it's safe to assume they did something to him, as well."
That was what Tommy was afraid of, and his heart sank. Warning bells started going off as Hayley told him of Krista's behavior. It seemed all too familiar to him. He shook his head clear of those thoughts, rationalizing it by thinking she must've gone through something horrific while at the Fortress, and she was simply hurt, and still recovering. A wounded animal can be quite nasty when cornered.
"Just give Krista some time," he found himself saying. "Who knows what Mesogog did to her? She just may need time to cool down and process what happened, and get over it in time."
"I hope you're right. But something tells me there's more to this than mere psychological and physiological trauma."
Tommy hoped she was wrong, but on some level, he knew she wasn't. That thought made him worry almost as much as the appearance of the Evil Red and Green Rangers. They had to find out who those two were, so he and others could help them. It was all that helped Tommy get over a lot of what he did as the world's first Evil Power Ranger, even though he still has nightmares about what he did, and all those he killed as set the Dragonzord loose on Angel Grove. Once freed, it will be an uphill battle for the Red and Green Rangers, and he would be there for them, as he understands what they'll be feeling. But he also knew the others were tired of getting kicked around by the two Evil Rangers. The longer the two were under Mesogog's control, the less chance they had of being freed. Tommy knew he and his teammates had precious little time remaining, if any.
The Black Ranger was shaken from these thoughts as he saw a car pulling up to his house. He frowned, as he knew it didn't belong to any of the Dinos or Hayley. His frown deepened as he saw Rocky and Aisha step out of the car and approach the house.
"How did they find us? Nobody gave them your address," Hayley exclaimed.
"You told me that they were made aware of the fact that I'm here in the city, and that I'm a Doctor. It wouldn't be too hard for cops to pull an address when armed with that information. You're a hacker; you know this better than anyone."
Hayley could've kicked herself. Tommy was right. While she knew the two of them had covered their tracks well, he still needed a valid address for the school to send correspondence to. It would be child's play for the two Detectives to get the address. Why they were here was anyone's guess, but Hayley knew Rocky, like his predecessor Jason, had a habit of losing his temper at times. She hoped the discipline of being a cop would've lessened this, as she knew Tommy could not answer certain questions Rocky was bound to ask, something that could aggravate the veteran Red Ranger. But at least his wife was there to help keep him in line. As the Red and Yellow Rangers walked up to Tommy's house, the alarm chimed, showing an attack in a nearby strip mall.
"Saved by the bell," Tommy muttered. Hayley nodded, and called the others. They would meet Tommy at the mall. This was the perfect time to test the teleporter, which had just been completed and calibrated earlier that day.
"I'll contact Billy and Cestria. They should be able to calm people down, now that it's almost a certainty everyone else is on their way. Rocky would've told them."
Tommy threw his hands up in the air at that comment. Hayley was right; Rocky always did have a big mouth. He likely called Jason and Emily, who got on the horn with everyone else…including two certain former Pink Rangers he wasn't looking forward to dealing with.
"Teleport me to the mall. The sooner we deal with Mesogog, the sooner I can deal with this mess," Tommy commanded. Hayley crossed her fingers and input the command, sending Tommy to the mall. It worked. Their hard work paid off. Hayley looked back to the computer screen and monitored the feed from the hidden security camera at the front door. She sighed as she got up and headed to the door to confront Rocky and Aisha.
Mesogog's fortress-Same time
"You have been brought here for a test. Using only your skills and no weapons, you must defeat the Tyrannodrones and you'll receive the Saber of Destruction," Zeltrax said. Conner said nothing, and got into an attack stance.
A large group of Tyrannodrones poured out and surrounded Conner. He made a come hither motion with his hand, and the battle was underway. Conner expertly dodged kicks and punches as he delivered his own attacks, using his super speed to get out of tight jams. He got hit a few times, but nothing major. He responded to each hit with a savage blow that punched holes in the Tyrannodrones' chest or tore off arms. Soon enough, the fight was over, and the Evil Red Ranger was victorious. Mesogog watched everything with glee.
"You've earned the Saber of Destruction!" A wicked looking Saber appeared. Its blade was dripping with a dark liquid, and the Saber radiated with evil. Conner could feel its power corrupting him. He laughed maniacally.
"To the death of the Power Rangers!" He cackled again as Mesogog's grin grew wider.
"Yes! Go kill the Rangers now," he commanded. Conner morphed and disappeared in a Red flash.
Command Center
"Who are you, and how do you know Tommy," Jason asked as he saw Hayley walking over to the computer in the Command Center. As expected, Rocky and Aisha had indeed called Jason and Emily, who promptly contacted the others and told them what Rocky and Aisha told them, including Tommy's address.
Rocky turned his attention to the redhead, wanting to know the answer himself. She knew more than she was letting on at the Cyberspace, and he wanted to know why.
"Dr. Hayley Ziktor, Tommy's best friend from college and astrophysicist."
"Ziktor…Would you happen to be related to Karl Ziktor?"
Hayley bristled at the mention of her disowned brother.
"Never bring up that name," she practically snarled, scaring Rocky. "He was always the black sheep of the family, always wanting more money and power. He never gave a damn about others; his attitude was basically 'Fuck you if you can't help me,' and that whole Grimlord business was just the straw that broke the camel's back. He's no longer considered a member of the family, even though he couldn't care less."
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend," Rocky said, putting his hands up in a placating gesture. Hayley would've been a great Pink Ranger. She then turned her glare to Jason.
"As for you, Mr. Scott," she began.
"That's Dr. Scott; I am an MD." Hayley's glare intensified.
"I have 2 PhDs, Dr. Scott. And Tommy himself could easily get 2 more in Electrical Engineering and Software Design."
Jason's eyes practically popped out of his head at that point. "Are we talking about Tommy Oliver here? He couldn't remember his head if it wasn't attached!"
"Maybe in the past, but not now. If you'd bothered to keep in touch, you would've known that," Hayley said.
Jason and most of the others were angered or saddened by that statement.
At that moment, the Dino Rangers came in through a side entrance. The veteran Rangers noticed Tommy was even taller and bulkier than before, having added at least 10 more pounds of muscle to his frame. His once long hair was cut short, and was spiked. He also had a goatee. A tattoo of a Green Dragon adorned his left arm, and Kim and Kat could see part of a tattoo underneath his workout shirt on his back. It was of a White Falcon, something that delighted the Pink Rangers. They both have tattoos of their own Ninjetti animals on their back, albeit smaller than Tommy's. Kim has a Crane while Kat has a Flamingo, having found her true animal spirit on her own quest for power at the request of the Master Warrior of Phaedos and the Ninjetti, Dulcea.
"What are you doing, Tommy," Jason asked in a commanding tone.
Tommy took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is my house. I can go where I please," he said, not surprised to see all his former teammates. Rocky still had a big mouth, to this day.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it. And I wouldn't call this place a mere 'house.' This place is huge."
"I don't have the time or energy for this right now. I still have to deal with this," Tommy said, gesturing to Kim and Kat, whose hearts broke as he said that.
"Make the time," Jason said, grabbing his arm. Tommy's eyes flashed Green, telling Jason he was treading dangerously. He shook his arm free from Jason's grip.
"Really? I should 'make time,' huh? You forget yourself," he snarled.
"What's happened to you? You're not the Tommy I remember."
"I don't know. Maybe I finally grew up and got wiser after being left behind."
"Left behind? You make it sound as if we abandoned you. We asked you to come to the Reunions, but you never did," Rocky said.
"Yeah, don't give us that crap," Jason added. "Ever since the end of the Zeo days, you've been acting weird."
"And what would you know of that? You didn't stick around. You ran. Where were you when my mother died? Where were you when Zordon passed? Where were you when my father died? Nobody showed up to any of the funerals! Not a single fucking one! Except for Billy, of course," he added as an afterthought.
Hayley put a hand on Tommy's shoulder, and gestured to his teenaged teammates, whom Tommy had forgotten about. He chastised himself for losing his cool in front of them; the teens were rooted to their spots, eyes wide. They couldn't believe there was such bad blood between their mentor and his former teammates.
"Why don't you guys head home? I'm sure your parents will be getting home soon, if they're not already." The teens mutely nodded and ran up the stairs; they just wanted out, not wanting to see or hear this any more than they already had. Tommy then turned back to the others, who looked properly chastised.
"Aside from Billy, none of you showed up. Not even to Zordon's service. Do you have any idea how that felt? I'm the one who almost got rid of him twice, yet Billy and myself were the only ones to show up to his dedication. Why?"
"We were afraid," Aisha said lowly. "We were afraid that if we showed up, it would mean Zordon was truly gone, and never coming back. We didn't want to admit that."
"So you chose to remain in denial? Is that it?"
"Hey, watch it," Jason said. "We don't need a lecture from you, of all people! Zordon didn't choose you!"
Tommy looked like he was about to snap Jason's neck at that, but Billy quickly stepped in between the two, hoping to stop Tommy from making a mistake.
"No, Jason. I think you do need to hear this. Tommy has a point. Where were you? I didn't like the thought of Zordon being gone any more than you, but I was there. It was a nice, quiet service. Just the way he would've wanted. And when his parents passed away, he sent notices to you. I know; I was there, helping him. Once again, nobody showed up, although he went to Trini's funeral. He has every right to feel abandoned by you, the people he once thought were his friends and extended family. You don't want to get a lecture from him? Fine. You're getting one from me, instead. And I was chosen by Zordon, and as one of his chosen, I say this: Get off your moral high horse. You have no right to be on it. No right at all," he finished, choosing this as one of the rare moments to be quite blunt.
Billy's calm talk and the look in his eyes deflated Jason's sails considerably. He felt like dirt for his comment, especially when he remembered that Zordon had chosen Tommy, on three separate occasions. He could see the others were also feeling awful for their treatment of Tommy. They knew both Tommy and Billy were right; they abandoned him in his greatest hour of need. Tommy sighed and turned to Kat. She looked up into his eyes; even now, he was still taller, and his height and pain in his eyes made her feel even smaller than she ever had before.
"You broke me, Kat. You left when people I cared for and loved started dropping like flies. First it was Zordon, and then it was my mother, and then my father not even a year later. I was a mess, and then I wake up to find you gone and an email saying you're sorry. Do you have any idea how low I felt then? Kim's letter was bad enough; that made me feel like I wasn't good enough for her. But when you did it, I felt lower than dirt. You pulled the same stunt Kim did, after seeing how it tore me apart!"
Kat looked away. She couldn't bear to see the hurt in his eyes that was palpable in his cracking voice. But the next part really shocked her.
"After that, I couldn't take it anymore. I tried so hard, but as the days turned into weeks, I grew more depressed. So I took a knife to my wrist. The next I know, I wake up in the hospital."
Hayley's eyes bore into Kat. "The only reason he survived was because I was on my way to his dorm for our study session. Imagine my shock and horror when I find him hemorrhaging. He was at Death's door, and only quick thinking and the doctors finding the right blood type rapidly saved his life. All because you had to turn and run like a coward! Just like she did!" Hayley spat, pointing at Kim, who was trying unsuccessfully to blink back the tears that were building up.
Hayley's admission tore into the Pink Rangers, who felt horrible for different reasons. For Kim, it was another reminder of her ultimate betrayal. If it weren't for that damn letter, she and Tommy likely would've been married by now.
For Kat, it was because she now knew she was the cause of a failed suicide attempt. She never wanted to hurt Tommy as deeply as she had, but couldn't stand to see the hurt in his eyes by staying and breaking it off.
"After that mess, I made sure that he was never alone until I was sure he could be trusted to not regress into that again. It took 3 years before he was ready to date again, Ms. Hillard. Three long years! Luckily for him, I made sure he stayed on top of his coursework. That's when he met Samantha, a friend of mine whom I met in Scotland on a foreign studies program. She came back here, got her green card, and studied with us at MIT. She and Tommy seemed to hit it off, and I was glad that his heart was finally on the mend.
That is, until she became the victim of a drunk driver. The only saving grace was that she was killed immediately, rather than having prolonged suffering in the hospital. That marked the third time a woman broke his heart, although this time it was through no fault of her own."
Kim and Kat wanted to crawl into a dark corner and pull the Earth up over them. They had no idea Tommy had suffered so greatly by their hands. Hayley's tirade shocked the rest of the room, although Billy and his wife Cestria already knew. The veteran Blue Ranger was standing off to the side with his arms crossed, with Cestria standing by him.
"Do you hate us," Kat's question came out in a whimper.
Tommy looked to Kat and Kim, and they saw a sadness they had never seen on him before, and it made them feel even worse. "No, Kat. I never could. A part of me wanted to, so badly. But I never could. I am extremely disappointed in both of you, though. I thought I meant more than that. I gave you everything, Kat. I told you things that not even Kim knows. That made what you did cut even deeper."
Tommy walked up the stairs out of the Command Center and into his room, passing Rocky and Jason, the look on his face not escaping their notice. It was a look they never wanted to see on his face. They shook free of their revere as they heard Hayley tear into Kat and Kim.
"Now do you two get it? Now do you understand how deeply your betrayals hurt him? Do you see why I am going to protect him from that ever happening again?"
The two Pink Rangers could only nod as they avoided Hayley's glare. They felt horrible for how they treated Tommy, and it was abundantly clear Hayley loved Tommy. They didn't know if it was a sisterly love or something else, but she clearly loved him, and Kat and Kim ran up the stairs, the tears flowing in rivers. They couldn't leave the Command Center fast enough.
"Was that really necessary," Rocky asked Hayley.
Hayley nodded. "Yes, it certainly was. I needed those two to realize that I will protect Tommy. After everything he's been through, he deserves and needs someone watching his back."
"We get that, but wasn't telling them his tale enough? Did you have to dress them down like that," Jason asked.
Hayley shrugged. "Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. But I'm going to be watching those two. I won't let him get hurt by them again."
Rocky only raised an eyebrow at that, and Hayley silently dared the Red Rangers to challenge her, her arms folded across her chest. Finally, Jason and Rocky went back upstairs and into Tommy's living room.
"That woman would've made a good Pink," Rocky grumbled. Jason nodded.
"Tell me about it. As much as Trini and Aisha scared me when angered, nothing compares to a pissed off Pink. And this one would've put Kim's fury to shame."
"Speaking of Kim, what are we going to do about her and Kat? Hayley said in no uncertain terms she doesn't trust them."
Jason shrugged. "I don't know. They're all adults, so I can only hope they'll at least act civilized. Hayley may not have to like them, but she can at least treat them with a modicum of respect."
Rocky nodded. "Guess that's all we can do for now. But if shit gets too rough, I'm stepping in."
"Same here. We may be the only people stopping Hayley from tearing Kat and Kim apart."
Strip mall
Tommy wanted to blow off some steam after his encounter with his former teammates, but found that the same strip mall was the target of yet another attack. The team finished off the monster, and for once, it didn't grow. Tommy didn't like that one bit. He could feel something horrible was about to commence. He didn't get a chance to say anything as the Evil Red and Green Rangers appeared.
"Who didn't see that coming," Ethan sighed.
"Let us help you! We can break Mesogog's spell," Kira said.
"Mesogog is our ruler! He commands, and we obey," Krista said, as she and Conner attacked. Krista cackled as she and Conner knocked the Rangers around without breaking a sweat. The Rangers shuddered as they heard Krista's laugh. But it paled to Conner's own dark laugh, drawing their attention to him.
Conner summoned his new weapon, and Tommy's eyes went wide. He knew what it was, and what it represented. The Rangers could see something dripping from its tip, and they could swear the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees.
"You recognize this, don't you old man? This is the Saber of Destruction, the stronger brother of the Sword of Darkness."
Tommy shook his head. Many of his nightmares he has of the Evil Green Ranger are of him using the Sword of Darkness. He could still clearly see his younger self advancing on the team, ready to plunge the Sword into their hearts. It was only the quick thinking of the Red Ranger, Jason, that saved the team from their grisly fate, and saved Tommy from committing an act that would've put him under Rita's clutches for all time.
The battle to save Tommy's soul took much more time. He smiled when he was hanging out with the team, but Jason and Kim both saw through it. They knew the smiles were forced, and Tommy suspected the others knew, as well. Billy and Trini may have been geniuses, but Zack wasn't an idiot. He was observant, and it served the team well.
And now a Red Ranger was going through the same motions Tommy did. The Black Ranger knew this Red would be going through his own unique Hell once he was freed, and the Evil Green Ranger would, as well.
"At least she doesn't have a weapon like that… I hope."
Tommy shook his head free. He could worry about that later. He brought out two orbs that Billy and Hayley made and threw them at the Red and Green Rangers, who were instantly surrounded in an electrostatic barrier that held them in place. Conner and Krista found they couldn't move outside of their confinement. Conner snarled pulled out his Dagger. He played a beautiful, yet sorrowful and haunting tune on the Dagger and the Rangers felt despair seep into their bones. Their will to fight was being sapped, and they stumbled around, trying to fight the effects of Conner's tune. The Rangers were teleported back to their Command Center, freeing them from Conner's grip.
The teens and veteran Ranger arrived in Tommy's basement and took off their helmets. The team noticed Tommy's former teammates were once again in the Command Center.
"Thanks Hayley," Eric said. "I don't know how much longer we could've lasted."
"Yeah, that tune was pretty creepy," Ethan agreed.
"I brought you back for two reasons. The first was to free you. The second is something we've been waiting for ever since this started."
"You know who the two Rangers are," Kira asked. Hayley nodded.
"I was able to compare their DNA against all databases in the country when the containment fields were set up. I got a match." Hayley brought the images up on the computer screen, and the Rangers got the shock of their lives, and saddened Hayley greatly.
"Conner? Krista? I can't believe it. There's got to be a mistake," Kira said shaking her head.
"Hayley, are you sure about this," Eric asked. "Maybe the computer was in error?"
Hayley shook her head. "Highly improbable. Dr. Cranston and I set up those containment fields based on information taken from the original Command Center's database. The fields serve not only as a means of holding someone in place, but also scanning their interspatial bio-vibrations."
"Translation, please? I may be really smart, but not as much as you, Uncle, and Dr. Cranston."
"It holds a target in place, and scans their DNA," Ethan said.
"Precisely," Hayley nodded. "Once scanned, I had the computer check the DNA against all known databases, and I got the match. There can be no mistake. Conner and Krista are the Red and Green Rangers respectively, as much as it hurts me," she finished. Tommy put his hand on her shoulder, something that didn't go unnoticed by Kim and Kat, who started to get a feeling of despair in their hearts.
"Were we too late," Kat asked herself. "Tommy and Hayley seem pretty close."
"There's nothing that can be done now. We should get take a step back, and come back at it tomorrow," Tommy said.
"I concur. The next battle will be crucial. You should be ready," Billy added. Cestria, who had been silent the whole time, spoke up at last.
"Be careful, Tommy. It wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility for them to attack while everyone's guard is down. Nighttime would be such a time, when everyone is getting ready to turn in."
"I know. Fortunately, this place has a security system that Hayley and I created that allows only those in who Hayley and myself have programmed in." He turned to the others.
"You should be lucky I've foreseen this gathering of sorts. Otherwise, you'd be facing the system right now."
"Isn't that comforting," Rocky grumbled.
"That's not the concern. Anybody notice that the Red Ranger looked like a cross between Tommy's first form and a Ranger from the Dino Thunder team," Jason asked.
"Yeah, I did. Now not only is there an Evil Green Ranger, but a Red, as well. And the Red looks a lot like us!" Zack complained. "And their laugh! Good God, Krista's laugh was almost as haunting as Tommy's! And Conner…that kid was worse than Tommy."
"That may have been the point," Billy said. "Emotional torment is a powerful weapon. By reminding Tommy of his past as the Evil Green Ranger, Mesogog strikes at the strongest member of the team, and throws him off balance, making it easier to defeat the team. Tommy would not have made the Red Ranger any different from the rest of the team, so that leads me to believe my hypothesis is the likely explanation."
"It could likely be the case. Anyway, we should let the team get ready for their next battle, whenever it may be," Jason said.
The next day-Command Center
Tommy's former teammates gathered in his Command Center in the basement. It seemed to become a favorite place for Tommy's former teammates, having gone down there for yet the third time in less than two days. They finally had a chance to look around, and they took it. Billy stayed by Hayley and Cestria, as they already knew the place well, having helped Tommy and Hayley build it. Kat and Kim fell into a deep sleep in some of Tommy's guest rooms, as he and Billy put them there. Billy and Cestria, and Rocky and Aisha went home, while Jason and Emily stayed in another guest room.
"How could Tommy afford such a place as this," Jason asked as he and other passed the large gym and shower room Tommy built, and coming upon the spacious, fully equipped lab and infirmary.
"I remember he got a lot of money from his victories as a racer. He also made endorsements and commercials. You can make a lot of money from commercials alone," Kat said quietly. The others turned to her.
"What? I may have run like a coward, but that doesn't mean I didn't love him. I still kept an eye on him. I just didn't show up when he needed me. I abandoned him yet again."
Rocky heard enough. "That's enough, Kat. We all abandoned him. We can't change that. We can only hope to atone for our mistakes here and now."
Jason nodded. "Rocky's right. Holding a pity party for our mistakes will get us nowhere. We can feel guilty, and we should. But we can't let it cripple us. We can only hope Tommy will allow us to atone."
Emily's eyes were hard. "I never knew even half of this. I'm glad you want to atone, but don't you dare get mad if he doesn't want to even see you guys again. But we'll be having a long talk later Jason," she finished. He nodded solemnly.
"I know. All I can say is I'm sorry."
"Don't say that to me. I'm not the one you've truly wronged, even if I'm upset you didn't tell me."
"Can we finish this later? We're supposed to be exploring this place, not tearing into one another," Aisha said.
Kimberly looked at her watch. "I have to head to Reefside High. I have an interview for a teaching position in an hour."
"I didn't know you were certified to teach," Jason said. Kim nodded.
"I do, but I only got my certification to teach in California recently. Coaching gymnasts was a lot of fun, but a lot of the girls were conceited, and I tired of the attitude. So I'm interviewing for an opening as the music teacher."
"You might want to be careful," Billy said as he walked up to the group. "Tommy teaches as a science teacher over at the school. Considering the way things were left yesterday, it would not be a conducive environment for further conversation."
"Duly noted," Kim said. Zack smiled slyly.
"You didn't need a translation, Kim?"
"I'm not the same supposed valley girl I once was, Zack. And you needed translation for Billy talk as much as anyone else."
"You do realize I'm standing right here," Billy said.
"Sorry Billy, but you have to admit we needed someone to tell us what you meant most of the time," Zack said. "I'm just glad that now I can understand what you're saying more than I had as a teen."
Billy shrugged. "It was no fault of my own that I conducted myself in a certain manner, and still do."
"I never said it was."
"Anyway," Rocky said, bringing the conversation to a different topic, "how is Cestria able to stay here on Earth without needing water even more than we do?"
"I constructed a bracelet comprised of Phaedosian metals and Aquitian water. I learned on Aquitar that it is possible for Aquitians to live on a planet such as Earth as long as they have such a bracelet, providing it has been constructed in the proper manner. An ancient Aquitian blessing is also necessary for the charm to bestow the appearance of the dominant species of a planet. This is why she looks Human rather than Aquitian."
"Did anybody get that," Zack asked.
"He said he found a way to make Cestria appear Human by making a charm with Phaedosian metal and Aquitian water. In order for it to work, guidelines must be followed precisely, or it will fail. Because he followed the instructions, Cestria can live on Earth as a Human," Emily said.
"Affirmative," Billy stated.
"And once again Jason married a Billy translator," Rocky cracked, and Aisha promptly elbowed him in the ribs.
"Anyway, I'm off to the school. See you guys later," Kim said, as the others wished her luck.
Reefside High
Kimberly entered the office and got the secretary's attention.
"Hi, "I'm Kimberly Hart. I'm here for an interview."
"Ah yes, Ms. Hart. Principal Randal will be with you momentarily. Please have a seat."
Kim sat down and once again made sure her resume was perfect. It was a nervous habit she picked up in recent years. The door opened, and Kim saw a petite woman with short black hair step out.
"Kimberly Hart," the woman asked.
"Yes, it is I."
"I'm Principal Randal. Step inside, and we'll get started."
Randal entered her office, and Kim looked to the secretary with a questioning look. The secretary had a contrite look on her face and mouthed "Good luck" to her. Kim entered the office and hoped she wasn't making a mistake. This woman seemed colder than anyone she had ever worked with or for.
Reefside High lockers
It was the end of the school day, and Kira walked to her locker. She saw Conner at his own locker, just a few down. She took a deep breath and approached the Red Ranger, noticing the hall was conspicuously void of teens, as they've fled the school in joy, ready to start the weekend. This made her even more nervous.
"Will he attack now that nobody else is here," the Yellow Ranger asked herself. She had to confront him.
"Conner," Kira called. Conner turned his head to Kira and shook it. He turned back to his locker. "Conner, I know."
Conner's eyes turned dangerously to Kira, then back to his locker again. Kira held back the urge to run far away from the Red Ranger.
"I know you and Krista are the Red and Green Rangers," she whispered. Conner slammed his locker shut.
"Well then Yellow Ranger," he began in a sneer, and Kira's eyes widened. "You should also know that you, and the other Power Rangers will soon be destroyed."
"Let us help you! We can break Mesogog's hold!"
"You won't have to worry about Mesogog soon," he said ominously. "We will soon rule the world."
"Conner, please, let us help you," Kira begged.
"You have been warned," Conner finished as his eyes flashed blood Red. Conner walked off, leaving a very unnerved Yellow Ranger. Kira ran off, calling the others and telling them to meet her at the Command Center.
What Kira didn't know was the halls weren't as empty as she thought. Around the corner and listening in was Kimberly, who had just gotten out of her interview, having been offered the job. Tommy was not far behind, on the other side of the hall. The veteran Rangers saw and heard the exchange. Kimberly didn't notice Tommy, who looked guilty.
"Almost verbatim," the Black Ranger said. "How much longer will I have to atone for my sins? Why do two more kids have to go through what I did? Why do any of them have to go through it?"
That was when Kimberly's attention was drawn to Tommy. She heard him voicing his fears and inner demons. As she was about to approach him, he walked off, completely unaware he had an observer. Kim sighed and went back to Tommy's place, where she knew she and Kat both had to talk to him eventually. She'd much rather get it out of the way now, and knew the others were there.
Command Center
"Guys," Kira breathed as she ran into the Command Center, and up to her teammates. She saw Dr. Oliver's former teammates there, and gave a questioning look, but turned back to her teammates. "I saw Conner at school today."
"You found him," Eric asked. Kira nodded.
"Yeah, his eyes were glowing Red, and it was like looking into a pool of blood. It was really scary."
Ethan and Eric shuddered. They didn't want to hear that.
"Dr. O, is that normal," Ethan asked.
"Yes and no. Not every Evil Ranger's eyes can glow. Only those directly infused with evil energy from the main villain can do it. Those who were merely brainwashed, like Hunter and Blake Bradley, cannot. In times of great anger, the Ranger's eyes flash their respective color, and that "gift" remains for the rest of their lives, even after they had been freed."
"So you can…" Kira couldn't finish her thought, but Tommy knew what she was asking, and nodded.
"I can. And now, so can Conner and maybe Krista, it seems." The Yellow Ranger shivered involuntarily at that.
"He and Krista have known all along who we are," Kira continued.
"That we're the Power Rangers," Ethan asked.
"Yep. And they're definitely out to get us."
"We have to free them," Eric said resolutely.
"That would explain why they've been acting so weird," Kira said in a far off tone. Kimberly looked at the Yellow Ranger. Everything that's been happening, and everything that's being said is very familiar to the veteran Pink Ranger. She remembered using those same words long ago in regards to the current Black Ranger. The same Black Ranger whom she let down and betrayed.
"How do we free them," Ethan asked, bringing Kim's attention back to the conversation at hand.
"By destroying the Saber of Destruction, we can free Conner. Krista can be brought back by removing Mesogog's evil influence on her. I have someone in mind who can help in that area. I've already contacted her, and she's agreed to help."
"OK, so getting back to Conner. How do we destroy the Saber? And what is it? I felt colder just by being in its presence," Eric noted.
"When I was the world's first Evil Ranger, Rita had me study evil artifacts, incantations, and weapons. The Saber of Destruction is the second half of the set of blades, with the Sword of Darkness being the first half. The Saber of Destruction was created by a race dedicated to chaos and death. It is the physical manifestation of their desires to conquer, murder, and destroy. Only those of strong spirit and power can wield it. Once it is granted to a user, it will corrupt their soul until they are freed from its dark influences."
"How do we do that," Kira asked. "He's not going to just let us shoot it."
"The Saber must be destroyed. That will free Conner from Mesogog's control, as it is now the medium by which Mesogog controls Conner's actions. Destroy the Saber, and he is freed. But there's another problem."
"Of course there is. Nothing can ever be straightforward in Ranger duty, can it," Eric asked.
"No, and you should know that. I've told you enough stories to convey that message."
"Saying it and experiencing it are two very different things," Eric pointed out.
"True, but you should still keep the stories I gave in mind. They could save you from making a lot of the same mistakes I did."
"What is this problem," Ethan asked, getting the conversation back on track.
"With each successful hit, the Saber grows more powerful. Soon enough, it'll be strong enough to kill even a Ranger. But that power comes with a price. The Saber is tied to the user's life force. The longer the user is under its influence, the greater the danger the user is in. We must destroy the Saber before it kills Conner."
That brought the teens up short. "What a charming species its creators were," Kira groused. Tommy shrugged.
"Most races of the M51 galaxy are like that. The race that created the Saber has since become extinct, but most of the other inhabitants of their galaxy are just as malevolent. It's why Master Vile set up shop there millennia before his own demise."
"OK, so it's not a vacation spot. Got it," Ethan said.
"Dr. O, something's been bothering me. Conner and Krista haven't been in any Zord battles yet. When will that happen?"
"If history repeats itself, very soon. Not long after I got the Sword of Darkness, Rita summoned the Dragonzord from its long hibernation. Now that Conner has been granted the Saber of Destruction, he'll likely be getting the Tyranno Zord, and Krista the Parasaur Zord. Do not underestimate their power. The Tyranno Zord has been created with the Dragonzord in mind. Its strength, speed, and power will be much greater than the other Zords."
"Lovely," Ethan sighed.
That summed up the feelings of Kira and Eric, as well. The Dino Thunder team knew things were coming to a head, and the next battle between the Evil Rangers and the Dino Thunder team could likely be the last. They had to succeed. There was no other option.