Disclaimer: Just to keep it simple: A. I don't own Power Rangers. B. I just make fun of them; so don't get upset if I mock your favorite. C. Please review. I don't mind constructive criticism. D. Thanks to Writer's Guide to the Universe and Power Rangers Central for providing a lot of the information that I need.
If you haven't done so, please read the first hundred and fifty stories in "When Rangers Meet," "More of When Rangers Meet," and "Headquarters Where Rangers Meet"
This is story number nine. It was requested by Dark Archive
Merrick and Trent
By
Eileen (Psycho Tangerine)
Merrick knocked on the door hesitantly. He wasn't too thrilled with the idea, but he could come up with no other way to impress the Princess enough to get her to leave the Animaria and run away with him. Who cared if the Wild Zords had to fend for themselves? Isn't that how it was in nature, the survival of the fittest? With a silent apology to the Deer Zord who would soon be the Lion Zord's snack, he knocked again.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" called Trent as he opened the door to his art studio. He jumped back in a panic when he saw Merrick's determined face. "Honest! I didn't know she was your wife! She said she wanted me to paint her in the nude as a gift for her grandmother!"
"People of today sure have strange ways of greeting others," said Merrick. "But, I have no wife, at least not yet." He planned on having Willie perform the ceremony. The older man had recently become a minister of the Church of the Pool Hall through an online ad.
"Daughter? Sister?" asked Trent as Merrick shook his head each time. He breathed a sigh a relief. "Oh well, never mind then." He ushered Merrick in before shutting the door. "Sorry about that, I tend to get beat up every time I do a nude painting."
"Maybe you should consider stopping doing them," replied Merrick dryly.
"Would you?" asked Trent as he pointed out some of the nudes he had painted "These beauties were worth the beatings. And to think I wanted to draw silly comics."
"Uh, lovely," replied Merrick who had to avert his eyes from the one of the six hundred pound tattooed woman. "Should these even be on display like that for everyone to see?"
"What faster way to get these skinflints to pay me for my work?" Trent picked up all ten paintings and set them in the store window. "Now they'll be more than eager to pay me for them."
"Or more eager to cream you, you idiot." muttered Merrick.
"What was that?"
"Errrrrr, never mind." He grabbed a chair and sat. "Look, I came here to get a portrait made for my sleeping beauty."
"Well, I've never worked for a guy with a Disney fetish before, but maybe if I could do one for Cinderella and Belle as well…" Trent sighed. "Wow that Belle's a babe."
Merrick looked at the other man strangely. "I'm taking about my girlf.. well, girlfriend to be." He got up and paced "Would you believe that she actually told me not to stay? That she'd prefer to sleep by herself for another thousand years? That's why I need a portrait done of myself, so she can see what she's missing."
"Oh yeah, she'll be able to gaze at your picture while she's sleeping with her eyes clo…a thousand years?" exclaimed Trent. "No one's that old! She's gotta be some dried up old crone with no teeth, warts, and…eeerrrkk!"
"No one mocks the Princess while I'm around," said Merrick in a dangerous whisper as he grasped Trent by the throat. Suddenly, he paled and dropped Trent to the floor.
"Sheesh!" rasped Trent as he poured himself some water. "I was just making an observation, no need to…" He turned at the sound of repetitive banging.
"You are no longer evil, you do not hurt anyone!" Bang. "You are no longer evil, you do not hurt anyone!" Bang. "You are no longer evil, you do not hurt anyone!" Bang. "You are no longer evil, you do not hurt anyone!" Bang. "You are not evil, you do not hurt anyone!" Bang. "You are no longer evil, you do not hurt anyone!" Bang. "You are no longer evil, you do not hurt anyone!" Bang. Merrick continued to repeat this mantra as he smacked his head with a large paintbrush.
"Hey!" cried Trent who had finally recognized Merrick from Dr. O's tape. "Don't do that! You'll ruin that paintbrush!" He reached into a drawer and pulled out an older, dented brush. "Here, use this one instead." He handed it to Merrick.
"Thanks," Merrick gave himself another whack, and then put the brush down. "This just doesn't have the same punitive effect as my pool cue," he sighed.
"Really? That brush works for me. Maybe you have a harder head," suggested Trent. "Dr. O uses a framed photograph of some old flame who ran off with his best friend."
"Who?" asked Merrick. "Look, I don't know any Dr. O. And I don't appreciate you making light of the fact that I have to constantly stop my evil thoughts and actions."
Trent sighed. "Who's making fun, Mr. Balitou? I was an evil Ranger once also."
Merrick balked. "How did you..?"
"Dr. O. kept a video recording about all the Rangers. He was the first one to turn evil by the way." Trent went to the window to reposition the nude paintings.
"You mean there are others?" gasped Merrick. "I'm not the only one?"
"Sure, almost every Ranger team had one evil Ranger. Dr. O and his wife, Kat were under spells. Oh, and so was Leanbow. Karone and Ryan were brainwashed as kids, Blake and Hunter believed Lothor over their own Sens..well, those two were just stupid."
"I'm not the only one," repeated Merrick in wonderment. "That means…"
"That you can start forgiving yourself?" asked Trent.
"No, it means that she lied to me!" Merrick stated angrily.
"Huh?"
"My Princess…my darling Princess told me that all the Zord-gods were angry with me because I was the only Ranger who had ever been evil. She told me they were the ones who didn't want me to stay with her because I wasn't worthy."
"Zord-gods? What the hell are Zord-gods?" snickered Trent as he began washing some paint-crusted brushes.
But Merrick didn't hear him. He just kept pacing. "Well, I'll show that witch! She doesn't think I'm good enough for her? I'll show her!" He headed for the door.
"Wait!" called Trent. "Where are you going? Don't you want your portrait done?"
"I must take a side trip to the store. Just follow me and you can do a painting called "The Princess and the One Hundred Alarm Clocks!"
"Ooh, I love a challenge!" Trent followed Merrick out the door…only to be blocked by a group of angry men who began smashing the nude photos of their wives over his head.
