Disclaimer: Hasbro/Saban owns the characters within, not I.
Trini didn't let Rita act first. She charged her with more speed than she had ever charged anything in her life. She got a boost by leaping off a nearby park bench and flying at Rita with her daggers extended in front of her. She reached her target in seconds but the sound of clanging metals nearly deafened her as her daggers connected with the glowing gold of Rita'a staff.
Rita backed up enough to kick the Yellow Ranger in the chest and watched as she flew back and shattered the bench she had just leaped from. Rita saw something out of her peripheral vision and sidestepped a kick by the Blue Ranger. She bashed him hard in the back with the bottom of her staff as he flew by her.
It was Zack who charged her next. He tackled her and they rolled across the grass. Rita got to her feet first and hit his helmeted face hard with a knee as he attempted to stand. The Black Ranger wobbled before Rita repeated the strike with more force and watched as the Ranger fell back and rolled from her.
Kimberly aimed her bow and fired a shot and watched as he is stuck in it's intended target. Rita cried out in pain as she reached into her side and pulled the arrow out. Her eyes seemed to glow green as she turned and threw the arrow back at Kimberly with a speed that Kim had thought was impossible. She managed to dodge it just in time to be hit with a blast of green energy in her chest that knocked the wind out of her even as she fell to the hard ground beneath her.
"We don't have to do this," Jason attempted to reason with Rita as he stepped in the path between her and Kimberly. He brandished his sword but kept his distance.
"You don't get it, do you?" Rita questioned in return. "This is all we can do."
Jason didn't have time to question the meaning before he was having to block an energy blast with his sword. He powered his sword up in return in an attempt to return the blast back at her. His attempt was unsuccessful and eventually, the blast broke through his barriers and he found himself on the ground looking up.
"I need Tommy..." Rita said as she stood over Jason and lowered the still powered up end of her staff over his visor.
"I... you know I can't give you what you want..." Jason replied.
"And you know I can't stop..." Rita responded.
"I know," Jason's voice was low and full of resolve. Rita blinked a few times and her expression softened momentarily. She quickly shook the sympathy from her mind and pressed the staff up against the visor.
"Give him to me... don't make me do this..." Rita said, her voice calm but determined. A dagger flew at her and she reached up and caught it without taking her eyes off of Jason. She threw it back and Jason cringed as he heard Trini call out in pain.
"I thought you had changed..." Jason questioned.
"I can't change... I don't have that luxury..." Rita responded. "One last chance... take me to him."
"Even if I knew where he was... I wouldn't," Jason stated. Green energy began to crackle down Rita's arm and then the length of her weapon.
"Rita!" Tommy's voice echoed across the park. Rita's eyes averted from Jason and he used the distraction to swat away the staff and roll clear into Kimberly who was waiting to help him to his feet. Both of them along with the rest of the group looked up to see a White suited Ranger standing just under a park light.
"Tommy?" Trini questioned as she began to approach him. A blast from Rita caused her to stop.
"You wanted me... here I am..." Tommy said as he brandished a sword. Rita eyed him up and down. Brilliant white, with hints of gold and black. A helmet white in the back but the front modeled like a golden tiger.
"What... what is this?" Rita asked with a gesture up and down him.
"It doesn't matter... I just need you to stop this," Tommy replied.
"A new power?" Rita continued to question what she saw. She began to circle Tommy. "I know of no such power... how?"
"I guess you don't know everything, Rita," Tommy responded.
"This is a trick," Rita commented as she stopped directly in front of him and turned to him.
"You can test me if you want but I'd rather you not," Tommy said as his grip tightened on the sword. "We don't have to fight... you gave up your life for me once... I won't ask you to do that again... but you can join us and we can fight Zedd together."
"This would be true... and I wish it were true... but the hold he has over me... it can never be broken," Rita replied, her voice heavy with sorrow. "Whatever is happening with you... I have to bring you back with me."
"I'm not going anywhere with you," Tommy countered.
"Very well," Rita replied. She took aim and fired a blast of energy at the center of the chest of the White Ranger. It connected but seemingly it was deflected from the shield on his chest. She took aim once more and used more energy. Instead of a hit, she saw the target disappear from in front of her.
Rita looked up in time to see the White Ranger coming down on her from above just as he slashed at her chest with his sword. She stumbled backward and gripped the gash across her armor. It was sparkling with white energy and it made her weak and nauseous. She took a few stepped back and furrowed her brow at the sword in Tommy's clutches.
"What kind of power is this?" Rita questioned. She saw that Tommy was not gonna answer and she charged him swinging her staff wildly. He batted it away each time with the saber and then he hit a stiff kick to her midsection that took her to her knees. She fumbled for her staff that had fallen to the ground and fired a blast at the White Ranger's leg. This connection seemed to affect him as he fell to his knees to match her posture.
Tommy got to his feet before Rita. He leaped at her with a kick that she dodged. She grabbed at his neck but he was able to bat it away and hit an elbow that rocked her. She blasted at him with her staff but he flipped away even as the ground was scorched beneath where he had been. Tommy looked to see the rest of the Rangers had recovered and now Rita was surrounded by the group.
"Give up Rita," Jason requested. This got her attention as she glanced around to recognize her predicament.
"I..." Rita hesitated. Before she could answer a black light opened up next to her and Zedd stepped through to stand next to her. His gaze was fixated on the White Ranger.
"You..." Zedd spoke as he pointed in Tommy's direction. "Zordon... you fool."
"What are you talking about?" Rita asked of him. Zedd glanced in her direction only momentarily before turning his attention back to the new Ranger in front of him.
"He has committed suicide, the old fool," Zedd continued the commentary.
"Zedd... what are you talking about?" Rita asked again. Zedd turned to her, his body began to glow red. Rita turned from him and focused on the other Rangers. Zedd turned back to Tommy.
"He has given you a power that will eventually drain the morphing grid..." Zedd stated as he held his staff up. "Only used once because it caused instability to such a degree that the grid was compromised."
"What are you saying?" Jason asked, his interest now piqued.
"It won't happen again," Tommy spoke up. "This time... it was transferred properly... and everything is fine."
"We shall see about that..." Zedd responded. "Either way... I'd very much like to make the power my own."
"If you know so much about it... you'd know that can never be possible," Tommy rebutted. Zedd's low growl seemed to suggest that Tommy had struck a nerve.
"If that is true..." Zedd began as he began to take steps toward the White Ranger. "Then I can't allow you to have it either."
"There is nothing you can do about that," Tommy replied. A simple chuckle from Zedd was followed by a powerful blast from his staff. Tommy felt the full brunt of the blow as even his new power couldn't keep him from flying backward. He saw the blackness envelope his body as he knew he had been purposely knocked into a portal.
The air changed and Tommy found himself falling now from a great height. He was able to turn his body to see he was falling directly towards the center of downtown Angel Grove. He couldn't stop the fall as his body crashed hard into the blacktop of the streets. Cars screeched to a halt directly before hitting him. Tommy shook the cobwebs and stood up to see the crowded streets.
"Everyone... get out of here... now!" The White Ranger called out. "It's not safe!"
Tommy glanced up just to in time to see Zedd lowering himself down from the same black hole he had just fallen from. Tommy glanced around to see the area was clearing and he breathed a small sigh of relief. He glanced up once more and readied himself for a fight with Zedd. He was surprised however when a red object came from the blackness from behind Zedd and zoomed past him in a free fall just as the hole closed.
"Jason..." Tommy spoke as he recognized the object as Jason. Tommy soon realized his friend has somehow gotten through the portal before it closed. Tommy leaped up into the air in an effort to catch Jason and prevent him from crashing much like he just had. Just as he had reached him and steadied him a blast from Zedd's staff hit them both and sent them flying in opposite directions.
Zedd landed on the ground and raised his staff. A red glow emanated from it even as a force of energy began to spread out from him and grow as it encircled what seemed to be half of the city.
(****)
"Jason!" Kimberly called out as she reached the black portal even as it closed in front of her. She looked around for any sight of him before turning back to the other Rangers.
"Where did they go?" Zack questioned as he ran over to her.
"I... they could be anywhere," Billy spoke up. Trini started to speak but a red glow approaching them caught her attention. She pointed to it.
"What is that?" Trini questioned. The group turned to see a red wall coming at them. It seemed to be passing through objects as it grew without doing any damage. The group began to step back even as it approached. It finally stopped just on the edge of the park.
"It looks like some kind of..." Billy paused as he started to step towards it.
"It's a forcefield," Rita chimed in from the left of the Ranger team. They all turned to her and readied themselves for a fight. She paid them no attention as she walked over to the wall and reached a hand up to it even as it crackled with red energy. She lowered her hand and turned to the group. "You won't be able to get through it."
"Why is it here?" Kimberly questioned as she relaxed her stance.
"My guess is that he has them in there," Rita answered.
"Jason and Tommy?" Zack asked.
"Yes," Rita replied. She turned to the group. "He is going to kill them both."
"No... he can't," Trini replied. She studied Rita's expression.
"Someone won't leave it alive," Rita said with a shrug. Kimberly rushed her and pressed up against the wall. She had her bow to Rita's throat.
"Tell us how to get through it," the Pink Ranger demanded. Rita shook her head as she pushed back from Kim.
"I told you, you can't get in there," Rita said. Kim turned to the group.
"Let's get the Zords," Kim said.
"They can't break it," Rita countered. Kim turned back to her.
"Why should we believe you?" Kim questioned.
"Fine... do whatever you want, but you aren't getting in there," Rita responded.
"I don't know if we can get in there or not..." Trini spoke up. "But I know that this is your fault."
Trini charged at Rita and plunged a dagger into her shoulder. Rita fell back to the wall and reached up to grab the dagger. She paused as she looked at the Rangers surrounding her.
"You're right," Rita said before she slowly pulled the dagger out and tossed it to the ground. "It is my fault..."
Rita turned from the group and faced the forcefield. She took a deep breath.
"Call your Zords" Rita said. She turned to look at the group. "I'll do what I can to help you get in."
(****)
Jason climbed out from the side of the restaurant he had crashed through. He turned back to several people who were cowering behind the bar. He lowered his head for a moment before looking back up at them.
"Stay out of sight and undercover... we'll try to lead the fight away," The Red Ranger spoke as reassuringly as he could. Many in the group nodded in understanding. Jason then turned back to the streets and stepped out onto it. He saw Zedd approaching him.
"There you are," Zedd said as he caught sight of the Red Ranger stepping out into the middle of the street.
"Here I am," Jason responded as he clenched his fists and charged at Zedd. He threw a punch but found his fist enclosed tightly in Zedd's palm. He felt intense pain as Zedd began to put pressure on his knuckles and fingers.
"You are no match for me..." Zedd taunted.
"You say that..." Jason responded. He broke free from Zedd's grip and punched him under the jaw which caused him to take a couple of steps back. "But I'm not so sure either of us believes that."
"And he's not alone," Tommy's voice from behind Zedd prompted him to spin around and be met with a kick to his chest that backed him up even further.
"It's good to be fighting with you again," Jason said Tommy moved to stand next to him.
"I feel the same, bro," Tommy responded.
Zedd raised his staff to blast the reunited Rangers. It was deflected from the combined efforts of both of their swords. Jason charged at Zedd in counter and hit him with a shoulder block that dislodged his standing. Tommy followed it up with a flying kick to the chest that knocked the tyrant to the ground.
Zedd scrambled back to his feet and blocked a punch from the Red Ranger and a kick from the White. He slammed both Rangers into each other and then slung one to each side of the street.
"I think maybe now I should show you too just how powerful I really am," Zedd stated as his whole being begin to burn with a red so bright that it prompted both Rangers to shield their eyes.
The blast from Zedd's staff was directed at the Red Ranger as he got to his feet. Jason prepared for the hit, it never came though as he saw Tommy move in front of him to attempt to absorb the blow. Tommy had slammed his sword into the asphalt in front of him and a white blast of energy rushed out from him and it clashed with the red energy approaching.
Jason felt like he could move from the shockwaves emanating from the two energy blasts as the wrestled with each other for dominance. He forced himself forward even as blasts knocked him back. He clutched his sword and approached the side of the White Ranger. He reached him just as Zedd's energy won out and the wave crashed over both Rangers. The last thing Jason saw before he blacked out was a piece of Tommy's helmet flying towards him.
