After Darkness Falls
"Darkness Within"
Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers, that is owned by Saban/Disney. Carri and all things related to Carri (including Jason's cougar ninjetti power) belong to KJ with many thanks. Everyone else belongs to me.
A/N: Kim's powers were inspired by KSuzie, but unlike KSuzie's she cannot travel between dimensions, only time. As always, reviews are appreciated.
Rocky walked through the fair with Carri, it had been nearly a week since they had gotten back together, and he was loving every minute of it. Dana had tried calling him over the past week, trying to get him to come back, and he refused every time. He had yet to tell Carri about her, he didn't know how to. But he would, in time. For now he was just enjoying the time he was spending with Carri. They had been to the movies, and out to dinner over the week. Tonight they found themselves having fun at the carnivel, something neither one had done in close to a decade. He watched and cheered Carri on as she won a prize at the "ring the bell" game. For a moment he thought the day was going almost too great, he had an easy time at his school today, offically opened his Stone Canyon school that afternoon, which meant that Jason would be starting work in the morning, and his date with Carri was going great. He quickly diminished that thought though, he wanted tonight to be perfect. After the carnivel he planned to take her out to the lake.
Carri looked up at Rocky and smiled, she was having a great time with him. Even if their parents weren't too thrilled about them getting back together. His mother had called and complained to him many times while she was over, and it was driving her nuts. Especially since she could swear she heard his mom mention someone named Dana being crushed. She couldn't help but wonder if he had had a girlfriend during the time she was away, and neglected to mention her. She was determined to find out tonight. Her own mother had called, probably more times than his had, to complain about their relationship. Her mother had never particularly liked Rocky, not even in high school. She couldn't exactly figure out why, her mother never said, but she had a feeling that it had to do something with him not making enough money. It was always a matter of money with Becky Hillard. Sometimes Carri just couldn't stand her, and other times she loved her.
"What're you thinking about?" Rocky asked as he smiled back down at her. He still had a hard time believing it, he was here. With Carri. After all this time they were able to reconnect like nothing had happened.
"Just a guy," Carri said with a smile "Oh, looks like the carnivel's getting ready to close for the night." She noticed how all the rides were emptying and everyone was heading towards the exit. Rocky had been lost in so lost in thought that he hadn't even noticed.
"Well then," he said "want to go to the lake? Y'know, just sit and enjoy the night sky?" He watched as Carri nodded and smiled. Together they headed for the exit, and from there to his car.
A few minutes later they found themselves sitting out by the lake, Rocky held Carri in his arm as they sat next to each other and looked up at the moon. Carri was having such a great time, she hated to ruin by asking who Dana was, but her curiousity was getting the best of her. She was trying to think of a sort of casual way to ask, but she realized that there was no such thing and just blurted out "So who's Dana?"
Rocky's eyes widened, how did she know about Dana? It was possible that his mother had called her and told her, but he doubted that she'd stoop that low. "How did-"
"I heard your mom mention her more than once y'know," she said before he could finish his question. "So who is she? Old girlfriend?" She watched as Rocky nodded and sighed.
"I met her a couple of years after you left, I figured maybe you had moved on, and so I tried to do the same." He looked Carri in the eyes and said "But it just didn't feel right, being with her. We broke up the day after the meeting. I was going to tell you, but I just wanted to find the right time." He hoped she would understand.
Carri's guess was right. Dana was an old girlfriend, and she did understand about why he didn't tell her. She had been trying to find the right time to ask after all. But all things considered, she was ready to call it a night. "I understand, but I do want to go home now..."
Rocky nodded and sighed. He hoped that this wouldn't ruin things between them, if it did he didn't know what he'd do.
The drive back to Carri's had been a silent one, neither one knew what to say. Rocky hoped that he hadn't messed everything up between them, and Carri just wanted time to think. After they arrived in her driveway Rocky walked her to her door. "So," he said "I'll, uh, see you tomorrow?"
Carri wanted to say yes, every fiber of her being was telling her to say yes, but instead she said "Maybe. I'll call you and let you know when I get off." She disappeared into the house before Rocky could give her a kiss.
"Great job Rocky..." he said to himself as he walked back to his car. "Everything is probably screwed up now, and all because you didn't mention Dana sooner. So stupid." He mentally kicked himself as he got into his car and drove off.
Kim sat on her bed, she looked at the box she had shown Jason a few nights before. Within it held two of the keys needed to revive Zordon, Jason held the third. If all went well she would leave Earth again after they defeated Sarahna and search for the other three. After she found them she would return to Earth and revive him. It was only a matter of time. She opened the box and stared down at the Preradactyl and DragonZord coins. Jason held the Tyrannosaurus coin. Andros had found it while searching for Zordon years ago and had her recharge it temporarily for the Serpentera Mission, and Jason had been in posession of it ever since. Somehow after Rito Revolto destroyed their powers their coins were scattered throughout the universe. Even Tommy's DragonZord coin. It flew from where ever Tom had left it and went with the others.
She sighed, seeing the Pteradactyl Coin reminded her of her first days as a Power Ranger, while the DragonZord Coin reminded her of all the pain they went through fighting the Green Ranger, and then him losing his powers, twice. But all in all they were good memories, and she cherished every one of them. She just hoped that somehow, someday she and Tommy could make up.
Closing the box and stuffing it back into her closet she turned out the light and hopped under the bed covers to get some sleep.
Sarahna found herself on Volacia, a volcanic planet. She avoided all the lava pits, and rivers of lava and made her way to the top of the mountain in the center of the planet. There sat a slab of stone with six round slots in it, and a pulley for lowering people in as sacrifices. She walked up to the slab, where two golden discs lay and said "Soon, soon we will have all the necessary items for your revival." And soon I will be able to take your power, she thought. "Jason is weakening, it will not be long before he succumbs to the darkness within him."
In her head she heard a voice telling her to go to the planet Onyx, get the staff and then head for the M-51 Galaxy, there she would find the means to bring him over to her side.
"It will be so," she said as she turned to head abck towards her ship and go to the planet Onyx.
Tommy sat in a bar waiting for Jason, the two had agreed to go out for beers that night, and Tommy had a few questions he wanted to ask Jason. He took a sip of his beer and noticed a familiar blond sitting on the other end of the bar. At least he thought it was her. He stood and walked over to her, tapping her on the shoulder. When she turned around, surprised, he knew he was right. It was Emily. "Hey there," he said, noticing the shocked look on her face. Emily stared at the man standing before her, he looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place him. "Picture long hair," Tommy said, seeing that she was pulling a blank.
A few seconds later she said "Tommy? Tommy Oliver? Is that you?" He nodded and she continued "Oh man, you look so, so different. How've you been?"
"I've been alright, just a little tired." It was true, he had been up late every night since taking on the Zeo powers again, he hadn't been like this since Mesogog. "Recently ran into some old friends, including Kimberly and Jason." He wasn't sure if 'friend' was the right word for Kim, but at the moment he didn't really know what she was. They hadn't really talked since forming the team, even though he wanted to. Being around her again was intoxicating. He wanted to try and ask her out again, but he wasn't totally sure he wanted to be with her again. He was confused about it, and only time would tell. He remembered how in love with her he had been, and how she had crushed his heart with that letter. Kat, Kim's replacement on the team after she left for Florida, had been there to try and pick up the pieces, and she had partially succeeded, until he saw Kim again after she and Jason had been kidnapped. In that moment, the thought of her being sacrificed in that volcano had shattered his heart all over again. But for some reason when she joined the Turbo team, he found it hard to get along with her. Maybe he had been letting go of the anger, the sorrow, he had felt when he read the letter and she was there so he directed t at her. But whatever the case, he now regretted doing that and wished he could change it.
Emily wanted to ask about Jason, and Tommy had just given her an opening. She hadn't seen or heard from him since that night he walked in on her and Ted, that was the guys name she cheated on him with. She had wanted to contact him, to explain, to apologize, but it was as though every connection to him had been cut off. Tommy had left for Reefside and didn't have a listed number, Rocky didn't know where he was, Kat had left for Los Angeles, Carri had similarly vanished, and Adam didn't know either. "How..." she started "how is Jason? Is he alright?"
Tommy should've known she'd ask about him, he had heard she tried getting in touch with him after he left for Reefside, but he never did respond. "He's doing good from what I can tell. He's actually supposed to meet me here, if you like you could hang around and wait for him." He didn't really mean that, he had stuff he wanted to talk to Jason about, ranger-related stuff that she didn't know about, and didn't need to know about.
Emily wanted to stay, she wanted to see Jason, but not on such short notice. She grabbed her purse and said sweetly "Maybe some other time, I've got to be going. I have work in the morning. Tell Jason I said hi." Tommy said that he would, and told her bye.
Emily made her way for the door and out into the parking lot. As she crossed it she saw a man in a black leather jacket and blue jeans ride by on a Harley. She noticed how he slightly turned his head to look at her, and she quickened her pace to her car.
Jason walked into the bar where he was supposed to meet Tommy, finding the crimson ranger he made his way over to the bar and took his black leather jacket off, laying it across the back as he sat down. He ordered a beer, looked at Tommy and said "Was, was Emily just here? 'Cause I swear that was her out there in the parking lot."
Tommy nodded and set his beer down. "Yeah, I talked to her. She asked how you were, and then left when I told her you were coming."
Jason sort of bobbed his head as he thought. He knew that was her, he just wondered if she still cared about him. She must, or else she wouldn't have asked about him.
"Anyway, look bro," Tommy said, snapping Jason from his thoughts, "there's something I want to talk to you about. I saw," he looked around and lowered his voice. "I saw you teleport the other day, not ranger teleport, but teleport. You did it yourself, like you have an ability."
Jason sighed, he knew Tommy would catch that. Oh well, he was going to tell him sometime anyway. "Yeah, it's another side effect from Muranthias, like the red eyes. I was going to tell you and Rocky about it eventually, but I guess you know now."
Tommy knew he wasn't going crazy, he had seen Jason teleport. "But why didn't you tell us sooner?" It was more of a demanding question than a question. "I mean, I have powers to. Thanks to my old Dino Gem I can turn invisible."
"Yeah, but your powers came from something good. Mine came from evil, from Maligore. Or have you forgotten that day? The day me and Kim were dropped into the pit." Jason could feel his eyes flash red as he spoke, he didn't know why but it was as though his temper was getting a little more uncontrollable everyday.
"No," Tommy said, equally as mad, or getting there, "I haven't forgotten that day. I haven't forgotten how I tried to save the two of you, how we, tried to save the two of you. I haven't forgotten the screams that came from the pit as you lowered in, how I tried so hard not to fight you once you came out, how hard I tried to keep you from falling back in!"
Jason had had enough, if he didn't leave now he might do something he'd regret. He quickly slapped his money down on the counter, leaving a dent where the coins hit, grabbed his jacket, and stormed out. Once he got on his back he opened it up along the deserted streets and rode out into the desert, the wind crashing against his face. The more he rode the more he began to cool off, become level headed again. He could feel something happening within him, he had for sometime now, and it scared him. Not much scared him anymore, not since the pit, but this did.
The next day Cairus sat up in the palace, he had found a monster to send down to Earth, it was a cross between a porcupine and a wasp. Cairus was pleased with its work and decided to send it down, along with himself and Courtadrones.
"Once we are down there I want you to attack the green ranger, understand?" Cairus said to the monster, who nodded in response.
Jason stood in the middle of Rocky's Angel Grove school, getting ready for his first day. He just hoped that he didn't lose his temper like he had the night before. He had been out riding for most of the night before he calmed down enough to go home. As he continued preparing he heard his communicator beep. "Go ahead Billy."
"Jason, there's a monster attacking downtown Angel Grove, becareful, the scanners say that his stingers can absorb your energy," Billy's voice rang through.
"I'm on it." He quickly morphed and teleported to the scene.
Once there he joined Carri in attacking the monster while Tommy fought Cairus and Kim and Rocky attacked the Courtadrones. He carefully avoided it's stingers as much as possible as he attacked, preferring to blast it from a distance so as not to get stung.
Rocky and Kim battled the Courtadrones, easily dismantling them with a flurry of punches and kicks. Rocky ducked under one while Kim punched it beneath its chin, and Rocky kicked the one behind her. After a while they finally finished them and they went to help Jason, Carri, and Tommy, who had sent Cairus packing, in defeating the monster.
Tommy ducked under one of the monsters stingers and kicked it in the face, knocking it back a few steps while Jason blasted it and and Carri attacked it from behind. Annoyed and pissed, the monster shot its porcupine needles out in all directions, hoping to hit the rangers. The rangers all avoided them and came together to summon the Power Cannon, destroying the monster with a single shot.
After the battle ended Rocky and Jason teleported back to the school, and Jason stepped out of Rocky's office to go greet his first class. After introducing himself, and getting to learn his students names he began the class.
Later that day Rocky locked up his school, and headed towards his car. As he did he began to feel woozy, and everything began to spin. He stumbled and tripped, but he eventually made it to his car, and began to unlock it, but he fell to the ground one last time before passing out.
Jason was at the other end of the parking lot and saw what happened, he quickly ran over to Rocky and turned him over. "Rocky? Rocky can you hear me man? Rocky wake up!" When he didn't get a response he said "Oh shit. I better you back to the Power Chamber right away." He placed his hand on Rocky's chest and, using his communicator, he teleported them both back to the Power Chamber.
"Billy!" he called out after arriving. "Billy!" he called again after getting no response. Once more he called out "Billy!" Finally the original blue ranger came running into the room.
"I'm here, I'm here, what's the emergency?" Billy asked as he approached Jason.
"It's Rocky, he passed out after reaching his car. He seemed fine all day, until he locked up." Jason explained.
Billy nodded and turned to get his scanner. "Alright, let me scan him and see what's wrong." After a few minutes Billy said "It would appear that he's been stung by the monster you guys fought, I have something here that might help him, but if it doesn't I'll have to see if either Trey or Delphine can be of any assistence." With that Billy went to get what he thought might help. When he returned he tested the syringe he had, and after making sure it worked he injected the syrum into Rocky's arm. "He should be fine in a few minutes. If not I'll try contacting Trey."
Jason nodded and asked "But how did it get through his suit, and why did it take so long to affect him?"
Billy thought about that for a moment and replied "It's stingers must have been stronger than I thought, and as for why it took so long, it could have been delayed due to the monster being destroyed, that's the only logical answer I can think of."
Jason felt like he should tell Carri about this, if he didn't he had a feeling she'd rip him a new one. "Carri, this is Jason, teleport to the Power Chamber immediately."
A few minutes later a white streak landed in the Power Chamber and fizzled into Carri, who demanded to know what the emergentcy was. Once she saw Rocky laying on the table, not moving, she began to panic and Jason began to explain.
"Will he be alright?" she asked, hoping the answer would be yes. She mentally kicked herself for saying what she said the night before, for thinking what she had thought. After Rocky had dropped her off she had contemplating breaking up with him, it would get their mothers off their backs, and he could go back to Dana if he wanted. But as he lay there now, she realized that wasn't what she wanted. What she wanted was to be with him.
"I'm not sure. If the injection I have him doesn't work within the next few minutes I'll have to send him to either Triforia or Aquitar. Whichever has the appropriate accomodations for him." Billy said, seeing the pain in Carri's eyes. He could sort of relate, if anything ever happened to Trini, whether he was with her or not, he didn't know what he'd do.
"I hope it works..." Carri said, getting down on her knees and holding Rocky's hand.
"We all do," Jason said, trying to comfort her. In all the years that they had been friends, been brother and sister, this was probably first time he had ever seen her on the verge of crying.
That night Jason informed Tommy and Kim about their situation. Rocky had been sent to Aquitar for treatment, since Billy couldn't get ahold of Trey, and Carri had been ready to tear the Power Chamber apart to go with him. He explained that they needed to find two replacement rangers until they returned, and that he didn't know how long that would be. Since Rocky had all of his energy zapped at once he was close to death, and Billy specualted that it may take a few days, or even a few weeks, for him to completely heal.
"I'll get started on contacting a couple of people, see who's willing to step in," Tommy said as, looking at Jason. Jason had tried to apologize for his behaviour the night before, losing his temper and all, but he wasn't able to ge tit our right. But Tommy had understood what he was trying to say and told him not to sweat it.
"Right, you do that, Kim and me will be waiting to hear back from you," Jason said. He didn't mind Tommy doing that, after all he did know more of the rangers after forming the United Red Alliance and the Dino Thunder team.
"Right, I'll let you know as soon as I have two volunteers."