Author's Note: I DO NOT own Power Rangers that credit goes to the Gods of Saban but this story is mine, I just borrowed their characters (and the main story line) and added some of my own thoughts to it.
-The Pink Gem
Chapter Eighteen
At school…
As soon as Dr. O managed to get a T.V/DVD player in the classroom Kira put the disc in the DVD player. The whole team watched the video from beginning to end. As soon as the 'movie' was over, Conner turned to Trent, "Well Trent?" said Conner, "Do you have an excuse for us?" Trent was shaking his head, "If I had a good one, you wouldn't believe me." "How could you not know who she was?" asked Dr. O. "We're both gone most of the day, I only see her at school and when I get home and that's when she comes home." "Really?" said Ethan. "She told me she works at the museum lab; I thought my dad hooked her up because she wants to be a paleontologist." "The museum lab?" asked Dr. O. "Well, you know that's a lie. Museums don't have labs," said Ethan. "Museums need a place to authenticate bones; some people do call it a lab," said Dr. O. "Isn't that what a dig site is for?" "Bones have been known to disappear traveling between museums and dig sites. Because of the all the money invested in buying bones, museum added a 'lab' as a safety measure. But, that's beside the point though." "She's my sister, I would like to believe her if she told me she had a job." "And it's not like she would admit she was a Ranger to Trent," said Conner as he turned to Dr. O., "Steven wants us to help her." "She's working for Mesogog." "He thinks she's being forced." "Any evidence? Steven is madly in love with her. What if this was her choice to join up with Mesogog?" "What if it isn't?" said Conner. "Why the hell are you convinced she's innocent?" said Ethan. Conner turned back to Ethan "Because, when I was fighting her yesterday, she walked away." "You were demorphed because she demorphed you!" "Yeah but that was after she walked away. I…charged after her and she defended herself by de-morphing me." "And she didn't take your Dino Gem?" "No…she told me 'I want to fight you again so don't do anything stupid' and she left. She only walked away because she didn't want to listen to The Voice." "A voice?" "Yeah it told her to kill me." "And she ignored it?" "I think so. I just don't think we should be walking away from her if there is a voice telling her what to do." "And if this is a trap…Trent pulled this stunt on us before, remember? Pretends to turn good and then WHAM, rigs an ATV to go berserk on Dr.O." "Can I say something?" said Kira. Conner, Ethan, and Dr.O forgot she was there. "I remember Erica rescuing me when she didn't have to; you guys said she even held up the White Ranger to do that. And yet…I'm still scared of fighting her as the Pink Ranger. I want to think she's good, Trent, I really do, but…. I was terrified when she froze me in that ice block. And I'm still scared she'll pull that stunt on me again." Conner sighed, "If Steven's right (and I'm not saying he is), that she is in trouble, it's our job to help her. But if he's wrong then we have to stop her." "Conner…" said Dr. O, "this isn't an easy decision to make. I think we all learned from Trent how hard the road to redemption is. We had to fight Trent a few times before he became 'good'. " "And if I decide she is worth the risk and any of us gets hurt trying to 'save' her…" "It's these decisions that make a leader, Conner. It's your choice." Trent sat quietly away from the group, "How the hell did I not know? Between me being evil and trying to get them to accept me I've ignored her, if I just paid a bit more attention, I could've…" "Trent!" said Conner leaning back on his chair, "Do you think she's capable of all her 'evilness' as the Pink Ranger or do you think Mesogog is playing puppet-master?" Trent smirked, "Let's see…she took me on twice while I was evil, once saving Kira. And then she took on a mutant that was terrorizing people, all without any powers. So you tell me: Is she evil 'cause I don't think so." Conner smirked, "And here I thought you were giving me 'she's my sister' excuse." He turned to the rest of the team, "We need to make an effort to help her. But first we need to level the playing field." "Tell her?" said Dr.O. "Yeah, Trent you think you can arrange a meeting between us?" "I think I can do something better," said Ethan.
Back at Mercer's House….
Roberts sat down on a sofa with Anton sitting across from her in the study "Dr. Roberts, Erica is…not feeling well right now. If she wakes up, I'm gonna ask you to leave." "I just want to know why?" "Why what?" "Everything: why did you give Steven your 'notes' and why did you give me a call about it?" "So he wouldn't ambush you." "How much did you really know?" "If you read my notes instead of glancing them you would know…" Angela stared at him. "Okay, okay." Anton went over to his desk and pulled out a large booklet and put it on the table between him and Angela. "Start reading…" he said. Angela took it and started reading it while Anton was talking over, "I am planning on getting this published…" "This is…." "Yes. It would look familiar to your project from many years ago: The fertilizer bomb that exploded over the Amazon…" "It wasn't a bomb!" "I know that, you know that, half the scientific and military community knows that. The only people who don't know… is the public." "Why is the government approving your version?" "Because I followed proper channels." "You mean you sold it to them." "Angela, if you had told the government about your report… about this "Project": that it is capable of fertilizing ANY soil in the world, by mutating it, what do you think would happen?" "They would have sold it to the highest bidder." "Correct." "That's not why I created this Project; I made this Project to help people. We were gonna spray it on some unused land in Africa so people wouldn't inhale the poison and then plant some seeds and watch it grow. We were going to change the world." "And yet…your plane malfunctioned and the Project was dropped over the Amazon where some native tribesmen lived." "It wasn't an accident, it was sabotage." "I really don't care, all I know is the government took possession of your 'report', but they didn't know what to do with it, they didn't understand it." "And you cracked the code so now you can reap the benefits." Mercer leaned back on the sofa. "What was the point of telling me all this?" "I want you to put your name on this with me." "What?" "You heard me." "You're kidding right? What game are you playing?" "No game. If I publish it here and now I feel like I'm stealing it from you…" "Forget it…" Angela got up from where she was sitting and stretched, "I got screwed by the government once. I won't give them another chance; they might take Steven this time." "Angela…" "Look, I'll pretend we never had this conversation. You're looking for authentication aren't you? People might not take this report seriously if only your name is on it, right?" Mercer didn't say a word. "Mercer, if I put my name on it right next to you, we're both going to jail, and considering what we writing about, we'd get sent to Guantanamo." Angela started walking towards the door, "Oh, if you do get your ass arrested let me know, I'll take care of Trent and Erica for you, alight? Thanks for the offer." Angela walked out the study when Trent came home from school, "Hi, Trent," said Angela as she left the house. "Umm..hi?" "Who is this woman?" Trent entered the study when he saw his dad putting away some papers in his desk; Trent could've sworn he heard his dad say, "At least I know you two are taken care of if the inevitable comes…" "Hey dad who was that woman that left?" Mercer did not hear Trent come in, "A friend." "Really?" "Steven's mom, we were having a 'battle of wits' so to speak." "Okay…"said Trent as he closed the door. Anton has a feeling he knew what Trent was going to ask. "Why didn't you tell me about Erica?" "As soon as you tell me how you found out?" "Steven found out and he let us know who she is." "I remember seeing him yesterday but I wasn't sure how much film he got…" "He got Kira, Ethan, and Erica." Anton nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" "Let me tell you a story first." "No! I want to know-" "Yesterday when the Pink and Red Ranger were fighting, Mesogog told her to kill him. Erica refused. I didn't like the fact that Mesogog was giving Erica those thoughts so I started fighting with Him. While I was taking control, I didn't look at the screen; we didn't know the Pink and White Ranger collected the Dino Gems… And Mesogog would've stayed ignorant of the fact that Elsa, Zeltrax, the White and Pink Ranger collected and then LOST the Dino Gems if it wasn't for you." "Why are you-" "You opened you mouth and claimed that the Pink Ranger left the base defenseless so He sought fit to punish her today." "Wait what happened to Erica? She…she got…You're blaming this on me? Isn't it just as much your fault for getting her involved in all this? Why the hell is she even working for Mesogog?" "Because Mesogog was able to do something the Great Dr. Tommy Olivier can't do, control a powerful Dino Gem." "Is she really that powerful?" "I gave Mesogog an Ultimatum: either He gets you or Erica working for Him, not both." "Or else?" "I'd tell Tommy everything." "You'd really do that?" "I really didn't care what happened to me. I was more concerned what happened to you two." "So Mesogog picked Erica." "Yeah." Trent sat on the couch, Mercer sat across from him, "As soon as Erica recovers we're having a 'family' talk, we're telling her everything." "About the Rangers?" "And me." "She didn't know?" "Not until today, well that's still up for debate. I don't know if she knows we're one or that I'm working for him." "What the hell does that mean?" "I don't know if Erica knows if me and Mesogog are two people or one." "That's kinda important, don't you think?" "She's alone Trent, I needed her to think she could confide in someone." "And you thought you were the perfect candidate to help her?" "Not the perfect candidate; the only candidate." "Not me?" "You were too busy trying to get the Rangers to accept you; you're already hiding my secret, do you really want to add your sister's secret to the list." "No, but it's not like they believed me when I said I had no idea she was the Pink Ranger." "At least it was the truth." *CRASH*
Mercer and Trent looked up towards the ceiling. "Well, Erica's up," said Anton. "So what she smashed?"
Erica tossed her alarm clock across the room, "Mercer….Mesogog…it was all a trap…" "What else did you expect?" "Not that…." "Makes sense." "Am I supposed to believe you didn't know?" "I don't care that Mercer was working for Mesogog and neither should you. "He's my dad. He's the one who put me up to this." "I thought he warned you. I thought he told you to stay away from Mesogog. It was only until you got worse that he probably even considered Mesogog as an option." "Are you telling me to forgive him?" "It's your choice. Is it going to make a difference with your job performance? You already swore your allegiance. Are you prepared to turn against Mesogog?" "Well He still has part of my Dino Gem, so I guess that's not an option." "Do you really think it's wise to not have Mercer as an ally?" "So I should forgive him?" "I don't know who better understands you than him. I honestly think he's working for Mesogog to protect you." "Hmmm, I didn't think of that. Protecting me, huh? Jeez then why did it take him so long to get me out of the Punishment Chamber…because Mesogog was still there, He gave Anton permission to release me." Erica got up out of bed and stretched, she could still feel the electricity running through her body. "How the hell did Mesogog find out though? If Elsa and Zeltrax did lose the Dino Gems I doubt they would've told Mesogog anything." "Are you sure?" "They knew if they collected the Dino Gems they would be rewarded, if they collected and then lost them, they'd be punished. No, I don't think they would've told Mesogog anything." "So, how did He find out?" "I'll make sure to ask Mercer about that when I get down stairs."
When Erica was coming downstairs she heard Anton's voice, "We're in the study." "I guess that's where I'm wanted…" Erica went into the study where she saw Anton and Trent sitting on opposite sides of the room, "So who do I sit next to?" "Don't worry. Trent's leaving now." "I am?" "Yes, unless you want to tell Erica what happened?" "What happened?" "Yes, what we discussed yesterday." "Discussed…" "He wants me to tell Erica what I told him yesterday that I…." Trent smiled, "I can tell her later. I think your discussion is more important anyway." Trent got up and was leaving. Erica and Trent exchange a look, "Trent what are you not telling me?" After Trent left the room, "Erica lock the door, I don't want Trent to listen in." "Ummm, okay?" Erica locked the door. "Take a seat; we…have a lot to discuss." "I guess it wasn't a dream then…." Erica sat down; there was an awkward silence between them. "Where do you want to start?" Anton asked. "I guess…I thought you told me you were not working for Him…and yet you were in His lab." Anton was taken aback by Erica's statement, "Did she really not put the pieces together or is she in denial?" "Erica…" "You told me you weren't working with Him!" "That was before…" "Before what?" "Before you started losing control over your Dino Gem. When I told you I wasn't working for Mesogog at that time, I wasn't. Then you got worse and I had to make a deal…" "So there was a backroom deal for Mesogog to help me…" "Mesogog doesn't do anything except when it helps Him." "So, you agreed to work for Him if he agreed to help me, and I ended up making a deal with Him." "Yeah…that sums it up." "So everything I've told you, how much got back to Him?" Anton made a heavy sigh, "Erica…" "So I'm going to take that as in everything." "Let's just say it's very hard to convince Him how loyal you are to the cause, the more I tell Him the less likely he'll think you'll become disloyal." "Uh-huh….is he just as willing to share information about me to you?" "Like what?" "Like who ratted us out?" Anton tried to open his mouth but his words failed him. He stood up and walked towards the window. "Well," said Erica getting up, "I'm glad we had this talk. Everything's clearing up rather nicely. When you're really ready to talk, let me know." Erica unlocked the door and was leaving the room, Why aren't you going to ask Anton what you really want to know. "You want me to ask him if he is Mesogog or just working for Him?" I thought you wanted to know the truth? "I do but he doesn't want to tell me anything." Erica closed the door behind her. She looked in the kitchen and saw Trent drinking something, she whispered to herself, "What if he's protecting someone?" Trent saw Erica look at him, he smiled but she bolted out the house, "Erica!" he screamed hoping to call her back. Trent went into the study, "What did you tell her?" Anton turned around form the window, "I didn't tell her anything, I didn't tell her that her twin brother ratted her out to her boss. I just couldn't." "So instead of saying 'I don't know' you don't say anything?" Anton shrugged. Trent leaned back against the door, "She knew you knew something…why would you not tell her anything…because you're protecting someone….she looks to me…who could you be protecting more than me." "Do you feel better equipped to talk to her, to fill each other in?" "You sure she won't kill me?" Anton smirked, "I don't think you, as long as you convince her that the only way she's going to know the truth is through you, I don't see why she'd kill you."
Two Hours later (at the Eide household)
*knock knock*
"Steven, can you get that?" asked Angela from the study. "No, my phone's ringing." "So, I thought your generation can multitask?" "I can answer a phone while answering the door but I can't locate my phone and talk on my phone while opening the door." "What good is multitasking if you can't do-"
*Knock knock*
"Never mind, I'll answer it." Angela opens the door and a delivery guy in military uniform is at the door, "Umm I have a crate of….kitchen utensils for Dr. Roberts." "Thank you, where do I sign?" As she as signing she heard Steven coming out of his room. "No she's not with me. Do you want me to help you find her…Alright if you say so….She might be on South Beach, where all the coves are…Yeah the ones the police and the coast guards warn us not to enter during high tide cause they flood …Alright man, call be back when you find her I need to know if our date still on, bye." Steven quickly hung up his phone. The delivery guy dragged in the large crate into the living room across form where Steven sat down. "Can I ask what kind of… kitchen utensils you need that come from Japan?" asked the delivery guy. "I'm putting in a hibachi grill and the best come from Japan." "Uh-huh," says the delivery guy said unconvinced, "See ya around." "Bye," said Angela closing the door. When she turned around she saw Steven approaching the box with a crowbar in his hand. "It's not a hibachi grill, Steven." "What, then why would you tell the delivery guy that?" "Is that not a reasonable answer?" "And you had my hopes up." "Steven, 'kitchen utensils' is military code for do not open under pain of death. Now hand me that crowbar." Steven handed over the crowbar, as Angela was prying open the crate, "So what happened to Erica?" "Trent's looking for her and he thought she'd be here." "I wonder what made him think that." "Funny. I wonder why Trent is looking for her." "Why not?" "I mean does he want to talk to her?" "About what?" "Unless…how he'd find out. No…why would they tell him….unless he in on it." "Steven what are you talking about." "I told on her." "You what?" "I told them about Erica…and now Trent knows…he has to." "You're sounding paranoid." "Why the hell did I open my mouth?" "Okay why don't you take me down memory lane, change whatever details you need to." Steven lay down on the couch, "Okay good guys/bad guys. Erica on the bad guys side, okay? Erica knows who the good guys are but they don't know who she is until…" Angela popped open the crate, "You didn't…." "I told them." "So…you ratted out your girlfriend to the good guys…the same guys she fighting against…right?" "Yeah?" "Guess who's not winning 'Best Boyfriend of the Year Award'…" "They can help her…more than I can…" "Why do you say that?" "I'm not as strong as they are." "And what do the good guys have that you don't?" "Power." "Power? Seriously? What kind of power?" "Just the kind of power Erica and the good guys have…if I had a sliver of it, I can save her…" "Uh-huh…" said Angela as she got on her knees and started laughing. "What the hell's so funny?" "Do you want to know what's in this crate?" "It's not a hibachi grill…" "No…it's Power." Steven got off the couch and pushed off the lid to the crate. "Mom…" "You're dad sends his best…Do you think you can save her with this?" "I'd better try at least."
At South Beach in one of the coves….
Erica was pacing back and forth inside one the cove where she hid Chomper. "Erica you need to calm down; your jut being paranoid." "Am I? I don't think so." "What makes you so sure that Trent is in on this conspiracy?" "Anton and Trent were talking before I came in the room, Anton wanted Trent to tell me something but Trent wouldn't…I think Anton wanted Trent to tell me his 'secret' so we can have the talk." "But Trent didn't say anything." "So Anton couldn't say anything either because he didn't want to be the one who revealed Trent's secret…" "He wanted everyone on the same page." "But what could Trent's secret be…? Unless…" "You think Trent in on this, like what…working for Mesogog behind the scenes or something?" "I don't know…all I know now is that I can't trust either of them right now…" "Well at least you have Steven…." "Dammit! I got a date tomorrow…I almost forgot." "If you can't trust your family at least trust the guy you like….or love." "Shut up….I can't dump this on him; I can't get him involved in this…" "Mesogog might go after him...?" "Worst case scenario…I might lose him…."
"ERICCCAAA!" *Both Chomper and Erica were surprised at the same time* Erica peeked outside of the cove, she saw Trent walking down the beach carrying two ice cream cones. "ERICCAA?!" he screamed again.
"Mother-" she whispered before entering the cove again. She pointed to Chomper, "You, hide." "He's your brother, you hide!" "Chomper, I don't know if Trent's a friend, a foe, or an innocent bystander, you need to stay hidden until I need you in battle…please." Chomper looked at her for about a minute before sinking into the bay. "Okay now that's settled…"
Trent was looking up and down the beach looking for Erica, "I thought Steven would know the best place she'd hide…I should've confirmed her location before buying these ice creams…they're starting to melt.." Suddenly he saw someone exit one of the coves; it was Erica. He saw her walking towards him with a scowl. "Hmm maybe this wasn't the best plan…" Before he could retreat she ran up to him and grabbed one of the cones from him. "So I have never seen blue ice cream before…" she said. "It's a specialty…" "What's it called?" "Sea-salt ice-cream." "Like from the video game?" "No from the comic book!" Tent replied sarcastically. Erica smiled. "I, umm…" started Trent, "You ran out of the house…rather…abruptly." 'Yeah, so?" "After looking at me." "Uh-huh, so?" Erica licked her ice-cream, "Ugh…it tastes weird." "What do you think sea-salt taste like, sweet?" "It's both…its weird." "Ha…Listen Erica, I think we need to talk." "Okay, about what? "About everything."
About an hour later….
"Well, did I answer everything?" asked Trent. Erica and him were sitting on the rocks watching high tide come up but Erica was silent. "I know this is a lot to take in…" Erica just got up from the rocks and started walking away from Trent, "Whoa, wait up." He said trying to follow her. "I'm such an idiot, I spilled my guts to him. And he's reporting it to my boss! Why the hell was I in such denial, I should've seen it!" "You didn't want to be totally alone." Erica turned around to see Trent. "When I went on my 'evil' rampage…I think I did it because I didn't have anyone on my side, I didn't have anyone to tell me 'You're doing something bad, you're working for the bad guys…'" "I'm pretty sure the Rangers were telling you that the entire time." "Yeah but they were just classmates they weren't…like weren't someone I was close to, like you." "You didn't tell me anything either." "I didn't want you involved. Isn't that why you didn't tell me your secret, to protect me?" "Yeah," said Erica. "Are we going to talk to Dad?" asked Trent. "I'm not." "Why?" "He's already knows what we're going to talk about right, what could he add?" "Maybe an explanation as to why he didn't tell you anything in the first place?" "Second place. When you were going through this, he didn't have a chat with you did he?" "No." "Trent, he had his chance and he blew it. He blew it with you and he blew it with me." Erica started shivering, "It's getting late we should head back."
End of Chapter 17
FINALLY AN UPDATE! So yeah, I'm sorry this chapter took so long I was trying to figure out where my story is going and now I have a plan! I will try to do a better job of updating my chapter from now on. Thank you for all my LOYAL fans and my NEW fans that are reading this. I think I would have quit writing if it wasn't for your support.
AllOtaku92