A/N: Okay, this was a theme that came to me as I was re-watching the season. I'm not sure why no one's thought to do this before, but then again, that just gives me the opportunity to do it! It's pretty much one of my favorite themes in this collection. Enjoy!
"…": characters talking to each other
'…': characters talking to themselves
(…): extra facts about something in the story
(Takes place during "Return")
Theme 43: Green-Eyed Monster
High Rise Park, April 30, 2007, 5:30 pm – Briarwood, CA, USA
Xander knew that he was being stupid. However, this knowledge did nothing to stop the emotions bubbling up inside of him. Of course, he hadn't a clue as to what he was feeling or why, but that wasn't the issue in his eyes.
'Vida is going insane. I know she is, but why hasn't she realized it? Unless, unless that, that monster's brainwashed her!' Xander was determined to protect his friend from this villain's evil scheme.
Vida, on the other hand, was dead-set on protecting Matoombo from The Master... even if he had The Master inside of him. For spirits' sake, he was willing to take the option of eternal sleep rather than let The Master rise again; wasn't that good enough? So, why couldn't she get Xander to see that he was a good guy in the guise of someone who was evil?
"Xan, come on! Help me out here! Matoombo's not evil!" Vida protested blocking Matoombo from Xander's Mystic Staff. Granted, he'd powered down already, but the staff had mysteriously stayed put instead of reverting back to the Morpher, or wherever their weapons went when not being used. He'd lowered it once before, but Matoombo had pointed his weapon at her (by accident, she knew) and Xander had leapt to her defense... again.
"V, you heard him! He's the 'Conqueror of All Worlds'!" Xander shot back eyes never straying from the Terror, whose stance was just as aggressive.
"Xander, stand down, now! I won't tell you again!" Vida snarled stepping towards the Green Ranger who, in turn, didn't back down, which resulted in his Mystic Staff being pointed at her chest. "He's not evil, Xan. He saved a kid's life and laughed when I kicked a ball in his face by accident. If he was truly evil, I wouldn't be here anymore!"
Xander's eyes moved from Matoombo to Vida's and the Pink Ranger was shocked to see that they were glowing green. "Xander? Your eyes..."
"What?" Xander blinked and they were back to their usual chocolate-brown shade. "What about my eyes, Vida?"
"They were glowing green..." Vida moved closer so she could look at her teammate's eyes, only to remain flummoxed when they stayed their normal chocolate-brown. 'Odd, I could've sworn that they were green…'
Xander blinked again before focusing his attention on Vida. "Green? They were seriously glowing green?"
Vida nodded, only to have Matoombo interrupt. "Green eyes are the sign of inner monsters."
Xander quickly moved the Mystic Staff back towards the Terror, face etched in a frown. "V, I don't trust him."
"You can trust him, Xander. I know you can." Vida tried to once again convince the Green Ranger to stand down once and for all and to trust her judgment but to no avail. Worse still, Xander's eyes had begun to glow a slight green which, frankly, worried her.
"I do not lie," Matoombo stated, voice firm with authority. "Those who feel that they are being threatened let an inner monster develop, from which his or her eyes can change color." He turned to Xander who, though he tried to appear bored was deeply interested in what he was learning and continued, "The color change signifies many things, among them the concept of a monster."
"Green-eyed monster…" Vida mused eyes narrowed in thought. 'I know that I've heard that phrase used before, but where?'
'Oh no… she can't mean that phrase!' Xander thought furiously, panic beginning to set in. Thinking quickly, he changed his Staff back to its Morpher form and, darting forward shook Matoombo's hand fiercely before dragging Vida away to talk to her.
"I trust him, V. I do. Guess I just needed some convincing." Xander acted sheepish, praying to every spirit he'd ever read about since the start of his tenure as a Ranger and mage, hoping that they'd help Vida buy his explanation. Luckily for him, she nodded curtly and proceeded to talk to Matoombo about what he wanted to do to prevent the rise of The Master. Xander, meanwhile, prayed long and hard that Vida would never figure out that the Terror had insinuated (and, as a revelation would admit later on, have reason) that Xander was plain out jealous of him for getting Vida's attention so swiftly. Nope, Xander would never in a million years let Vida in on that little secret... ever.