Power Rangers: Public Enemies

Chapter 15: The times they are a-changing

(A/N: The lyrics to this song are copyright Bob Dylan. Please give it a listen, it is quite good.)

A young man plays his guitar in front of the café. His guitar case has about two dollars and thirteen cents worth of change. Few actually stop to listen to him sing, which is quite unfortunate, considering he's so talented. He strums the guitar for a bit, then he begins playing. He opens his mouth, and starts a new song.

Come gather, young people, wherever you roam

(Casey, Ethan and Kenneth stand atop the hills overlooking the ruins of the command center.)

And admit that the waters around you have grown

( The three Rangers are morphed and ready to take on the soldiers that are station on top of the ruins.)

And accept it that soon, you'll be drenched to the bone

( The soldiers are completely unaware of the three Rangers looking down on them.)

If your time to you is worth saving

(The soldiers are, otherwise, attentive and at the ready, as they have been trained to be.)

Then you'd better start swimming, our you'll sink like a stove

(The three Rangers leap down on the unsuspecting soldiers, landing in the middle of their Base.)

For the times, they are a-changing.

(Kimberly looks on at an old photo of herself and the other five original Mighty Morphing Power Rangers. Her eyes reflect the wave of nostalgia that she feels just looking at those faces, remembering times that will never return.)

Come writers and critics, who prophesize with your pens

(Ernest McCarthy takes a sip of his coffee, writing on his memoirs. He's already writing about his tenure as senator during the Reagan years. His wife, Ladybird, is watching the news.)

And keep your eyes wide, the chance won't come again

(Bulk and Skull were playing with Irene, Skull and Kimberly's daughter. Bulk pays half attention to the radio program.)

And don't speak too soon, the wheel's still in spin

(Ken grabs two soldiers and throws them at the main tent. One of those soldiers suffers a fractured leg because of this, whilst the other screams in agony as blood gets in his eyes. The blood is her own.)

And there's no telling who that it's naming

(Ethan marches across the base, receiving no damage from the rain of bullets that are fired at him. He grabs a jeep, and throws it at the soldiers. The jeep crushes three soldiers. Two of them die. One of them has a picture of a baby girl in her jacket.)

And the loser now, will be later to win

(Billy looks over some schematics aboard the Astro Megaship mark 3. He takes a sip of his Mystic Water.)

For the times, they are a-changing

(A young man writes some graffiti under the bridge. It reads 'Sears is a Communist'.)

Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call

(Ladybird glares at the folder her husband has on the coffee table. Ernest picks it up, and begins to make some changes to the document within it. He closes the folder. It reads 'Act for Detaining Suspect un-American Traitors'.)

Don't stand in the doorway, don't lock up the hall

(Ernest McCarthy writes down some more on his laptop. He then shuts it down, and turns on the radio.)

For he who gets hurt, will be he who has stalled

(Casey uses his Jungle Chucks to smash three more soldiers in the face. He grabs another soldier's gun, breaks it, and kicks her square in the chest.)

The battle outside raging

(Ethan stands atop the two dead soldiers, completely ignoring the rest of the battle.)

Will soon shake your windows, and rattle your walls

(Carter and Dana watch as dozens upon hundreds of helicopters rush over to the Angel Grove desert area. They have no idea what is going on, but figure they should watch the news immediately.)

For the times, they are a-changing

(George Sears looks at his desk. His eyes keep looking at the bill he had signed not so long ago, the Ranger Act bill. Not one night goes by when he does not curse the hand that signed it.)

Come mothers and fathers, throughout the land

(As Bulk listens to the emergency news broadcast, he falls on his knees in tears.)

And don't criticize what you can't understand

(Kimberly turns on the TV. She begins to sob hysterically at the image on the TV. Three Rangers, desecrating what she considers to be sacred ground, by killing innocent soldiers.)

Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command

(Using his Shark Saber, Casey destroys the last of the Helicopters, ensuring that the only soldiers that could escape would be those they allowed to do so.)

Your old role is rapidly fading

(A light drizzle begins to fall on Trini Kwan's tombstone. The Saber Tooth Tiger coin embedded on the tombstone grows opaque.)

Please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand

(Jason watches the news on the TV as Wind and Blaise try to eat. He gets up, outraged at seeing three Rangers attack the soldiers stationed in the ruins of the Command Center. He then looks on in horror as he recognizes Kenneth as being amongst them.)

For the times they are a-changing

("This is Kenny Brokelstein, for ABC News! I am reporting live from Angel Grove Desert where, completely unprovoked, three rogue Rangers have began to decimate the Charlie Zordon Military Base! Oh, the humanity! We have been attacked, in our own home! Is nothing sacred anymore? Are we no longer safe in our own backyards!")

The youth, looking dejected, picks up his guitar case. He sees only four dollars worth of change in his guitar case. He gets up, and leaves, knowing he will not be able to eat lunch that day.

…...

Ethan gets up off his knees. He sees the helicopters that come from the horizon. He knows this will get worse.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" He yells at the top of his lungs, grabbing Casey and Ken. "It's not worth it!"

"No way, with our Zords, we can take em!" Casey tries to get him to let go.

"No! Killing people is not worth it!"

Ken places a comforting hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Yo Casey. I agree with him. Come on, killing soldiers…might make things worse. I know for a fact, it won't make anything better."

The three Rangers make their retreat. Casey himself begins to feel ashamed of the actions he took that day…

General Wade Miles inserts a small disc into a computer. He enters the password. He views over the contents of the disc. He glances over to a photo of his young son. In the photo, his son holds an old tin action figure of Blasto Man, an old hand me down that belonged to Wade Mile's father when he was a boy.

"America does not deserve heroes." Wade Mile's normally hard stare softens as he looks at the picture of his ill son. "But you do, Henry."