Chapter Fifteen
Two for One
As Trini had predicted, Monday morning was dark and overcast, and it started to rain just as Jason and Billy arrived in the lobby. Tommy, Zack, Trini, Kimberly and Kira met them near the receptionist's desk.
"Looks like we need a backup plan," Trini said, glancing through the windows as the rain steadily increased. "An indoor one."
"Where are the guys?" Jason asked.
"I just woke them up a little while ago," Tommy explained. "They should be down any—"
"Dr. O! I think Ethan's going to kill him this time!" Trent burst out of the elevator doors.
"I hate kids," Tommy muttered, stalking towards the elevator.
"Hey!" Kira said indignantly.
"Maybe we should go help," Billy said worriedly.
"Eh, don't bother," Trent said with a shrug. "They're just arguing. I got tired of dealing with it. Dr. O has more experience with that, you know."
"Nice move," Kira said approvingly, lacing her fingers with his.
"Thanks."
Talk turned to plans for the day until Tommy returned with the two boys, both sporting a few new bruises (apparently things had escalated when Trent had left) and looking sour. Ethan immediately went to stand by Billy and Conner by Jason, avoiding looking at each other.
"Anyway," Trini said, as always trying to relieve tension, "we were talking about what we should do today."
All animosity was forgotten as Ethan, Conner and Trent looked at each other. "You ask them!" Ethan hissed at Trent.
"No, you!" Trent told Conner.
"No, you!" Conner said to Ethan.
Ethan sighed as the older Rangers and Kira looked at him expectantly. "Could we… you know..." he began, looking rather nervous.
"Spar?" Trent asked hopefully. "We'd really like to, well…"
"See what we've got?" Zack asked. "That sounds like fun to me."
"Now that does sound like fun," Billy said. "I'd love to see what Tommy's taught you guys."
"Probably how to yell 'wah' a lot," Jason said with a smirk.
"Hey! You do that too!" Tommy insisted.
"But you do it a lot," Conner pointed out.
"I do not!" Tommy half-shouted.
"You do too!" everyone else replied.
"Guys?" Kira said, noticing that quite a few people were looking at them curiously. "We should probably take this elsewhere."
"Yeah," said Zack. The receptionist had tried flirting with him when he'd showed up the day before yesterday, and he was no longer a fan of the lobby.
"Should we head back to the Youth Center?" Kimberly asked eagerly.
"No… it's a little too public," Jason said.
"Especially since the only ones in our group who are still youths are the four people who've never been here before," Trini added. "It might look a little odd if we all show up there to spar right before Power Rangers Day when we haven't been there in ages and we're accompanied by five people who are living in the home of the most recent Power Rangers team."
"What about your basement?" Billy asked Jason. "There would be adequate space."
"That'd work," Jason agreed.
They headed back to Jason and Trini's. As they crowded onto the porch, Jason gave Trini a somewhat put-out look as she fumbled with her keys. "Forgotten how the door works after all that time away?"
Trini laughed. "Jason, it's been two days," she said, giving him a grin. "Most normal people wouldn't even miss me yet—oof!"
As she pushed open the door, Tommy the dog came flying through it to put his paws on her shoulders and lick her face; Billy had to grab her to keep her from falling over as she was set upon by a hundred and twenty pounds of overenthusiastic canine.
"Aw, there's my wittle baby puppy," Trini cooed, scratching Tommy's ears.
"Little?" Conner repeated incredulously.
"Did ya miss me, Tommy? Yes, you missed me, didn't you? I missed you too! I missed you so much I couldn't stand it," Trini continued in baby-talk.
"You missed the dog and not me?" Jason demanded, looking utterly offended and pathetic.
"Aw, look at your jealous daddy," Trini said to the dog with a smile. Tommy barked at him in an almost mocking way.
"Well, the dog is better-looking," Tommy the human told Jason, smirking. Jason elbowed him in the stomach. "Ow!"
"Yeah," Kimberly said, giving Trini a significant, teasing look. "Tommy's way better-looking." She patted the dog's head.
"Are you okay, Kira?" Trent asked in concern. Kira had started gagging.
"Fine," she said, with a look on her face like she'd been forced to eat rotten lemons.
"He is not," Trini told Kimberly firmly.
The dog, who'd been panting happily in her face, closed his mouth and looked as offended as Jason.
"Is too," Kimberly said, then blushed when she noticed Tommy the human giving her and Trini a thoughtful look.
"Is not!" Trini insisted, and the dog dropped back onto all fours and slunk away. "Oh! Tommy, I didn't mean it. You're just as cute as Jason, yes you are." She bent down and gave the dog a quick hug. He cheered up considerably.
Trini took the dog out to the fenced-in backyard (it was a chain-link; they were still debating the whole picket-fence thing) while Jason gave the others a quick tour of the house. "This is the family room—mostly it's just been taken over by the dog and Trini's dolls, but it's a nice place to sit and hang out, you know—and this is the living room—"
"Ooh, nice electronics," Ethan said, heading for the entertainment center.
"I've already started familiarizing myself with the video games," Billy said. "Trini and I used to have video game wars before I left, but obviously she doesn't have anything that I'm familiar with."
"And interrupting the Blue guys before they can ramble on for an hour about electronics because that's all they've done for the past two days," Jason teased, "this is the kitchen. Anyone want anything?"
Conner pulled open a cabinet. "Whoa. Freakishly organized."
"That's Trini's fault," Jason said.
"Dr. O could learn some serious habits off of Trini," Trent said.
"What's wrong with my organization skills?" Tommy demanded.
"Other than the fact that you don't have any?" Ethan replied.
"You mean, other than the fact that you claim you're the only one who knows the system and then you keep forgetting what the system is?" Kira asked Tommy.
"You know," Trini said, coming into the kitchen and washing the dog fur from her hands, "when Tommy first got that house in Reefside a couple years ago, Jason and I helped him move in. I helped him unpack and I spent an entire weekend organizing everything. Color-coded his clothes, even—which is pretty difficult with Tommy. I came by for a visit a few months later and the place looked like a tornado had hit it."
"That reminds me," Tommy said, giving her his most charming smile, "my lab got destroyed not long before I lost my powers. I could use some help with the rebuild…"
Trini sighed heavily, knowing she'd eventually give in but not looking forward to it. She liked organizing—it made her feel like she was battling chaos. But Tommy had far too much chaos even without monsters running around destroying his things. "What about Hayley? Why can't she help you?"
"It's summer. There's a bunch of idiotic teenagers crowding her business right now."
"HEY!" Conner, Kira, Ethan and Trent exclaimed.
"Sorry."
"We'll see," Trini said with a sigh. "It could take days, though, knowing you."
"Oh, I get it," Jason said in a tone somewhere between irked and furious. "This is about me, right? First Kim, now Tommy. Running off all the time. Talking about Billy nonstop for a week." He looked at Zack. "Come on, out with it, buddy. How are you going to steal my wife, huh?"
"I didn't do anything!" Zack complained.
"Jason, you're being ridiculous," Trini chided.
"I want my wife back! Is that so wrong?" He glared at Tommy. "Get your own woman!" He rounded on Kimberly. "And I want her back! Tonight!"
"You think that's what Kira and Trent will be like one day?" Conner asked Ethan curiously.
"Oh, totally."
Kira smacked Conner upside the head and Trent elbowed Ethan in the gut.
"OW!" Ethan gasped. "See, Conner? That's what Jason did to Dr. O on the porch. They're on their way."
"You do realize that if they're me and Kira, then you're on your way to marrying an alien chick, right?" Trent told Ethan.
"…I've come to terms with that possibility," Ethan said with his head held high, though he looked a little worried.
Trini giggled and flicked the water from her hands at Jason. "Come on, gang. Let's go spar before we kill each other."
They trooped down to the basement. "Nice weights," Conner said, looking at their exercise machines. He reached over to pick up a barbell, realized he couldn't lift it, and ran his hand along it instead, as if simply admiring the workmanship.
"What's that room over there?" Ethan asked, noticing the deadbolt on the door of the Secret Chamber.
"That's where we keep our Power Ranger stuff," Trini explained. "There isn't much left, of course, but what we do have is kept in there and locked up tight."
"You really should use an electronic lock," Billy said, shooting the room a nervous glance.
"Are you crazy? Those things cost a fortune. Besides, if the power went out, I'd be screwed, and electronic locks can be hacked or overridden, and anyone who does a bit of research can guess the password."
"I forget that things on Earth aren't as foolproof," Billy said apologetically. "But, really, all anyone has to do is break down the door, right? Or pick the lock."
"Trini had the lock built specially," Jason said. "It's all customized. Looks like a deadbolt but there's a lot of reinforcement in there. Anyone who throws their shoulder at it will end up with a broken arm."
"Really?" Ethan said, an odd tone in his voice.
"You should always kick doors anyway," Trent said. "Less chance for injury and a higher chance you'll actually break it, because you're applying the right force in the right place. You kick right at the lock, see, and—"
"Dude, what were you doing when you were evil?" Conner interrupted.
"…I got it from a book," Trent said uncomfortably.
"We can poke around in there later, if you want," Trini offered. "For now, though… who's up?"
Kimberly became incredibly excited. "Ooh, me first! I haven't gotten to spar with anyone in ages." She looked expectantly at Kira, but before she could ask Kira to join her, Tommy spoke up.
"You should fight Conner." Tommy struggled to keep the sly smile and mischievous look off of his face. This would be the perfect opportunity to get back at Conner for the whole Hayley-in-the-secret-lair thing. Tommy had learned about a half hour into the Dino Rangers' first training session that pairing up Conner and Kira was a royally bad idea. Conner's tendency towards chauvinism always led to him getting his butt kicked (which he later played off as "I let you win!"). Conner held back, patronizing her, while Kira let loose, because he was patronizing her. Tommy had been quick to pair up with one of them and make Ethan pair with the other; usually, Tommy had gotten stuck with Conner, as Ethan and Conner tended to beat each other up a little too badly, though Tommy tried to pair them up anyway, as it was far easier to deal with Kira than Conner. He had been utterly relieved when Trent had brought the teens up to an even four and become Conner's regular sparring partner. (Trent had a tendency to hold back against Kira also, only in his case it was out of an unwillingness to hurt her.)
Kimberly shrugged and took off her shoes, setting them carefully aside while Conner stared at her in horror. He had yet to get over the whole green-eyed glare back at the picnic, and the revelation about Tommy's history with Kimberly hadn't done a thing to calm Conner's nerves around her. Gulping, he kicked off his sandals and stepped forward timidly. Tommy was so intent on waiting for the first blow that he didn't even notice Trini nudging Billy and Zack and smiling over in his direction; he was only vaguely aware of Trini whispering something to them.
"Go easy on me, all right?" Kimberly asked innocently. "I'm rusty." Conner nodded.
Tommy's grin broadened, recognizing that line as the oldest trick in Kimberly's book. She had often played up the damsel-in-distress act, appealing to Tommy's sense of chivalry. Tommy had been shocked as hell during their first sparring match when he'd been knocked on his butt three seconds after Kimberly had told him not to be too hard on her. She had pulled this sort of thing often on the guys, especially on Tommy and Jason. Back then, the Rangers had liked to keep score of how many times they knocked the others to the mat, with the exception of Billy, who was only in it to improve his Ranger skills and keep the bullies away (so he said, anyway). Kimberly's girly-girl trick hadn't worked half as well on Zack, who wasn't as protective as Jason and Tommy, and it naturally hadn't fazed Trini in the slightest; she'd even used it herself a few times, though never with the frequency and relish that Kimberly had. "Go easy on me" was Kimberly's way of saying "You're going down, sucker."
Conner began with a very weak punch at Kimberly's stomach and the next thing he knew he was staring up at the ceiling and wondering how he'd gotten on his back.
Everyone roared with laughter, save Kimberly, who grinned in an innocent, "I'm-just-a-ditsy-and-harmless-little-girl" way and said "Yay!" happily.
Conner rolled to his feet and stared at her incredulously as Kimberly bounced on the balls of her feet. A moment later, he was diving backward to avoid her incredibly fast kick; this succeeded, but suddenly he was flat on his face on the mat anyway, having only a vague idea of where he'd actually been hit.
"That's two!" Kimberly cheered.
Conner leaped up, angry and confused. He lashed out with a punch that might have actually done some damage if Kimberly hadn't seen it coming a mile away. She grabbed his outstretched arm and flung him over her shoulder.
"Three!"
Revenge is sweet, Tommy thought evilly as Kimberly continued to humiliate Conner something awful. Eventually, somewhere around the fifteenth time he'd gone down by Kimberly's cheerful count, Conner began to fully apply himself, finally realizing that Kimberly wasn't a weakling but a skilled martial artist and gymnast. Around twenty-seven, he began to fight with a passion that he usually reserved for Ethan, monsters and Tyrannodrones, but by then he was so irked that he wasn't at his best; all it meant was Kimberly needed a little longer to knock him down.
"This is embarrassing," Trent muttered, though he looked thoroughly entertained. Something about this was so much more enjoyable than watching Kira beat on Conner.
"I know," Ethan said. "We should have bought popcorn."
Finally, Conner managed to even the score—at least, in his opinion.
"HA! I got you! I win!"
"Yeah," Kimberly said, giving him an odd look as she pushed herself up easily. "Forty-two to one."
"Who's the man?" Conner demanded of Ethan and Trent as he strutted off the mats.
"You the man," Ethan said sarcastically, patting Conner on the shoulder as Trent stifled a laugh. Conner completely missed Ethan's tone.
"All right!" Zack said, taking Kim's place in the center of the basement. "Who's next?"
Zack looked expectantly at the four teens. For all of his bravado, Conner looked very reluctant. Ethan was hoping to go up against Billy, Blue Ranger to Blue Ranger, and Kira was hoping for the same with Trini, so Trent stepped forward.
"Okay," Zack said. "I warn you, man, I'm pretty dangerous. You're about to get your butt kicked."
Trent smiled. "We'll see. I'm formerly evil. I didn't just get Dr. O's Two-Week Guide to Not Getting Killed as a Power Ranger. I trained with monsters, Triptoids, Tyrannodrones, Elsa, Zeltrax and occasionally even Mesogog."
"None of them have anything on me," Zack boasted. "Besides, I've still got my Power Coin."
Trent's eyes widened. "Isn't that kind of… you know… cheating?" he asked worriedly.
"Not in my book," Zack said, eyes glinting mischievously.
"You can take him, Trent!" Kira cheered.
"Kick his butt!" Conner added desperately, not wanting his friends to fare as badly as he had… and thus look like idiots in front of Tommy and his friends.
"Will do," Trent said, swallowing hard.
Author's Notes: It seemed like, with chapter 13, a debate was sparked over who was the hottest. It was pretty cool getting everyone's opinions, so I figured, hey, what the hell—I'll throw in my two cents, and get Freyja to do it too. These are just my opinions, and a lot of them—from In Space to Wild Force—are based solely on what I've seen from Internet pictures; as a kid I stopped watching PR before Turbo and I didn't pick it back up again until Dino Thunder. These are based on looks, not on how much I like their characters. As for Trini or Kim… I think Trini is the more beautiful. I've always thought Asians are gorgeous.
First MMPR Group
1) Jason; 2) Tommy; 3) Billy; 4) Zack
Second MMPR Group
1) Tommy; 2) Adam; 3) Rocky; 4) Billy
The In Space Group
1) Andros; 2) Carlos; 3) T.J.; 4) Zhane
The Lost Galaxy Group
1) Kai; 2) Mike; 3) Damon; 4) Leo
The Lightspeed Rescue Group
1) Chad 2) Joel 3) Ryan 4) Carter
The Time Force Group
1) Lucas 2) Eric 3) Trip 4) Wes
The Wild Force Group
1) Danny 2) Merrick 3) Cole 4) Max
The Ninja Storm Group
1) Dustin; 2) Cam; 3) Blake; 4) Hunter; 5) Shane
The Dino Thunder Group
1) Tommy; 2) Conner; 3) Trent; 4) Ethan
The S.P.D. Group
1) Sky; 2) Jack; 3) Bridge
Freyja's personal list of the hottest PR Guys
Jason, Jack, Andros, Trent, Blake, Merrick, Tommy, Conner, Adam, Cole, Carlos, Sky