Part Eight
Chapter Three
Keeping close, Sarah and Scott raced down the deserted street.
"It's odd seeing the neighbourhood so quiet," panted Scott.
"I hope we don't run into any police," Sarah said.
Scott pointed to the glow on the horizon. "I think they're too busy to worry about us," he replied darkly, as they reached an intersection and came to a stop. "Where to?"
"Billy's house is that way," Sarah replied, pointing to the right.
As they turned to continue, a shadowy figure stepped into the middle of the street, blocking their path forward. The warrior had glowing blue eyes that burned with a cool fire, and was covered in ancient-looking armour, from his boots to his curved helmet. Whoever he was, he was unarmed. Given he was almost as wide as he was tall? He probably didn't need any weapons.
"Who are you?" Sarah called.
The figure didn't respond, but began marching towards them.
"Remember what Luna said about her imperial guards?" Scott asked. "I'm betting this is one of them."
"Okay pal," Sarah began. "We're trying to save our friends. We can either go around you, or through you. Your call."
The guard didn't stop, and broke into a run. Sarah glanced to Scott, nodded, and they reached for their back pockets.
"It's morphin' time! Rhamphorynchus!"
"Brontosaurus!"
The street was shaking with every step as the warrior thundered towards the Purple and Blue Rangers and raised his arm to attack.
Sarah caught the warrior's hand in mid-swing. "You chose poorly," she said, and slammed her fist into his chin. The warrior's head rocked backwards but he remained standing, striking Sarah away and aiming another blow for Scott. The Blue Ranger ducked the warrior's arm, dodging a second blow and stepping around a third, before rocking the guard with a blow to the stomach and kicking high. The warrior was faster than Scott expected and launched him back. Even as Scott fell, Sarah charged forward, swinging high and raining down blow after blow, driving the warrior back but doing no visible damage. Swatting Sarah away, the warrior reached for the hood of a small car parked by the curb and flung the vehicle at his opponents, forcing them to leap to safety.
As the crumpled car rolled to a stop against an old gum tree, Scott reached for his blaster and shifted it into blade mode. Sarah did the same.
"Let's go!" Scott shouted. Side-by-side, the Blue and Purple Rangers took to the air, slicing their blades for the warrior's chest as they fell. The guard staggered back in a blaze of fire and sparks and the Rangers pressed forward before he could recover. The warrior blocked Scott's arm but missed Sarah. When he lashed out for the Purple Ranger, Scott landed a glancing blow to the guard's shoulder before spinning around and slamming his boot into the warrior's helmet. While he was off-balance, Sarah kicked high, forcing their adversary back even further. Scott stepped up to join her and the two shifted their weapons to blaster mode. Before the warrior could attack, they aimed for his chest and fired, the twin blasts punching through his body and out the other side. The imperial guard gazed down at his chest dumbly before the light in his eyes flickered, and he tumbled backwards and exploded.
"Through you it is," Sarah nodded, as they holstered their blasters.
Scott raised his wrist. "Teresa?" he began. "Luna was telling the truth. She has armoured guards. We just ran into one." There was no reply, and Scott's face fell. "Teresa, you there?"
Hearing the concern in his voice, Sarah tried her communicator. "Teresa, where are you?" she asked. There was no response. "I'm sure she's okay," Sarah said. "We only left her a couple of minutes ago."
"Then where is she?" Scott asked, and glanced around the deserted street. "Where the hell is my sister?"
For a few seconds there was nothing. Teresa felt weightless without the sensation of falling. But the world took shape around her, and there was soon something solid beneath her feet. The shadows began to recede, and walls and furniture appeared around her. Teresa gasped when she realised where she was.
The Command Centre. Luna the midnight queen was standing right beside her.
"No," Teresa said. "You can't be in here."
"But every door in here," Luna began, and she tapped the side of Teresa's head, "is unlocked."
"Get off," Teresa said, and swatted Luna's hand away.
The midnight queen took no notice. The curious tone in her voice was hard to mistake. "So this is what's in here," she said. "We'd all wondered. It's very gaudy."
Stepping away from Luna, Teresa noticed Zordon's plasma tube was empty while Alpha was missing as well. Everything seemed fuzzy and indistinct. The computers and screens were blurry, and she couldn't make out the words and symbols on the consoles. Teresa had never realised how unnervingly quiet the room was.
"We're in my memories," Teresa said. "You think I've never done the ghosts of Christmas past thing before? Why are we here?"
Luna's brow fell. "Christmas?" she repeated. "Oh, a peasant ritual. A quaint annual holiday celebrating goodwill. That sounds tedious. My dear, this isn't about what I want," and Luna lowered her voice. "This is about what you want."
The viewing screen flashed to life. Teresa turned to the back of the room and recognised the figure onscreen.
"Monitar," she said. And there he was. The first monster Teresa had ever fought. Even as she watched, the lizard grew gigantic, and the five young Rangers summoned their zords for the first time. The Power Sword fell from the sky, and she could still remember wondering where Zordon kept it. Then they destroyed the beast and the fight was over.
"You remember, don't you?" Luna asked, suddenly right beside her. Her voice was softer now. "Right in that moment, when the monster met his fate at your hands, you let yourself believe one thing, didn't you? What was it?"
Teresa looked away. "That it was over," she replied.
Luna clapped her hands in delight. "Yes!" she shouted. "Mission accomplished! Your empty, meaningless lives could continue. Except, oh no…"
The footage on the viewing screen changed. Teresa looked back to see the team fighting the Doohlagal, and then Ultramarine. She flinched as Goldar destroyed Aaron's power coin, and the light flickered out in the Parazord's eyes. Then it was the Grey Warrior, and Aesma Daeva, before a giant 'Z' appeared onscreen, wreathed in flames.
"It gets worse from here, doesn't it?" Luna asked.
Teresa tried to look away but couldn't. Images were flashing past too quickly, burning through memories, and none of them were good. She saw Commander Crayfish, then Dream Weaver, and then Serpentera's great form outlined in the sun. She saw Crulger, then Crimson Glory attacking her brother. Pictures of Gargoyle Castle and Dragon Island flashed past then disappeared just as quickly. It was an endless parade of aliens and demons, of robots and gods in frenzied battles all over the galaxy. Every memory was like weight on her shoulders. She felt crushed and breathless.
"Stop it," she said quietly, and shut her eyes. But the footage just got louder. She could hear it all at once, battle cries and weapons clashing, giant robots trading blows like battleships colliding as cities shattered around them. Roaring disasters filled the air, all of it growing louder and louder. Finally, she opened her eyes and turned to Luna.
"Tell me," Luna began. Teresa heard the words clearly over the noise. "Are there any less monsters than when you started?" With that, Luna snapped her fingers. The sound cut out. The viewing screen and the lights switched off, and Teresa and Luna were alone in the darkness.
"Did you ever really make a difference at all?" Luna asked.
Before Teresa could argue, Luna raised her sceptre and everything went dark.
To be continued.
Author's notes – forgive me for the tonne of references to past stories, in Teresa and Luna's scene in the Command Centre. Keep the reference to "Dragon Island" in mind, because that one's gonna become pretty important in part 10.