Chapter 1: In which Tommy doesn't join the Power Rangers

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"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

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Colossians 3:13

Not too far from the city and beach of Angel Grove, California, an intense battle had just unfolded between Jason Lee Scott, aka, the Red Tyrannosaurus Mighty Morphin Power Ranger and Thomas 'Tommy' Oliver, aka, the Green Dragonzord Mighty Morphin Power Ranger. Just a few moments earlier, Jason had hurled his Power Sword at the Sword of Darkness and destroyed it by blasting it away to ruins using his Blade Blaster.

With the Sword of Darkness no more, Jason and our other four heroes used their Power Coins to change to their civilian appearances, as destroying the Sword of Darkness had the broken its hold on Tommy.

"You destroyed the Sword of Darkness," Zachary 'Zack' Taylor, aka the Black Mastodon Mighty Morphin Ranger exclaimed in happiness. "Rita's spell is broken!"

Running over to Tommy's side to help him up, Jason spoke kindly to the former corrupted Ranger.

"You okay, Tommy?" he asked.

"What's happening to me?" wondered Tommy.

"You're no longer under Rita's power." Jason explained.

"My head's spinning," Tommy moaned.

"You'll be okay, man," Jason assured his new colleague.

Remembering all that he had done, the green-clad teen trembled in sadness.

"What have I done?" he asked in horror.

"What you did, you did under Rita's influence." Jason assured him. "You own the power now. Fight by our side and we can defeat Rita."

"After everything that's happened?" Tommy asked with uncertainty.

"Tommy, we need you." Jason answered as the rest of the Power Rangers joined them. "It's where you belong."

Uncertain, Tommy looked at both Billy and Kimberly, who nodded their heads, it was quite clear they were willing to forgive him. He also looked at Zack and Trini, they too had no objections seeing as their leader didn't.

"We cannot begin to tell you how apologetic we are for not assisting you before," said William 'Billy' Cranston, aka, the Blue Triceratops Mighty Morphin Power Ranger.

"You have proven to have such strength and valor to fight against evil," explained Zack.

"This is the true sign of a being Power Ranger." Trini Kwan, aka, the Yellow Sabertooth Tiger Mighty Morphin Power Ranger added.

"Like, totally." Kimberly 'Kim' Ann Hart, aka, the Pink Pterodactyl Tiger Mighty Morphin Power Ranger agreed.

"Will you join us, Tommy?" asked Jason, who extended his hand.

* PAGE BREAK *

And here's where things change forever:

In the normal timeline, Tommy happily does so and becomes the sixth Power Ranger, and the rest, they say, is history.

But in this alternative timeline, things play out differently…

Tommy instead gently grasped Jason's hand and gave the leader of the Power Rangers his Dragonzord Power Coin, as he did so, a look of guilt appeared on his face.

"I'm sorry, guys." He replied. "But I…I just can't."

With that said, Tommy turned to leave and made his exit.

Shocked, the five Power Rangers looked at each other and then look at Tommy's Power Coin in surprise. No one said a word for a while.

Meanwhile, in the Command Center, Zordon and Alpha 5 had just watched what happened through the Viewing Globe.

"Ay-yi-yi-yi," Alpha 5 said in shock, "I see it Zordon, but I don't believe it."

"You have to, Alpha," boomed Zordon. "It appears as though Tommy is going through quite a lot. He has every right to figure out his conflicted emotions on his own."

Back on Earth, Kimberly grabbed Tommy's Power Coin from Jason's hand and began to run after their former enemy. Upon seeing this, the other four Power Rangers run after her.

While on his own, Tommy walked by alone himself, but not too long before he heard Kimberly's voice calling out to him.

"Tommy, wait," she called out. "Tommy, I need to talk to you!"

He stopped moving and turned to face Kimberly, the latter of whom started to catch her breath from running.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

To which, Tommy answered her, "I could've killed Zordon and Alpha 5. More importantly, I could've helped Rita take over the entire Earth. If needed, I could've killed the Power Rangers, and worse of all, he could've killed you…. I didn't want that."

"What do you mean?" asked Kimberly.

"I was raised as a Christian," explained Tommy, who showed a cross talisman necklace around his neck. "As you can guess, I was told by both my peers and my elders that to commit murder is a very serious sin. And had I been successful in Rita's mission, had you five not destroyed the Sword of Darkness, I would have been sent to Hell after my death."

"And I'm one too," said Kimberly, who showed Tommy she also had a cross talisman around her neck. "You have, like, nothing to worry about. It's all good now. As such, me and the others have forgiven you. I'm sure that with, like, the right training and supervision, both Zordon and Alpha 5 will forgive you too."

"Even still," Tommy went on, "I arrived Angel Grove hoping to have a normal life." Kimberly nodded to indicate she was listening and wondering what Tommy meant by that. "For a long time, I didn't have too many friends."

Kimberly couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"But what about me?" The brunette girl asked. "I befriended you. I was the one who you helped defend from Bulk and Skull's shenanigans. And I trust you."

"I know that you trust me, Kimberly," Tommy replied with a somber smile. "And I'm grateful for that. But this isn't about you, this is my destiny."

"And now your destiny can be one to help us out," added Kimberly. "Tommy, you're making a mistake."

* PAGE BREAK *

"Perhaps." Tommy said with a somber shrug. "Even if I am free, I need to repent for my sins and have some time alone to gather my bearings." He turned his back around. "Without Zordon and Alpha 5, without Rita and her minions, without the Power Rangers… and without you."

Eventually, Kimberly exhaled and nodded, deep down, she knew that Tommy was right, even if he did nothing wrong. All of what happened to him was Rita's madness, none of his own.

"I understand," she said. "More than you will ever know. Wanting to have a life without danger, a life without being a Power Ranger. I want a normal life too."

"I know," Tommy replied. "Just hold onto my Power Coin and I promise to you and the other Power Rangers that I will return… someday."

"You have my word," Kimberly hesitatingly nodded.

With that, Tommy then left the beach, just as tears began to fall from his eyes.

Immediately after that, the other Power Rangers arrive to comfort their Pink loving comrade, who began to cry herself as well.

"Kimberly, what happened?" asked an alarmed Trini.

"Are you feeling alright?" quizzed Billy.

Kimberly shook her head and didn't answer as her sobbing overcame her.

"Are you okay?" asked Zack.

"Where's Tommy?" wondered Jason.

The only thing Kimberly could do to answer, as more and more tears trickled down her face, was show the Dragonzord Power Coin that Tommy left her with.

Author's notes:

* So, that was my first chapter of this story, please let me know what you think of it so far, as you can bet that there will be more to come.
* Looking back on it, Tommy joining the team, while well earned, felt too sudden in the series. If anything, this could've been something build up to, like what was seen in the White Ranger arc.
- That said, the moment in question is still a great moment in Power Rangers history, no question.
* My dialogue that I have from the other Rangers as they speak to Tommy, as well as Kimberly's one on one him, was inspired by Star Wars: The Clone Wars 5th season episode "The Wrong Jedi".
- In that episode Anakin Skywalker clears the charges on his Padawan Ahsoka Tano for a crime she didn't commit.
* As always, I own nothing in this fanfiction, except the words I write. As such: The Power Rangers, all rights and everything else are owned and © by Saban, everything was inspired from, is owned and © by Lucasarts and Disney.

Until the next chapter, my fellow readers and Rangers:
I'm M. R. Parkerson signing off…