MMPR Revisited

Trigger Part 1

"You didn't want to do this…" Trini's voice quivered, and a warm tear trickled down her cheek. Desperation filled her pleas as she realized that nothing she said was making a difference.

"You didn't know what it was like…" James replied, his voice laced with anger. "To work so hard for something, only to have it ripped away!" His frustration grew, and he raised his gun, causing Trini to gasp and clutch onto both Billy, positioned to her right, and Daniel, to her left.

"James, please, put the gun down…" Brent, who stood next to Billy, spoke with a calm demeanor.

"You didn't want to tread down this path," Daniel added, subtly positioning himself in front of Trini. Brent mirrored his move, shielding Billy.

"You don't have a clue what I want!" James yelled.

"You want Eric back, just like the rest of us," Brent stated.

"Brent, stop it…" Trini whispered, her voice trembling.

"Just be quiet! Shut up, Brent! You weren't there. You abandoned us. You don't care about your friends. All your time goes to this loser!" James accused, pointing the gun at Billy.

"Don't! James, I'm warning you, don't!" Brent's voice lowered, and his eyes narrowed. "This isn't you…you don't have to do this."

"I've got nothing left," he replied in a monotone voice.

"Oh my God, there he is!" A girl's scream echoed from a distance, causing everyone, including James, to startle. In his panic, James accidentally pulled the trigger. The gunshot reverberated through the school hallways, drowning out Trini's screams.

"Oh no…Trini!" Billy exclaimed, alarmed, and pushed Brent aside. Both Trini and Daniel lay on the ground, Daniel hovering protectively over her. Trini remained motionless, unresponsive. "Trini…are you?" Billy's voice choked as he struggled to complete the question. Trini extended her hand and looked down to see warm, dark crimson blood.


30 Minutes Earlier

The final lunch bell had rung, signaling to all the students that it was either time for their fourth and final class of the day or a full hour of study hall. Ms. Appleby stood outside her classroom door, extending a warm welcome to her students as they entered her fourth-period Science Class. Her smile brightened when she spotted Kimberly, Jason, and Zack walking in together. The three of them settled into their customary seats in the middle rows of desks, side by side.

"Hey, did you guys hear?" Zack leaned over to Jason's desk, and Kimberly followed suit, eager to hear the news.

"Hear what?" Jason inquired, unaware of Zack's reference.

"I think I know what you're talking about, Zack. People have been gossiping about something all day, and everyone's been in a somber mood. Does it have to do with James Lewis and Eric Mitchell?" Kimberly asked, and Zack nodded.

"Word has it that James got expelled," Zack began, prompting a shocked reaction from Kimberly.

"No!" She exclaimed in disbelief. "Wasn't he, like, neck and neck with Brent for Captain of our Swim team?" Zack nodded. "Wow…"

"What about Eric?" Jason questioned.

"That's the heartbreaking part. Eric is no longer with us," Zack's statement caused both Jason and Kimberly to pause. Kimberly placed a hand over her chest, while the other covered her mouth, her eyes welling up with tears. "Yeah, I know."

"I can't believe it…" Jason muttered, utterly stunned.

"How did it happen?" Kimberly inquired.

"Here's the sad thing: with all the craziness going on lately, I guess they were dabbling in some things they shouldn't have been. Maybe just to cope?" Zack explained.

"Wait, are you suggesting they were doing drugs?" Kimberly kept her voice low as more students streamed in, searching for their seats.

"Yeah. I mean, they're rumors, so I can't say for sure, just hearsay. But I heard it was crystal meth, and Principal Kaplan caught them both, just as Eric was having some sort of seizure from it and…well," Zack didn't finish his sentence; his expression remained troubled.

"That's devastating. Oh my goodness, Eric's parents must be shattered," Kimberly wiped away a tear.

"And James got expelled?" Jason questioned.

"Yeah, that's the rumor," Zack confirmed.

"I can't believe James or Eric would get involved in something like that. It's…" Jason took a deep breath to steady himself. Kimberly and Zack exchanged knowing glances; they were aware of Jason's strong stance against drug use. "It's terrible. I'm saddened it had to unfold this way," Jason said. Kimberly placed her hand on Jason's to offer comfort just as the final class bell rang.

"Good afternoon," Ms. Appleby began after closing the classroom door. Her tone was laden with sorrow, and her students sensed the direction her speech was heading. "Today, we won't be covering Chapter 4, as indicated in the syllabus." A somber hush settled over the classroom. "As you may know, we lost one of our own, Eric Mitchell."

"Do you know how it happened?" One of the students asked, and Ms. Appleby took a moment before responding.

"How it happened isn't important. Eric was an athlete, and he certainly liked to push boundaries," she chuckled softly before growing serious again. "His family will be holding a memorial service for him on Saturday. I think it would be meaningful if each of you took this time to write his family a letter. I'm sure they could use the support right now, and reading wonderful things about their son might aid in the healing process." No one protested the idea of skipping a science lecture, but many students exchanged uncertain glances with one another, unsure of how to react. "You may now talk amongst yourselves. When you finish writing, just place your letters on my desk, and I'll ensure they're all delivered," Ms. Appleby concluded with a kind smile before taking her seat at her desk.

"I'm just—I'm overwhelmed," Kimberly admitted, her hands trembling slightly as she opened her notebook to a blank page.


For the students in study hall, there were several options available: heading to the library, staying in the cafeteria, or choosing a designated study hall classroom. Trini and Billy happened to share the same study hall and decided to spend it in the cafeteria that day.

"I'm absolutely buried under Algebra!" Trini exclaimed as she unzipped her book bag. "I don't think I've ever let myself fall this far behind."

"I know what you mean. I barely had time to finish the extra credit work I requested from Ms. Appleby this week," Billy replied with complete seriousness, prompting a chuckle from Trini.

"Come on, you don't know the struggle!" She continued to laugh. "Let's hope Rita doesn't have any plans to attack us today, or I might make her try to solve diamond graphs." Billy joined in the laughter as he pulled out his science textbook.

"So, speaking of Ms. Appleby, have you finished tutoring Brent?" Billy inquired.

"Negative," Billy replied. "In fact, he has study hall today as well, and I think he mentioned something about meeting us here for a study session."

"Well, it's good that you have open communication," Trini remarked. "This situation could have been much harder on you otherwise."

"Yeah, surprisingly, he's been really positive about improvement and eager to have as many study sessions as possible," Billy noted, which made Trini giggle.

"What?"

"He's eager to spend time with you? Perhaps he has a crush on you?" Trini said casually, causing Billy's expression to shift from curiosity to discomfort.

"Trini – what – no. He's not, I'm not –" Billy was so flustered by her statement that he couldn't articulate his own thoughts.

"Billy, I'm sorry, I was kidding. I know you're not – I mean, even if you were, I wouldn't care. But I know you're –"

"Just drop it. It's okay," Billy said, immediately burying his face in his notebook.

"Hey guys," Brent interrupted as he sat down across from Billy and Trini. They didn't respond, and Trini didn't even make eye contact, still feeling awkward about the situation moments earlier.

"Hi, Brent," Trini finally said after the deafening silence became uncomfortable.

"Here to study?" Billy asked as he put his book down.

"Yeah, I mean…I don't know. I'm not really in the mood. Have you heard about what happened?" Brent asked.

"Oh, right, with Eric and James. I'm so sorry, Brent. I forgot how close you were to them," Trini said in a consoling tone. Billy's eyes shifted from Trini to Brent, completely confused by the conversation. Noticing Billy's confusion, Trini asked, "Billy, did you hear what happened?" Billy shook his head. "Do you know Eric Mitchell and James Lewis?"

"Intimately. They threw me into many trash cans in middle school," Billy responded flatly.

"I'm sorry about that," Brent said, his voice somber.

"Not your fault. No need to apologize," Billy replied. Trini then filled Billy in on the rumors, which Brent didn't deny, about Eric's death and James's expulsion. "Wow," was all Billy could say, utterly stunned.

"I feel partly responsible," Brent admitted, immediately capturing Trini and Billy's attention. "They were close friends of mine until the beginning of this year. I wanted to focus on my goals, swimming, and trying to get a scholarship. It sort of drove a wedge between us."

"You shouldn't apologize for wanting to excel," Billy stated.

"It's not that black and white," Brent replied. "I know I didn't do anything wrong, but maybe if I had been around more, I could have prevented this from happening."

"Don't blame yourself," Trini insisted. "The choices they made were unfortunate, but you have no reason to feel guilty." Brent managed a half-smile, but it quickly faded.

"Yeah, I just feel terrible for James. Part of me is angry, but I don't know if that's fair. James doesn't come from a good family. His dad is an alcoholic, and I know he's been physically abused in the past. He denies it, but we all knew. I can only imagine what he must be going through now that he's expelled." Trini and Billy exchanged glances, unsure of what to say at this point. "Sorry," Brent said. "I didn't mean to unload. I'm really not in the mood for studying. I'm sure you understand. Is it cool if I just hang out with you guys?"

"Of course," Trini said. "You might witness me going bald trying to solve this Algebra homework, though. Fair warning," she joked, and Brent laughed. Billy remained silent, burying himself back in his book and avoiding direct eye contact with Brent.

"Trini Kwan, I believe you owe me an answer," Daniel suddenly appeared and took a seat across from Trini, flashing a bright smile.

"Daniel, don't you have English class?" Trini retorted with a smile of her own. Daniel produced his bathroom pass and placed it on the table. "You thought of me on your way to the bathroom. You really know how to flatter a girl."

"Not like that. See, this girl in class just asked me to homecoming, and I told her I'd think about it. I'd rather not go with her, but I wanted to be a gentleman and let her know as soon as possible if I'm available," Daniel explained, and Trini shook her head, laughing.

"How considerate of you," she said.

"So, Trini Kwan, will you –" Daniel's question was abruptly interrupted by one of the most horrifying sounds any of them could ever hear: a gunshot. The sound reverberated through the halls and echoed in the cafeteria, sending all four of them standing up and scanning the surroundings, trying to figure out where it had come from.

"Was that a -?"

"Gunshot, yeah," Brent replied to Trini. The echoes of the shot faded, leaving them in a haunting silence. They all held their breath, hoping that Principal Kaplan would announce some kind of misunderstanding, but no such announcement came. Instead, the eerie quiet was shattered by two more gunshots, followed by a blood-curdling scream that filled the hallways.

"Oh my god," Daniel exclaimed. "We need to get out of here!"

"Are you out of your mind? Where would we run to? Right into the shooter's view! No, we need to stay put!" Brent yelled.

"We could be sitting ducks if we just stay put!" Daniel retorted.

"Daniel's right. We have nowhere to hide in here. Let's stick together and try to find someplace safe," Trini suggested, immediately starting to pack her books. Billy followed suit, and once they were ready, all four of them rushed out of the cafeteria.

"Attention, Faculty and Students!" Mr. Kaplan's anxious voice echoed through the school's intercom system. "We are initiating a Code Black. This is not a drill. Teachers, lock your classroom doors. Any students in the hallways, please try to find your way into a classroom or one of our designated safe zones. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill!" After his announcement, chaos erupted among the students, particularly in Ms. Appleby's class.

"Class, please calm down! Everything will be alright!" She attempted to reassure them after locking her classroom door, but her words fell on deaf ears. Kimberly, Jason, and Zack retreated to the back of the classroom.

"Those gunshots were real," Zack confirmed. "We have a shooter in the school."

"How can this be happening, on top of everything else?" Kimberly buried her face in her hands. "What should we do?" Jason scanned the room and noticed a storage closet in the back. With a discreet signal, he directed Kimberly and Zack to follow him towards it. Jason tested the closet's handle and found it unlocked. Silently, he opened it, and Kimberly and Zack slipped inside, followed by Jason.

"What if it's not a shooter? What if Rita is behind this?" Jason's theory gave them pause.

"Why would Rita attack our school?" Kimberly asked.

"Why not? With everything else that's happened? I think we should go to Zordon," Jason proposed.

"What if Ms. Appleby notices we're gone? What if someone saw us come in here and then we're suddenly gone? How would we explain that, Jason?" Kimberly raised valid concerns, which made Jason refrain from arguing. Instead, he turned the knob and locked the closet door. "Oh good, problem solved," Kimberly said sarcastically.

"Kimberly," Zack's reproachful tone conveyed his disapproval of her negativity.

"Sorry, I'm just beyond freaked out," Kimberly admitted.

"I am too. We have to figure out if there's a way for us to help. If it is Rita, we need to know, and Zordon would know," Jason said. "Are you guys ready?" Both Kimberly and Zack nodded, and they followed Jason's lead by teleporting out of the storage closet, landing in the Command Center moments later.

"Ayiyiyiyi! Rangers, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Alpha 5 rushed forward.

"Don't you know what's happening?" Jason asked.

"Know what, Jason?" Zordon's question inadvertently answered Jason's.

"So, it's not Rita," Zack confirmed, and Jason nodded in agreement. "Damn," Zack cursed.

"Rangers, what's troubling you?" Zordon inquired.

"Zordon, something terrible is happening at our school. There's a shooter. Someone with a gun, and we heard three gunshots. We thought it might be related to Rita, but it's not…" Kimberly's voice trembled. At this point, she would have preferred it to be one of Rita's monsters.

"Other than the activity I shared with you earlier, Rita has not made any moves on Earth. I'm sorry to say this evil is not from Rita, but from your own kind," Zordon revealed.

"We can still help, right?" Jason pressed. "We're Power Rangers. Can we just stand by and do nothing?"

"While your desire to help is commendable, intervening as Power Rangers would be inappropriate," Zordon replied. Jason shook his head in disagreement.

"We can't just do nothing. We have to use our powers to help. We can't let innocent people get hurt," Jason insisted.

"We can't help as Rangers for the same reason the government can't help us against Rita. Bad things happened before we became Rangers, and there was nothing we could do about it," Zack explained, elaborating on Zordon's response.

"But we can do something about it," Jason argued.

"Where is Trini and Billy?" Alpha asked, and Kimberly gasped.

"Oh my god, don't they have study hall? They could have been in the hallways when this happened, they could have been—" Zack grabbed Kimberly as she started to panic.

"Zordon, can you show us where they are on the viewing globe?" Jason demanded.

"Of course, observe!" Zordon activated the viewing globe. Trini, Billy, Daniel, and Brent were shown slowly moving through the hallways, trying to reach the library, a designated safe zone. However, their progress was halted when James Lewis turned a corner, holding a gun.

"No way…" Zack responded in disbelief.

"Oh my god," Kimberly gasped.

"Zordon, we have to do something! He's holding Trini and Billy at gunpoint!" Jason turned around to face his mentor.

"Jason," Zordon's voice remained firm, and Jason shook his head.

"No, no. We have to do something!" Jason shouted.

"Jason, we cannot interfere. If you teleport there, you risk exposure," Zordon warned.

"I don't care," Kimberly said. "Aren't their lives worth it?"

"Of course. Trini and Billy's lives are invaluable. I'm not suggesting otherwise. But the bigger picture, you are Power Rangers. Your goal is to defend Earth from Rita and to use your powers only for that purpose, not to take matters into your own hands," Zordon said.

"Ayiyiyiyi!" Alpha cried out. "Jason, Zordon is right. You need to calm down," Alpha pleaded, but Jason was beyond reason.

"No, no." Jason kept repeating to himself. The horrifying sound of a gunshot made Kimberly scream, and Jason turned to the viewing globe. James appeared shocked, tears streaming down his face. Billy pushed Brent aside and rushed to Trini, kneeling beside her. When she held out her hand, it was covered in blood.

"Oh my god, Trini! No!" Kimberly began crying, burying her face into Jason's chest. Jason held her tight, unable to believe what he was witnessing.

"Ayiyiyiyi! Zordon!" Alpha cried.

"No..." Zordon's voice was filled with pain for the first time. If he could shed tears, he would have.

"We have to do something," Jason said. None of them disagreed at this point; the question was, what could they do?