MMPR Revisited
Homecoming Part 2
"You really should let me dress you all the time," Kimberly exclaimed with elation as she finished Trini's hair, removing the curling iron from the final strand. Trini smiled back at her but remained silent, as she had since they left the Youth Center – since she last saw Daniel. "Now, makeup – not too much," Kimberly took a brush and began to lightly apply blush to her cheeks.
A knock on the bathroom door interrupted them, and Billy's voice chimed in, "My mother is still going to have a pristine bathroom when she comes home, right?"
"Seriously, Billy. This is Homecoming – don't be selfish!" Kimberly retorted. "And you're all done," she announced, setting down the brush and turning Trini around to face herself. Trini's reaction was indescribable – her eyes beamed with surprise, and she finally allowed herself a genuine smile.
"Oh, Kimberly," Trini practically whispered, rendered nearly speechless. Kimberly opened the bathroom door and found Zack, Jason, and Billy waiting in Billy's parents' bedroom.
"Gentlemen, try not to stare too much," Kimberly said, feeling prideful in her work. Trini stepped into the threshold, and all the boys gave her the same astonished expression she had given herself.
"Hot damn!" Zack exclaimed immediately, and Trini felt her face turning red.
"Not too much! Don't throw off my work – find your balance," Kimberly instructed. And then it happened. The one thing that could make Kimberly feel both contempt and anger at the same time – their communicators sounded off. They all looked worried; Zordon never contacted them unless it was important. "Seriously?" she muttered in a low, angry whisper.
Jason answered the call and gave Kimberly a look of what could only be described as indifference. "Zordon, we read you," he said.
"Rangers, Rita has sent Goldar and the Dark Warrior into the city," the mention of the Dark Warrior made Trini's stomach churn. "Please come to the command center immediately." Kimberly crossed her arms and stared at the ground. None of them wanted to say anything because they knew it might make things worse for her.
"Kimberly," Zack started, and she shook her head.
"Don't," Kimberly cut him off. "I don't mean to be petty, but this is one night. We work so hard, and we can't let her ruin this one night."
"We can still make it in time, Kim," Jason said, and Kimberly gave him a hopeful look, but it faded when reality set in. It was Rita. Nothing ever went smoothly. "Let's go, guys."
They all teleported to the command center and immediately turned to the viewing globe, which showed the chaos unfolding. The Dark Warrior was ruthlessly cutting down civilians, and Goldar was summoning hordes of Rita's Putty army to the scene.
"Zordon, I don't think we've faced that many before," Billy said with a shaky voice as he tried to contain his anxiety.
"Yes, it appears that Rita has launched a full-scale attack on the city," Zordon replied matter-of-factly.
"Of course she has," Kimberly muttered bitterly. The viewing globe zoomed in on the Dark Warrior again, and the knots in Trini's stomach tightened so much that she began to lose her balance.
"Trini?" Billy tried to hold her up. "Trini, what's wrong?"
"I can't," her voice choked up, and warm, salty tears filled her eyes. All the Rangers surrounded her, concerned about her sudden change in demeanor.
"I knew something was wrong," Billy said. Trini's dark eyes met Billy's, revealing a combination of sadness and horror. "Trini, what's going on?"
"Rangers!" All of them turned to face the viewing globe as the Dark Warrior's face came into full view. "You seem to think I jest, and that angers me," the Dark Warrior drew his sword and pointed it at a young boy, no older than ten. "His life will be on your hands if you do not return what belongs to Rita!"
"We have to stop him," Jason said through gritted teeth, his fists clenched so tightly they turned white.
"No!" Trini burst out, lifting herself up from Billy's hold. "Zordon, the Dark Warrior is Daniel," her revelation left the other Rangers dumbstruck, with Jason looking particularly shocked. "We can't destroy him!"
"Trini, are you serious? Sweetie, what makes you think that?" Kimberly walked over to Trini and placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to console her.
"Trini, this is a most serious revelation. As you know, we have suspected the Dark Warrior to be of human origin, but are you certain?" Zordon asked. Trini wiped a tear from her eye and nodded.
"Yes, I feel like I've known for a while, but I had no proof until today. It just hit me. He was shot, and he recovered so quickly – too quickly. His attitude and his mood swings. And I cut the Dark Warrior's neck in Scorpina's tomb. Daniel had the same injury not even an hour later when I saw him. Plus, he just looked so troubled, Zordon. Today... the look in his eyes," her voice trembled, and she tried to fight back more tears.
"Trini, why didn't you tell us?" Jason's voice wasn't sympathetic but rather disappointed.
"How could I? I thought I was making it up in my head. Zordon, what can we do? Can we save him?" Trini asked desperately. Zordon remained silent – for the first time in a long time, Zordon was unsure.
"Trini, it's not that simple," Alpha 5 appeared from behind the main computer, holding some printed data in his hands. "I've been running scans on the Dark Warrior's vitals, and he is nearly consumed by darkness."
"You have to understand, Trini. Rita is using dark, ancient magic. The kind that is not easily reversed. Even if you were to destroy the Dark Armor, I fear his life force is too deeply bonded with it that it would kill him too," Zordon explained.
"So that's it? We just give up?" Trini said furiously.
"It's not that easy, Trini. He's killed people. Many people. He has to be stopped," Jason said.
"Are you hearing yourself?" Kimberly said in disbelief. "This is Daniel we're talking about. If it weren't for him, Trini wouldn't be standing here, remember?"
"Of course I hear you, Kimberly," Jason replied with a touch more empathy. "But we can't afford to be looking at the grey area in this. He's threatening the life of a child – an innocent child. He's taken dozens of lives today alone."
"Man, this is complicated…" Zack muttered.
"We need to take things one step at a time," Billy suggested. "It seems that Rita has forced our hand. If we give them the last piece of Scorpina, Goldar will likely retreat with half of his army. That will give us the advantage we need to clear the city."
"But then they get Scorpina back," Zack pointed out.
"And we'll have to deal with that another day," Billy said. "This way, we can focus our efforts on Daniel. Maybe we can get through to him."
"What do you mean?" Trini asked.
"Remember when Kimberly and I were possessed by darkness?" They all nodded, and Kimberly made a disgusted face at the memory. "We still have some of that antidote. If Alpha can amplify it, and if we can convince him to take it, it might be enough to keep him alive and restore him."
"Billy, while an excellent idea, I must caution you against getting your hopes up. This is dark magic. He might be too far gone," Zordon warned.
"But he's not lost. Not yet," Trini said.
"No, not yet," Zordon agreed. "Use extreme caution, Rangers. He may be your friend, but he is still undoubtedly possessed by darkness. Save the people."
"We'll save them. All of them and Daniel," Trini said confidently. Jason gave her a look of uncertainty, but knowing what she was going through, he didn't have the heart to shut her down. The objective was to save the innocent people, and if he could save Daniel, he would.
"Ready, guys? It's Morphin time!" Jason yelled.
"Mastodon!"
"Pterodactyl!"
"Triceratops!"
"Saber-Toothed Tiger!"
"Tyrannosaurus!"
"Maybe they're not coming…" Daniel's internal monologue haunted him as he continued to watch countless civilians fall before him – the fearful Dark Warrior. The young boy he was using as bait cried uncontrollably, his face a mask of pure fear. "Stop crying! It's pathetic," he shouted, but if anything, it made matters worse. He looked around at the ensuing chaos, being at the center of the city, with a prime view of the destruction.
"Just finish him," Goldar impatiently demanded. "Or I will."
"Not on your life, Goldar!" Jason shouted, and before Goldar could react, a blast from his laser gun struck Goldar directly in the face. Goldar howled in pain, and the Rangers appeared before them, armed with their blasters.
"Just for that, this boy's life will be on your hands, Red Ranger!" Goldar hissed.
"Not if you want Scorpina back!" Jason threatened, catching Goldar's attention instantly. Billy placed the remaining relic of Scorpina on the ground, and all the Rangers pointed their blasters at it.
"Don't be stupid, Rangers. You wouldn't risk the life of this poor child on a gamble," Goldar retorted.
"You want Scorpina back? Then let the boy go," Zack added.
"Oh, they mean business," the Dark Warrior taunted. "I wouldn't be making threats right now, Black Ranger. Never mind them, Goldar. Let's give them what they want. This boy isn't worth Scorpina's resurrection."
"No, he's not," Goldar agreed.
"The boy for the relic," the Dark Warrior proposed. "Come here." He gestured to the frightened boy, who approached cautiously. The Dark Warrior knelt down to his eye level. "Go and retrieve that relic from the Power Rangers, and you'll be free to go. Sound like a deal?" The boy nodded, trembling with fear.
"Give it to the boy," Goldar demanded.
"Jason…we have company," Kimberly warned as Putties began to form around them.
"Can I – I have that, please?" the boy asked, his voice trembling. Jason couldn't believe the extent of Rita's cruelty, using innocent children to achieve her goals. Looking at the boy's terrified face reminded him of the little boy who had died on the first day they became Rangers – one of his former students. He wouldn't allow the same fate to befall this child.
"Hey, buddy," Jason said soothingly. "Bring this back to him, and then get back here as quickly as you can, okay? I'll get you to safety."
"You promise?" the boy asked.
"I promise," Jason replied. The boy picked up the remains of Scorpina and approached Goldar, handing it over. Goldar accepted it, and in a flash of golden light, he disappeared.
The Dark Warrior, however, still stood there, eyeing the child. Without warning, he swung his sword at the boy, but he narrowly missed as the teleportation beam engulfed the child.
"Trini, he tried to hurt that kid anyway," Zack pointed out, glancing back at his teammate. While unable to see her eyes directly due to their visors, he sensed her great disappointment.
"Well, Power Rangers, I would like to welcome you to the reckoning," the Dark Warrior declared. "Rita has demanded that I decimate all of Angel Grove and anyone who tries to get in my way." He gestured to the surrounding chaos, indicating the destruction.
The Rangers surveyed the scene. They had successfully cleared the immediate area, but the city was still overrun with Putties. Even the Angel Grove Police Department had yet to arrive due to the scale of the attack.
"Rangers, keep a tight formation!" Jason instructed, drawing his Power Sword. The others followed suit, summoning their weapons. "There's no way we can take all of them. Let's even the odds. Let's bring 'em together, guys!" They brought their weapons together, creating a white energy flow.
"Power Axe!"
"Power Bow!"
"Power Daggers!"
"Power Lance!"
"Power Sword!"
The energy coalesced into the Power Cannon, and Jason fired it, obliterating a row of Putties.
"Enough of that!" the Dark Warrior exclaimed, leaping into the air with his sword raised. He brought it down on the Power Cannon, but Jason kicked away his sword and fired the cannon again, sending the Dark Warrior flying.
"Nice shot," Zack commented, but the Dark Warrior managed to land on his feet, seemingly unharmed.
"Jason, that could have killed him," Trini admonished.
"Trini, I'm sorry," Jason replied, realizing the danger. "But we can't afford to let him defeat us."
"Trini, none of us want to see Daniel hurt," Kimberly added, offering a sympathetic glance. "But we must protect the city and its people." Kimberly, Billy, and Zack ran off in different directions; Jason ran towards the Dark Warrior.
Trini hesitated before deciding her next move. She wanted to believe Jason – she wanted to believe that he had her best interest at heart and would do anything he could to keep Daniel alive. On the other hand, she knew that Jason kept a black and white point of view when handling Rita and her forces.
She had known Daniel for years. He had been the reason she was still alive. She had loved him – though she hadn't yet said it out loud, she had known it. And he had loved her – she had known that for a fact. But why hadn't that been enough?
"No," she had said under her breath. "I'm sorry, Jason, but I can't let you make this decision for me. If anyone is going to stop Daniel, it's going to be me." With her daggers in hand, Trini had charged forward and thrown her knee into a Putty and stabbed her daggers into its back after it had knelt over. She had pushed it aside and then kicked a Putty underneath the chin – the impact had caused the Putty's head to fly off of its neck and soar into the air.
"Next?" she had said and immediately began stabbing a Putty over and over again in the abdomen before shoving it to the ground. In the distance, she had seen Jason, and he had been only feet away from Daniel. "I have to keep moving!"
Meanwhile, on the southeast side of the city, Zack had cleared a path for injured civilians to escape. He encouraged them to keep moving and stay together as they fled the chaos.
"Keep moving, guys! You're doing great!" Zack cheered them on. The devastation was staggering – blood, fire, and destruction everywhere. Rita had truly outdone herself, and even the police had yet to arrive.
"Behind you!" a civilian shouted, and Zack turned just in time to be attacked by a Putty. The Putty punched him and tackled him into a wall.
"Son of a –" Zack began before retaliating with his axe, blasting a hole through the Putty. It stumbled backward and Zack finished it off with another shot. Once the civilians were safe, Zack rushed to join Kimberly and Billy on the other side of the central square.
Billy, using his Power Lance to maintain distance from the Putties, twirled it overhead and then swung it at a Putty, knocking it away. He then jabbed one end into another Putty's torso and threw it over his head, causing it to crash behind him.
"Nice throw, Billy," Kimberly praised as she sent an arrow into a Putty's head. "You guys, this way! Stay together – keep moving!" She directed a group of survivors away from the danger.
"It looks like this area is clear, too," Zack called out as he reached them. Billy used his lance to defeat another Putty, then twirled it in his hand.
"One step at a time; let's go help Jason and Trini," Zack suggested, and the three of them hurried to join their teammates.
Back at the central square, Jason continued his duel with the Dark Warrior. Their swords clashed in a fierce battle.
"You won't win, human," the Dark Warrior taunted.
"Funny you should say that," Jason responded, launching a surprise kick that knocked the Dark Warrior back.
"What do you mean?" the Dark Warrior asked with urgency.
"I know you're not a monster. You're not one of Rita's creations. You're human, just like me. How could you turn your back on Earth?" Jason questioned. But the Dark Warrior remained silent.
"You don't know anything about me, Red Ranger. I may not be one of Rita's conventional creations, but I assure you I'm every bit as evil," the Dark Warrior finally retorted.
"That's what I was afraid of. You've given up your humanity! I can't help you if you don't want to save yourself," Jason regretfully acknowledged.
"Save me? No, Red Ranger. The real concern is who is going to be here to save you!" the Dark Warrior declared, charging forward and striking with precision. Jason managed to parry most of his attacks, but he knew that a purely defensive approach wouldn't lead to victory. Jason met the Dark Warrior's sword, and they held their ground.
"Sorry about this, man," Jason apologized before swiftly reaching for his blaster with his free hand and landing three shots in the Dark Warrior's abdomen. The Dark Warrior was sent flying but managed to regain his footing.
"My energy…" the Dark Warrior muttered, struggling to breathe. He swung his sword at Jason, who narrowly avoided the strike and kicked the Dark Warrior to the ground.
"Trini!" Kimberly cried out as Jason's kick sent her teammate tumbling back into Jason's arms.
"What are you doing?" Zack questioned.
"Not like this. I want to trust you with this, but I can't. Not like this – he can't go like this. We have to try harder," Trini pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. She turned her attention to the Dark Warrior and slowly approached him.
"I know you're not evil. We all do. You don't have to do this. Rita doesn't have any real power over you…" Trini tried to reason, leaving the Dark Warrior bewildered.
"What is it with you Power Rangers? You can't save everyone," Daniel spat out.
"We can save you if you let us. I know who you are, Daniel," Trini said, shocking the Dark Warrior by using his name.
"How could she know that?" he wondered. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.
"Don't," Jason cautioned, but Trini nodded. Their identities were meant to remain secret at all costs, but Trini hoped that by connecting with him personally, she could break through his defenses.
"Huh, cat got your tongue all of a sudden?" the Dark Warrior taunted. "Tricks. You guys are full of tricks. I won't be bested by you, Yellow Ranger!" He charged forward, attacking relentlessly. Trini managed to parry his blows and kicks, attempting to disarm him.
"You have to stop this!" Trini insisted, sending a flurry of punches into the Dark Warrior's chest plate. She finished with a front kick to his stomach. "Stop attacking us; we can't save you if you keep attacking us!"
"You can't save me anyway!" Daniel yelled. "Don't you understand? I'm a pawn. Rita has a plan, and I'm going to die anyway. But I'm not going down without a fight! You can guarantee that!" His voice was filled with anger and desperation, and it was evident that he was severely weakened.
"Ahahahaha!" Rita's malevolent laughter echoed through the sky, and they all looked up as dark clouds gathered.
"My Dark Warrior, you have fought well," Rita proclaimed. "Time is running short to end these Power Rangers, so I leave you with one final parting gift! Magic Wand, make my Dark Warrior grow!" Her wand descended from the sky, and as it struck the ground, the earth trembled. A red beam of energy surrounded the Dark Warrior, causing him to grow to immense proportions.
"Daniel!" Trini called out, "You can fight this! You're not an evil person!" But her words fell on deaf ears as the now gigantic Dark Warrior began rampaging, knocking over buildings.
"We have to stop him," Zack insisted, and Trini turned her head, glaring through her visor.
"Trini, none of us want to do this," Kimberly said, offering a sympathetic glance. "But we have to try and stop him from hurting anybody else."
"I know…" Trini sighed, torn between her love for Daniel and her duty as a Ranger.
"Listen," Jason began, placing both his hands on Trini's shoulders. "None of us want to see Daniel hurt. If we can, we'll try to weaken him. The goal is to protect the city and everyone in it. I promise you I will try everything I can to keep him alive. But I need you to trust me. Can you please do it?"
After a moment of silence, Trini nodded. "Yes."
"Good," Jason said, turning around to face the colossal Dark Warrior. "Remember, guys, let's try to bring him down gently. We need Dinosaur Power, now!" They summoned their mighty Zords, ready to face the colossal threat.
