Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers. Only my OCs.
Previously…
Zoey jerked up in bed and looked at her surroundings. She was in her old room at Ninja Ops. She took a deep breath and a drink of the water on the nightstand beside her. When she had calmed down, she stood on shaky legs and walked into the mainframe.
Cam, who was sitting at the computer, looked up, "Hey, you're awake. Are you okay? You look really pale."
"No, I'm not. Where's Jenna?"
"An emergency called her back to Reefside and asked if I'd keep an eye on you." He stood up and walked over to her, "Why don't you sit down for a moment, let me get you something to eat. You don't want to keel over." He led her over to the table and pushed her into a chair, "That way, you can regroup and contact your team for an update." When she nodded, he walked away to head into the kitchen in the back.
She took another breath and held up her morpher, "Hayley."
"Zoey? You're awake. How are you?"
"Don't worry about me. I need to know if Tommy was attacked by the White Ranger, aka, Trent, and encased in amber."
"Wait… how did you know that?"
"I'm not sure. I'm going to get myself settled, get some food in my stomach and talk with Sensei, then I'm coming home. I'm going to help you find a way to free my brother and you're going to help me start a search for someone. I have to stay busy. I need something productive to do to keep me from kicking that damn White Ranger's ass."
Chapter 13: Leader of the Whack
Down in the lab, Jenna was at the computers as Hayley ran some tests on Tommy. While she was doing that, the rest of the Rangers were just hanging out behind her. Ethan was playing a new computer game, Kira was practising her guitar, Conner was kicking his soccer ball around and Andy was working on a new kata.
"Hayley! One more level, and I break my all-time record!" Ethan called out, bouncing in his seat like an excited kid. Jenna looked back at a smirking Andy and rolled her eyes.
Conner came around the corner, tossed his ball over a crate and smiled as it landed on top of Ethan's laptop.
"Conner!" Ethan cried out as his game was shut off.
"Sorry." Conner said, as he and Andy laughed.
"Now I have to start all over!" Ethan grumbled.
"It's just a game, Ethan." Jenna called out, exasperated.
"Yeah," Conner looked at his Blue friend, "there's this great new thing called the outdoors!" Conner said as Ethan walked past him. "You might wanna check it out."
"Tell you what. I'll check that out, when I see you checking out the library."
Conner started laughing, and looked over at Kira, "You got about as much chance of seeing that, as seeing Kira at a fashion show." He smirked as the blonde looked up from her guitar.
"Do you really wanna go there?" She asked, glaring.
"How about Andy over here?" Ethan looked over at the Green Ranger, "Think we'd ever see him doing anything other than martial arts?"
Conner shook his head, "Probably not."
"Why am I being brought into this conversation?" The Bear Cub asked, looking over.
"Or Jenna…" Ethan stopped as the Wolf Master turned a glare at him, "Never mind."
"Hey, any luck on de-fossilizing Tommy?" Andy asked as he walked over to Hayley, trying not to laugh at the Blue Ranger's hasty retreat.
"Not yet," Hayley sighed, glancing at the Green Ranger. "I just can't find an energy source that can safely break the molecular bonds of the amber."
"It's a shame the Gem of Souls was destroyed." Andy whispered at Jenna, who joined him by the genius, "I bet it could break through the bonds, no problem."
"Right?" Jenna nodded, "Man, that would have been awesome."
"That's weird." Hayley frowned at the screen, "The satellite's picking up a strange reading in the forest."
"Let's go check it out," Conner glanced to his friends, who nodded. Andy hesitated and looked down at Jenna.
"You know, I'm getting a really weird feeling about this. Would it be weird if you and I stayed back, just in case?"
"Not weird, no." She sat back down, "Your instincts may be enhancing due to all of your Pai Zhuq training. Let's wait and see what happens, okay?"
1-2-3-4-5
They watched as their teammates encountered Trent, Cassidy and Devon when the bad guys showed up
"Whose side are you on today Trent?" Conner called out as they stood by the rock.
"Come on Conner, focus." Andy muttered, "Now is not the time for this."
"You want my help or not?" Trent back, getting into a fighting position.
"Work together, come on!" Jenna yelled out in frustration.
"Guys, I'm analyzing the radiation from that rock, and it's really freaky. Get away from it, now!" Hayley said, talking through the comms.
"It's a little late for that!" Kira snapped out as she took down another Tyrannodrone.
"What a strange little rock…" the monster mused as he approached it cautiously. A moment later, he was letting out a loud growl. "I want a piece of the action!"
"Uh-oh." Andy's eyes widened, "That was a major switch-up."
The monster started running at Conner, swinging his mace-like fist at him, only for Ethan to block it with his armor, "Come on you wimps! Put 'em up!"
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Ethan looked to their leader. Conner nodded, and they held up their morphers.
"What's going on?"
The three looked up from the screens to see Zoey coming down the stairs.
"Hey, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine, really. I'm just really tired." She looked at the screens as the others continued to fight. "Do they need help?"
"We're holding back for now." Andy walked over, "I don't trust that rock yet, so we thought we'd wait it out for a bit and see how things turned out."
"Smart move." Zoey nodded, looking worn out as she walked over to her brother in the amber, "How long was I out for?" The other three exchanged glances for a moment, hesitating, "That long, huh?" She sighed, dreading the real answer.
"You were out for almost two weeks, Z." Jenna laid a hand on her shoulder, "We've had everyone calling or stopping in to check on both you and Tommy." She looked concerned as her friend just walked over and sat on the couch, "Jason had to call and make up some excuses for the both of you at the school."
"It had something to do with needing to help your parents through some tragedy at home." Andy said as they join Zoey on the couch, "Are you okay? You're shaking."
The Pink Ranger looked down at her hands and sure enough, they were trembling uncontrollably, "I um, I don't know." She rubbed her face, suddenly tired, "It's like, the longer I'm awake, the more I don't feel right."
"Alright, you rest, okay. I'm calling the others in. Some new data just popped up." Hayley activated the comms, "Guys, head back to the lab. I have some news about the space rock."
"Space rock?" Everyone in the lab look around confused at their question.
"Isn't that what they were sent out there to look at?" Andy stood up, and walked over to the monitors, "I knew there was something off about that rock."
"We don't know yet if it's done anything to them." Jenna stayed where she was, trying to comfort her friend, "Let's wait until they get here and just monitor them."
"Set the lab for biometric scanning." Zoey leaned back, closing her eyes, "Set the computers for silent mode incase something happened. That way they won't know what you're doing and you can study the data alongside the meteor readings."
"Well…" Hayley quirked a brow, "she may feel weird and out of wack, but her brain is as sharp as ever."
1-2-3-4-5
"It's actually a meteor fragment." Hayley explained as everyone stood around the computer. Zoey had fallen asleep on the couch.
"Fascinating." Conner folded his arms. "It must have broken off during some sort of intergalactic collision." He turned around to start pacing. When no one said anything, he turned around to see everybody staring at him, "What?"
"I didn't know he knew what intergalactic meant." Andy whispered to Jenna, who just shrugged, as confused as he was.
"I'm just afraid coming in such close proximity to it might have some strange side effects." Hayley said, looking concerned, "Do you guys feel ok?"
"Well I for one, am going home." Kira decided, not answering the question. "If I don't soak my cuticles in an aloe bath, my nails will never grow out."
Jenna jerked around to stare at her in horror, "What did you just say?"
"I gotta hit the gym. I need to work on my pecs!" Ethan said, looking down at his chest as he flexed his arms.
"I wanna get home to watch that documentary on the great pyramids." Conner decided, "Looks fascinating!" He smiled brightly, looking excited.
No one noticed Zoey looking around at the teens with a calculated and confused look on her face. When they were alone, she turned to Hayley, arching her brows. "I hope you activated that bio-scan. Because from where I'm sitting, it feels like Billy and Kim switching bodies again. And it's freaking me out."
"Watching that in the archives was weird." Jenna chuckled, "But funny as Hell. It's a shame we missed it in person."
"Anyone else glad that we weren't there for the entire Sensei Switcharoo with Shane and Dustin?" Andy raised his hand, "Seeing Cam talk to Dustin like a son, that was weird."
"Hayley, if we can harness that meteor rock, altering it's molecular state, it might be enough to break the amber down around Tommy." Zoey muttered, laying back down again.
"Just get some sleep and I'll have these two help me analyze all of the data."
1-2-3-4-5
The next morning, Zoey and Jenna came down to the lab to see Ethan already there. They stopped at the base of the stairs and stared in shock at the Blue Ranger. "I think we just walked into an alternate reality." Jenna shook her head to clear the vision in front of her, but it wasn't working.
"What alternate reality?" Andy came down behind then and froze in his tracks, "Um, Z? Did we get dusted by Goldwinger? Because there's no way that this is real."
"Oh, it's real alright." She leaned against the computer console, her body still weary and watched Ethan, now in athletic training gear, lifted weights.
"Ethan, are you sure you're ok?" Hayley asked, eyeing the teen.
"Oh yeah!" He exclaimed, making his teammates jump back in shock, "I am pumped, and ready to rock!"
"Completely freaked now." Andy nodded, "This is not normal."
"Good morning all," Conner greeted as he walked in. He wore a pair of glasses, and a grey blazer over his buttoned red shirt, and his hair was gelled out of his face. "The weather is particularly pleasant today. Excessively low humidity."
"Oh. My. Zordon." Jenna started rubbing her eyes, "Make it stop."
"Whatever bro," Ethan rolled his eyes. "How do my arms look? I look ripped or what?" He looked down at his bare arms, flexing.
They looked over when Kira came in, wearing heels, a pale yellow gauzy dress and headband. She looked like she jumped out of a modern catalog for 50s fashion. "Good morning, Kira." Conner greeted with a smile.
"Hello. Sorry I'm late." She smiled at everyone and held up the shopping bags hanging off her arms, "There was a sale and I just… well, you understand."
"Holy crap." Zoey sat on the chair, shuddering at the image in front of them, "It's Kim in a yellow dress. On crack."
"Hey, you guys think I'm ready for the Iron Man competition?" Ethan asked.
"This is just ugly." Jenna threw her hands up, "I can't take anymore."
"Ok, there were definitely side effects from you being exposed to the meteor." Hayley determined. "We need to destroy that rock, and get you back to normal."
"Side effects?" Conner frowned, "I find that highly improbable."
Ethan nodded, "Yeah, I feel like I can kick Mesogog's butt by myself."
The alarm went off again, making everyone look over at the monitors, "That's gonna have to wait. Look who's back." Jenna frowned as the monster from before chased away screaming people, "Andy, why don't you join them this time. Keep an eye on them." She nodded at the Green Ranger as he stepped down to the others.
"We don't need babysitters." Ethan grumbled as he laid down his weights, Kira dropped her shopping bags and Conner put down his books.
"Ready?" Conner asked.
"Ready!" Their morphers changed and they activated them.
"DINO THUNDER, POWER UP, HA!" They morphed once again, headed out to fight.
"Should we be worried?" Jenna asked, looking at Hayley.
"Oh, yeah." The red-head paused and looked at Zoey, "You still look really off. What happened? Where did you go?"
Zoey got this look on her face and closed her eyes, "I'm not ready to talk about it. I was fine when I first woke up, but now…" she trailed off, "Not yet. Please."
"Okay." Jenna shared a look with Hayley, "Well, let's monitor the fight and go through the data we pulled from yesterday. Okay?
1-2-3-4-5
The Rangers arrived on the scene as the monster was shooting lasers at civilians.
"Let's devise a strategy of attack." Conner suggested, rubbing is head in thought.
"I've got a strategy! We crush em!" Ethan declared, cracking his knuckles.
"The lines on my suit are so completely wrong." Kira sighed, twisting her body around, "Why doesn't anyone make superhero costumes for petite?"
"Why did I come with you guys?" Andy muttered, trying to ignore their weird personalities and focus on the fight.
"Colorful earthlings! Prepare to be destroyed!" The monster turned toward them and blasted Conner off his feet.
"That was totally uncalled for!" The Red Ranger yelled at him. "Kira, a hand?" He asked, looking up at the Yellow Ranger.
"I just know I'm gonna have the worst helmet-hair after this," Kira groaned, rubbing her helmet. Just as Andy reached down to help Conner up, the monster shot another blast out and knocked him, Kira and Ethan to the ground.
"You've got to be kidding me." Andy muttered, cursing space rocks in his head.
"You're no match for me, silly suckers! Later posers!" Before they could stop him, the monster disappeared through an Invisiportal.
"I told you, we should have thought this out!" Conner yelled as the teens got back to their feet.
"In my business, you go big, or you go home!" Ethan growled at him.
"This is no time to argue, guys." Andy stepped in the middle, "We have to regroup and work together."
"Well, I say we go to the mall." Kira threw her head back and pranced off.
"Have fun." Conner went in another direction.
"Later!" Ethan called out as he stalked away.
"Okay, this is bad." Andy lifted the morpher, "I know you were watching that. Any suggestions?"
"Zoey's already provided some, but I think we'll hold off on those for now. They're quite colorful and really unnecessary." Andy chuckled at Hayley's remark, "For now, just come back to the lab and help Jenna and me with the analysis. I'm making Zoey rest some more."
"You've got it."
1-2-3-4-5
"Hey, Z, how are you feeling?" Andy asked as he came back in into the lab, "You look really pale."
"Is that supposed to be a subtle hint at how crappy I look?" She arched her brows with a smirk, making him shove her a little.
"As I don't have a death wish, no." He chuckled, handing her a mug, "Caramel Hot Chocolate with vanilla whipped cream, caramel drizzle and cinnamon. Just for you."
She eyed him, "Why are you trying to butter me up?"
"I'm not! Can't a friend just be nice?" He looked around at the smothered laughs that Jenna and Hayley were trying to hid, "What?" He sighed, "Okay, I'm not trying to butter you up, not really. It's just, with Tommy indisposed at the moment, and knowing you went through a bad experience, I just want to make sure that you're okay. You really have no idea how often our siblings and their friends call up here to check on us. Adam told me that they were constantly getting reports on us in Reefside and now, they just need to make sure we're doing okay."
He paused for a moment, "And to be honest, I really don't want to have to deal with Jason if I don't do everything I can to help you."
"Or Tommy when we get him out." Hayley laughed.
"Do you just feel tired or is it your magic?" Jenna asked, getting everyone's attention.
"Um… both." She looked up, "Normally it just wears off. But, the longer I'm awake, the more tired I seem to get. I think it's because of where I was."
"Where were you?"
Her eyes glazed over for a moment, remembering the feeling of darkness, "I'll tell you when we get Tommy out. I don't want to tell it more than once." They looked over when the computer started beeping, "What's going on?"
"I've had the computer running diagnostics and bio-analysis on the other three and the meteor. And now, I think, if we use the rock, we can free Tommy."
"What?" They got up and walked over to the computer, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, let me call the others in. We're going to need all hands on deck."
1-2-3-4-5
"Hey guys." Hayley greeted as the other three walked down into the lab.
"What now? I was having a super intense workout!" Ethan told her, irritated. Zoey glared at them from her chair by the computer.
"And I was right in the middle of a very compelling biography." Conner spoke up.
"Seriously?" Andy rubbed his forehead in confusion.
"Is this gonna involve dirt?" Kira asked as a thought came to mind. "Cause if it does, I'm gonna have to say, 'uh-uh'."
"Sorry we interrupted your busy day." Jenna snapped, finally having had enough of their snotty attitudes, "I don't care what you're personalities have been changed to, I will knock your sorry asses out."
"Calm down." Zoey tugged her down, "They can't help it."
Haley held up a hand, "We just thought you might like to know that I think I've found a way to un-fossilize Tommy." She said, getting their attention.
"Really?" Their hope changing the frowns on their faces.
"The meteor fragment." Hayley told them, smiling softly. "My theory is that it frees your inner self. That's why you guys are acting so weird." They looked mildly insulted at her words.
"Of course!" Conner exclaimed as his face lit up, "If you could harness it's power, you could free Doctor Oliver from the inside out!" He summed up for the others. "Although I do take offence at being called weird."
"I'll call him more than that when we snap them out of this." Jenna grumbled.
"Sorry. You're not being weird." Hayley shot a glare at Jenna, "It's just that the rock is allowing you to show a side of yourself that you don't usually show."
"A recessive personality trait!" Conner realized.
"You could say that." Hayley nodded.
"Which means that there's a part of Conner that is intelligent and studious." Zoey pointed out, "There's a part of Ethan that is athletic and competitive. And Kira has always had a girly side, she just shows it in a different way."
"Which is why Kira's been acting like Kim 2.0." Andy muttered, making the two beside him shudder, "Tell me I'm wrong."
"So that's why Trent helped us!" Kira realized, looking at them quickly. "There must be a part of him that's really good!"
"I still don't really understand all this." Ethan shrugged.
"You don't have to." Hayley told him gently. "For now, just pull it together as a team. Trust me." She pleaded with them with a smile.
"That sounds logical." Conner nodded, solemn.
"Alright, here's what I need you to do," Hayley began, before the alarm went off, "Oh, again?" She sighed as the monster showed up on screen again.
"First things first." She smiled, looking beside her, "Are you two joining them?"
"Not yet." Zoey said, making the decision, "Let's see if those three can handle it."
"You got it." Conner nodded as they dropped their stuff and held up their morphers.
"Ready?"
"Ready!"
"DINO THUNDER, POWER UP, HA!"
When they left, Zoey turned toward the others with a smirk, "Just an FYI, I've had the video recording down here since yesterday. I'll be adding their warped morphs to our Ranger Bloopers reel." They started laughing, "I'm sorry, but their personality change really altered the way they morph, especially Kira, and I will be sharing it. With everyone."
1-2-3-4-5
They stayed in the lab to watch the fight, waiting to see if they would need help.
"Being bad feels really good!"
"Stupid monsters and their bad puns." They laughed at Zoey who just rolled her eyes at the screen. The monster stopped laughing when he was blasted from behind, making him turn around.
"Hey mutant!" The three Rangers ran up behind him, weapons at the ready.
"Not you again!" the monster groaned as he turned around.
"Thunder Max Sabre!" Conner called on his sword, jumping through the air. With a two strikes and a side kick, he knocked the monster back. "Most excellent."
"I got something for you too!" Ethan smirked.
"Wow! Leave something for me!" Kira laughed, bouncing excitedly.
"Yep. Definitely going into the video." Jenna smirked as they laughed.
They leapt into the air and landed more kicks to the monster's front. He flew backwards, hitting the ground hard and crying out in pain.
"Altogether now!" Kira smiled as they drew their blasters and shot at him. As soon as he staggered up, he blasted them, sending them back as they cried out.
"This creature leaves us no choice!" Conner growled as they recovered from the hit. "Super Dino Mode!" Their suites lit up and the diamonds grew into large spikes.
"Okay, what?!" Zoey exclaimed, watching the teens run at the monster, "When did they get that?" She stared as the power up seemed to be too much for the creature, "Andy? Do you have this too?"
"Yep." He smiled, "Jenna doesn't, but that's because she's been staying in the lab with Hayley. We got them in our last fight against Trent. We kind of unlocked it on our own."
"Great. Something else to look forward to." She muttered as the teens combined their weapons, "Like I need an upgrade when I can't control what I already have."
"Not sure if we'll get it do to the nature of our gems and morphers." Jenna shrugged.
"Silver lining."
"Z-Rex Blaster!"
"Fire!"
"We rock!"
"So fabulous!"
"Great work team." Conner congratulated when the monster was destroyed.
"Why the celebration?" Jenna chuckled, "They should know better by now." They watched as the creature was reanimated, larger than ever, "See?"
"I'm big, and I'm back!" The monster declared as he towered over them.
"It's Zord time!" Conner called, summoning the Megazord and Ankylozord.
"Whoa!" Zoey sat up, "Where did that thing come from?"
"Another new upgrade." Hayley smiled over at her, "I sent it in during their last fight with Trent."
"Take this!" The monster called out as he fired the first shot.
They lifted their arm with the Ankylozord, spinning the shield on top. It caught the blast and reflected it back on the monster, sending it stumbling back.
"That did it!" Ethan laughed.
"What did I say about celebrating too soon?" Jenna shoot her head as the monster recovered, "See? Honestly!"
"Catch ya on the flipside!" He roared, running off.
"What did that freak just say?!" Zoey started to stand up but Jenna pushed her back, "Oh, he is so lucky I'm not out there!"
The Megazord ran after the monster, but another Zord blocked it's path.
"Going somewhere?" Trent called from inside his Dragozord.
"It's Trent! He came to help us!" Kira smiled. Trent called on his Megazord's power, instantly flooring the monster, and as he got back up, the Rangers finished him off in one blow.
"I'm outta here." Trent decided, walking off before they could stop him.
"What do you think?" Zoey tilted her head back, "Residual effects left over from the meteor? Because that didn't look like he wanted to stay around."
"I think you're right. There's no way he's broken the hold the gem has on him. It's too strong. From the blackouts to the memory loses, it's too over powering." Andy looked down at her, "I think it's possible to free him, but it's going to take time."
"Well, I'll wail on him once I'm at 100%." Zoey decided, "Only while he's morphed though. Make sure its fair. I won't stop trying to free him, but I'm not going to sit around while he causes destruction." She paused, smirking, "But, once we've broken the gem's hold, I plan on putting him through the worst training regime known to Ranger kind." She stood up to stretch, "You do not go through problems like this and not seek Ranger help and most definitely do not freeze my brother in amber. He's lucky he's not a monster. Wonky powers or not, I would have already fried his ass."
Andy smiled at Hayley and Jenna, "Anyone else glad that she's on our side?"
1-2-3-4-5
"I assume you're feeling back to normal?" Hayley smiled, looking a little amused as the Rangers returned to the lab.
"Thank goodness." Ethan nodded as Kira handed over the meteor fragment.
"I hear that." Conner agreed.
"Honestly, I think Kira was freaking me out the most." Zoey said as they gathered around the machine that Hayley was putting the rock in, "I'm sorry, but air-headed valley girl, you are not. Let's just leave that to Kim, shall we?"
"I guess I'm going to have to meet this Kim some day." Kira laughed, walking over, "Hey, since the meteor changed Trent to good, couldn't we use it to fight the effects of the Dino Gem?"
"That might work, but let's try this first." Hayley turned the machine on and, after a moment of pause, shot a lase out to hit the amber. They watched as the fossil slowly started to dissolve, free their mentor and friend. The computer started to spark and fried from an overload.
"The rock!" Kira cried out as she looked at it. "It's fried."
"Yeah, but look." Conner pointed at their mentor.
"It worked!" Hayley smiled as Tommy staggered a little bit, freed from his prison.
"Doctor O!" They ran over to him, grinning in relief.
"Tommy!" Zoey ran over and gave her brother a massive hug, "I'm so glade you're okay. I was freaking out."
"Me too." He returned the hug for a moment and stepped back, "Let's get back to normal, shall we?" He looked around the room, "Good job, guys! I'm proud of you." He nodded for a moment, looking at everyone, "Power down!" He crossed his arms in front of him and pulled them down to his sides. When nothing happened, everyone looked on as he tried again, "I said, power down!"
"Uh-oh." Zoey shook her head, "That's not good."
Tommy looked back up, shaking his own head, "I think we might have a problem."
To be continued…
Catch you on the flip side!