MMPR Revisited
Secrets Part 1
"Say yes to the dress," Kimberly taunted Trini outside the dressing room. With Homecoming right around the corner and Trini's struggle to secure a dress for her date with Daniel, Kimberly took it upon herself to help Trini find one, using any means necessary.
"I don't know," Trini replied reluctantly from behind closed doors. "Why do I even have to wear a dress? I could just go in, like, a—"
"That's the devil talking, Trini. I won't hear of it! A dress it is! You're wearing a dress, end of story!" Kimberly declared as she tossed another selection over the dressing room door for Trini to try on. Trini opened the door to reveal a puffy, overly exaggerated dress that was uncomfortably tight around her waist. If looks could kill, Trini's expression would have left Kimberly dead.
"Perfect!" Kimberly exclaimed.
"No," Trini replied flatly, causing Kimberly to mockingly express dismay.
"You know, the sooner you pick one, the sooner we can move on. You should be excited. It's not every day you get to attend a dance with a guy who'd take a bullet for you," Kimberly said, handing Trini another dress, which she promptly refused.
"I know, I know. I just want it to be perfect, and how can we be sure we'll even get to go to Homecoming? Rita's recent, frequent Putty attacks are—" Kimberly put a finger to Trini's lips.
"Don't say it. Don't think it. Don't jinx it. I dare Rita to disrupt Homecoming," Kimberly said in a low, threatening tone.
"Yeah, I don't even know why I'm here," Billy chimed in, approaching them with a bored expression.
"No support whatsoever," Kimberly shook her head, discarding the dresses on an empty rack. "We need to find you a tux, Billy."
"That would be a pointless waste of time since I'm not going to Homecoming," Billy replied, igniting a fiery rage in Kimberly's eyes. For a moment, it seemed as though she had stopped breathing altogether.
"What?" she asked in a low tone. Trini chuckled, and Kimberly's head snapped in her direction. Trini retreated into the dressing room, closing the door.
"Kimberly, I have to tutor Brent. His mid-term is on Monday, so we need to study all weekend for him to pass," Billy explained.
"This is ridiculous! These are supposed to be the best years of our lives, and you're wasting them! Why don't you study during the day and bring Brent to the dance afterward? You two act like a couple anyway, right?" Kimberly meant it as a joke, but now it was Billy who had fiery rage in his eyes.
"I'm tutoring him for Ms. Appleby. It's the only way to get her off my back about not requesting extra homework like usual. We save the world, which keeps me from doing the things I enjoy," Billy said, his speech staccato, emphasizing each word with frustration.
"Calm down, Billy. I was only kidding. But you seem very serious about it. Is there something going on there? Speaking of which, he's quite protective of you. He even took a bullet for you—"
"I'll say this once: there is NOTHING going on between Brent and me. I'm tutoring him in science," Billy shook his head, turned, and walked away.
"Touchy," Kimberly muttered under her breath. Trini opened the dressing room stall, dressed in her regular clothes and a look of concern on her face.
"Kimberly…" Trini's tone invoked guilt in Kimberly.
"Sorry, I was just kidding. I didn't think it was anything," Kimberly replied.
"I don't think it is, but even if there were something, we're his friends. Besides, Billy has endured a lot of teasing throughout his life and has had to build walls just to get through the days. He doesn't need it from his friends," Trini said.
"You're right. Let's go find him. I'll get him a milkshake," Kimberly said, and Trini nodded.
"Ahhh! Run!" A woman's scream echoed in the distance, followed by more screams from different people.
"What's happening?" Kimberly asked with concern. Trini pulled her back against the wall as a stream of people ran by. "What are they running from?" Trini gave Kimberly a knowing look, and Kimberly immediately understood what Trini was thinking. "I hope you're wrong. Not Putties today," Kimberly said.
"I hope I'm wrong too," Trini agreed, and they both took off running toward the entrance, weaving through the fleeing crowd. When Kimberly and Trini reached the outside, they heard more screams and located the source: a construction site. A group of construction workers digging across the street from a city project were being terrorized by Rita's golems.
"Of course," Kimberly sighed, and she followed Trini to an alley behind the mall to transform. "Pterodactyl!"
"Saber-Toothed Tiger!" Pink and yellow lights enveloped them, and seconds later, they were fully transformed. They headed toward the construction site, where Trini pulled out her blaster and shot a Putty that was strangling a construction worker. Trini rushed to the man's side, and he coughed profusely, trying to catch his breath.
"You're safe now, sir. You need to get inside," Trini instructed, and he nodded.
"Thank you, Yellow Ranger," he said before hurrying away.
"Oh no, Trini, look!" Kimberly pointed to the top of a construction crane, where two men were slowly being backed to the edge by three Putties.
"Help us!" one of the men yelled desperately.
"Help!" screamed another, who was on the ground surrounded by several Putties.
"You go high, I'll go low?" Trini suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," Kimberly agreed. She ran toward Trini and leaped into the air. Trini braced herself, pushing Kimberly upward. Kimberly soared through the air and landed on top of the crane.
Trini leaped into the pit of the dig site and landed on the back of a Putty, driving it face-first into the ground. With precision, she aimed her laser blaster and dispatched it with a shot to the back of the head, drawing the attention of the other Putties, who shifted their focus to her.
"Who's next?" Trini taunted as she holstered her blaster. "Power Daggers!" She extended her hands, and her weapons materialized in her grip. Charging forward, she impaled a Putty's chest with one of her daggers, then kicked it aside. Another Putty swung at her from behind, and she swiftly ducked under it, pivoting to stab it with both daggers in its side.
"Thank you," said a construction worker as he rushed past her.
"No problem," Trini replied, pulling out her daggers and executing a spin to deliver a powerful kick to yet another Putty.
"Heads up!" Kimberly called from above. Trini looked up and instinctively stepped back as a Putty plummeted from the crane, landing on its back in front of her.
"Thanks!" Trini called out, quickly kneeling to impale the Putty in the chest, reducing it to dust.
Above, Kimberly continued to scale the crane with the grace of a gymnast on a balance beam. The Putties, on the other hand, were clumsy and reckless in their movements, making her cautious.
"Help us!" pleaded one of the construction workers who had reached the crane's tip.
"Hang on!" Kimberly called out as she quickened her ascent. A Putty intercepted her path, attempting to knock her off by swinging its arm. She deftly ducked beneath it and retaliated with a swift kick, causing the Putty to release its grip. Kimberly grabbed a bar with her hands, suspending herself vertically.
Balancing on her hands, she used her legs to launch a flurry of kicks at the Putty. It successfully blocked her attacks and attempted to stomp on her hands, but Kimberly retaliated by seizing the Putty's neck with her ankles and holding on tightly.
"This is gonna hurt!" Kimberly declared, squeezing the Putty's neck until she heard a crack. She then pushed downward, causing the Putty to lose its balance and tumble from the crane. Kimberly landed back on her feet and continued her ascent. "Pick on someone your own size! Power Bow!" With her bow in hand, she pulled back the string and fired an arrow into the Putty's foot, causing it to lose balance and fall from the crane, landing on top of a Putty in front of Trini.
"Wow, a Power Ranger..." one of the construction workers marveled.
"Come on, you're safe now. Climb down... carefully," Trini instructed, keeping a vigilant eye on the descending workers. "The crane is secure," Kimberly reported into her communicator.
"I'm almost there myself," Trini replied and began taking on another Putty in front of her.
"I wonder what they're after," Kimberly pondered as she used the vantage point to survey the entire construction site, which seemed random. "Uh oh." Kimberly spotted a black light descending from the sky, landing just below her. It revealed a humanoid creature clad in golden armor.
"What is it?" Trini asked.
"Trini, I think Rita sent some sort of—" Before Kimberly could finish, the armored warrior discharged a blast of dark energy into the air, striking the crane's tip where Kimberly stood. She was sent flying, letting out a scream. In mid-air, Billy, fully transformed, reached out and caught her, setting her on her feet.
"You okay?" Billy inquired.
"Yeah, a little late to the party, huh?" Kimberly replied. "Doesn't matter. Thanks, Billy. But whoever shot me is about to get it!" she declared. Trini leaped up to join the others, relieved to see Kimberly unharmed.
"Good timing, Billy," Trini acknowledged.
"Look!" Kimberly pointed toward the golden Armored Warrior. "Do you think it's one of Rita's? It doesn't fit the typical monster mold."
"Let's see," Billy tapped his visor, summoning an infrared screen. "Oh yeah, there's an abundance of negative energy surrounding this guy."
"Good, so I won't feel bad about this!" Kimberly raised her bow, pulled back the string, and fired an arrow. The crane, which had been supporting a crate of cinderblocks on a single chain, released its cargo as Kimberly's arrow severed the chain. The cinderblock crate plummeted at full speed.
"Kimberly!" Trini exclaimed, shocked by her decision. The Armored Warrior unsheathed its sword, swung upward, and deftly cut the crate in half, with the debris scattering around him.
"It didn't work," Kimberly retorted.
"Pathetic," the Warrior scoffed, beginning to advance slowly. "Cheap tricks won't be enough to defeat me, I'm afraid."
"Noted," Kimberly replied.
"Who are you?" Billy demanded.
"Your worst nightmare," the Warrior answered playfully, almost sinisterly. "Putties! Did you retrieve it?" He called out, and a Putty appeared atop a dirt hill, carrying a shimmering gold helmet.
"What is that?" Trini gasped.
"None of your concern for now," the Warrior taunted.
"Well, if you want it, then so do we," Kimberly promptly drew her bowstring and fired an arrow into the Putty's chest, causing it to stumble backward and drop the helmet down the dirt hill.
"You fool!" the Warrior cursed.
"Let's go, guys!" Billy shouted. "Power Lance!" He leaped into the air, and his lance materialized in his hand. He swung it down toward the Warrior, who blocked the attack with his sword and pushed Billy away. Trini descended and engaged in a rapid exchange of attacks with the Warrior, struggling to land a hit. The Warrior swung his sword at her, and she managed to parry the blow.
"Nice try," Trini taunted.
"Amateur," the Warrior retorted, delivering a swift kick to her stomach that sent her flying backward.
As Billy and Trini battled the Armored Warrior, Kimberly made her way toward the helmet, clearing her path of any remaining Putties. The helmet, now covered in dirt, rested at the base of the hill. She leaped for it, but before she could reach it, the Warrior blasted her away.
"Don't take what's not yours," he warned, rushing toward the helmet. Kimberly quickly regained her footing, aimed her bow at him, and fired an arrow, striking his chest plate.
"Back off!" she yelled. Billy, making a move from behind the Warrior, swept his feet out from under him with his power lance. Trini dashed forward and retrieved the helmet.
"Got it, guys!" Kimberly called out triumphantly. However, their victory was short-lived. The Warrior raised his hand and unleashed a barrage of dark energy blasts directly at Billy, sending him spiraling into the air before he landed on a dirt pile hundreds of feet away.
The Warrior swiftly regained his footing, brandishing his sword and charging toward Trini. He deftly deflected the arrows that Kimberly sent his way with his formidable skills.
"Give it back!" he demanded. Trini made an attempt to jab her dagger forward but was disarmed as he knocked it from her hand. She tried to evade him, but he seized her by the helmet and slammed her to the ground with brutal force.
"Oh my god, no!" Kimberly screamed in distress, firing a barrage of arrows at the Warrior, but he remained unfazed. He knelt down and grabbed the helmet.
"Get in my way again, and I will kill you. I'm not just one of Rita's monsters. I'm her ultimate warrior of darkness," he declared. "I'll be seeing you soon, Pink Ranger." With a flash of black light, he vanished, leaving the Rangers in shock.
Wasting no time, Kimberly rushed to Trini, kneeling beside her and gently propping up her head. "Trini? Trini, are you alright?" she repeated anxiously, trying to rouse her from unconsciousness.
"What happened...?" Billy groaned as he stumbled over.
"He got Trini really bad," Kimberly replied, her voice filled with worry.
"And the helmet?" Kimberly shook her head. "Come on, we need to get her to the command center. Alpha can heal her, and maybe Zordon can give us the answers we need."
"Right," Kimberly touched her teleport button on her communicator, and with Trini in tow, they teleported to the command center. Billy followed suit, appearing next to them a few seconds later. As they arrived at the command center, they were surprised to find Jason and Zack, who appeared to have just recovered from a battle.
"Trini will be just fine; she just needs some rest," Alpha assured them as he emerged from the medical bay and joined them at the main console.
"Thank goodness," Kimberly sighed with relief. "There was something really different about this one, Zordon. He wasn't like any monster we've seen. He was cold, calculating, ruthless even. He had this intense sword and—"
"Gold armor?" Jason interrupted.
"Yeah, how did you know?" Kimberly asked.
"We fought him too," Jason replied.
"You're kidding. He can be in two places at once?" Kimberly exclaimed, horrified.
"No, not exactly. We encountered him about an hour ago..." Zack explained, scratching the back of his head. "Jason and I were hiking in the National Park when we heard screams coming from a cave. He was there... He killed two civilians who were exploring the cave, but we managed to get two others to safety. He was after a box with a scorpion emblem on it. Once he got it, he caused the cave to collapse on us. We only just escaped before you guys arrived."
"Oh my god, he's killed two people?" Kimberly gasped.
"Yeah," Zack confirmed, staring at the floor with a heavy heart.
"Rangers, the fatalities of those two innocent civilians are tragic, but you mustn't blame yourselves for the actions of Rita's evil creations," Zordon reassured them.
"Zordon, what was that thing? Was it a monster? And what did he want with that box?" Zack inquired.
"And that helmet," Billy added.
"Helmet?" Jason questioned.
"Yes, that's what he showed up for at the construction site. I think the workers uncovered it while working, but it was a gold helmet. Now that you mention it, part of it did resemble a scorpion," Billy explained.
To answer your first question, I am not sure. I have never seen this monster before. There is a part of me that doesn't believe he is entirely a monster. The armor he wears bears some resemblance to an ancient being known as the Dark Warrior. In a fierce battle, he was destroyed, but Rita may have retained pieces of his armor and restored it for a new host."
"So, if he's not a monster... could he be human?" Kimberly pondered.
"I am not sure. Alpha and I are currently investigating. As for your second question, the artifacts that this Dark Warrior sought are remnants of one of Rita's ultimate assassins, Scorpina," Zordon revealed.
"Remnants?" Zack shivered.
"Scorpina embodies pure evil. I have never encountered a monster with such a thirst for blood. Nearly an eon ago, when we imprisoned Rita, we were unable to completely destroy her. Instead, we dismantled her piece by piece and concealed the fragments around various parts of what is now Angel Grove. It appears that the Dark Warrior has retrieved two of the three artifacts and is actively searching for the third as we speak," Zordon explained.
"Ayiyiyi! If Rita resurrects Scorpina, the world will never be safe!" Alpha exclaimed.
"We have to prevent that from happening," Jason declared. "Between this Dark Warrior and Rita's regular monsters like Goldar, we can't afford another major threat." The alarms in the command center blared, and the Rangers exchanged anxious glances.
"Observe the viewing globe, Rangers," Zordon instructed. As they turned to the globe, they saw the Dark Warrior, accompanied by a patrol of Putties and Goldar, standing over what appeared to be a crypt.
"Ayiyiyi! They've found her final resting place!" Alpha cried out.
"Rangers, you must go now and prevent the resurrection ceremony at any cost. If they succeed in reviving Scorpina, our battle against Rita will become exponentially more challenging," Zordon urged.
"Alpha, get Trini. We need her now," Jason ordered, and Alpha hurried to the medical bay. "Alright, Rangers, let's do this. Whether he's human or a monster, this Dark Warrior must be stopped."