MMPR Revisited
Green with Evil Origins Part 2
Rita's dungeon harbored an array of grim medieval torture devices, their ominous presence casting eerie shadows on the cold stone walls. In one dimly lit corner stood a guillotine, a chilling spectacle that drew Tommy's unwelcome fascination. He found himself standing at the room's center, near a stone table adorned with menacing chains. The sole source of illumination emanated from several flickering candles scattered haphazardly around him. Time seemed to blur within this oppressive silence, the memory of his last encounter with Rita in that dark alleyway still fresh in his mind. Aside from the occasional muffled sounds of Putties or a maniacal laugh echoing in the distance, the dungeon remained eerily quiet.
But then, a series of echoing footsteps reverberated through the chamber. They were many, and Tommy knew there was no point in hiding. With a quick, stealthy movement, he positioned himself behind the table, seeking to create some distance.
"Open it," came Rita's authoritative command from beyond the door.
"Which key is it?" one of her minions asked, sounding uncertain.
"You have one job, Squat!" snapped another voice impatiently.
"Shut it, Baboo!" retorted Squat.
"Silence, and just open the door!" Tommy recognized the voice of Goldar from the news, and anxiety gripped him. Finally, the metallic clinking of a key entering the lock and the subsequent creaking of the door heralded the arrival of five figures.
"Oh, there he is," Squat pointed out the obvious as he stepped forward, closely followed by Baboo, who couldn't resist making a disparaging remark about Squat's observation skills. Then came Goldar.
"Get a feel for his power, Finster," Rita instructed, and Tommy surmised that Finster must be the remaining minion—pale-skinned, long-eared, and sporting monocle glasses. Rita entered last, her wicked grin still etched upon her face.
"There is something interesting about this human," Finster conceded after scrutinizing Tommy for a few moments. "But this is highly risky; he is a human after all. My Queen, are you sure?"
"Are you guys going to talk like I'm not here?" Tommy interjected. All of them fell silent abruptly, and Goldar shot him a contemptuous look. "Let me go, you old hag," he spat at Rita, shocking her and her minions to the core. Without hesitation, Goldar grabbed Tommy and delivered a powerful blow to his stomach, leaving him gasping for air.
"Filthy human, where are your manners? You don't even bow before royalty," Goldar scolded, tossing Tommy to the ground and forcibly lowering his head, mimicking a bow-like gesture at Rita's feet. "It's a start," Goldar sneered down at the floor. Tommy responded with a swift kick to Goldar's abdomen, causing him to stumble backward and collide with the stone table. Baboo and Squat exchanged nervous glances, with Squat barely containing a chuckle as Goldar struggled to regain his footing.
"Silence!" Rita commanded, and a radiant beam of light burst forth from her wand, immobilizing Tommy just as she had done before. As Goldar managed to stand upright, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"He's got guts, I'll give him that," Goldar remarked. "But I still don't think he's worthy."
"Oh, but I do. Something tells me that Tommy will be a force to be reckoned with. And since Zordon adores humans, what better way to secure his downfall?" Rita cackled once more, then raised her wand high in the air. Tommy found himself levitating off the ground.
"What are you doing to me?" Tommy cried out, struggling to break free. Rita lowered him onto the stone table, and Baboo and Squat immediately began to chain him up.
"Finster, do you have it?" she inquired, extending her hand.
"Of course," Finster replied, producing a small dark bottle from his apron pocket. Removing the cap, he released a cloud of black smoke. "Essence of darkness," Finster announced before handing the bottle to Rita.
"Excellent!" Rita exclaimed as she approached Tommy. "Open wide," she taunted, and Goldar seized Tommy's jaw, forcibly holding it open. "This will hurt me more than it'll hurt you," Rita claimed, followed by a sinister laugh. She then allowed three or four drops of the black liquid to fall into Tommy's mouth, which elicited an immediate cry of pain. Goldar promptly closed Tommy's mouth to prevent him from spitting it out, and after a few seconds, he released it, causing Tommy to yell even louder.
Tommy clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His legs thrashed back and forth as he attempted to break free from the chains, his eyes fixated on Rita with an unmistakable glare of pure hatred.
"There's a good boy," Rita mused. "Now, we have to complete the ritual." She raised her wand high. "Darkness in his soul, erupt from the core, and swallow him whole. Let him sleep, let the light fade away, and let evil consume him on this day," Tommy's cries ceased as he fell into a deep slumber. "Twist his heart, twist his mind, and when he wakes, he shall be mine!" Her voice echoed through the dungeon.
"That doesn't really rhyme, does it?" Squat whispered to Baboo, earning a sharp smack from Goldar.
"Silence!" he snapped. Rita extended her hand, summoning the Dragonzord coin in a flash of bright green light.
"You are the chosen one for the mighty powers of the Dragonzord power coin. Evil will twist your soul, Tommy, but this power will be worth it. You will be my evil Green Ranger!" The power coin hovered above Tommy before releasing a green beam of light that enveloped him. "Let us leave; it won't be long now," Rita declared as she and her minions departed the dungeon.
Upon their arrival in the throne room, Rita assumed her seat and gestured for Baboo to fetch her crystal ball. Once it was in her possession, she peered into it, observing Tommy cocooned in green energy.
"My Queen," Goldar began, "It appears the Power Rangers were able to repel the Putties."
"So quickly? That's a shame. Nevertheless, we obtained what we came for," Rita responded, her gaze never leaving the crystal ball.
"What is next, my Queen? What would you have me do?" Goldar inquired.
"Patience, Goldar. Your moment of bloodshed will come. First, we shall send our new Green Ranger to pay Zordon a little visit."
"But how?" Baboo interjected. "Zordon's power chamber is protected by ancient magic and cannot be entered, either by his blessing or with a power coin."
"The Green Ranger possesses a power coin, you dimwit!" Squat retorted, and Baboo rolled his eyes.
"Surely the defenses of Zordon's power chamber would prevent the entry of a corrupted power coin!" Baboo argued.
"You are quite right, but I have been working on a cloaking remedy that will bypass such defenses. The Green Ranger's time in the power chamber will be limited to a few minutes, but that should be enough to inflict substantial damage!" Finster explained.
"Haha, yes. And once we have Zordon out of the way, we will take Earth by storm. You will serve as a distraction for the Rangers, leading them to summon their Megazord. Just when they believe they have the upper hand, you will vanish, and I will send my evil Green Ranger to finish the job."
"And he will make them suffer!" Squat exclaimed eagerly.
"No, Squat. Merely destroying the Rangers outright will not suffice. I want them to endure. I want Zordon to suffer. Their demise will be slow and agonizing, and I will have my revenge!" Rita declared, her voice echoing through the throne room.
And then, the palace began to shake. "Ahahaha! It's happening!"
The cocoon of green energy surrounding Tommy shifted from black to green, and he began to levitate from the table. Tommy then materialized before them in the throne room.
"Do you feel that power?" Finster asked Goldar, who nodded solemnly.
"Step forth, Green Ranger!" Rita beckoned, and Tommy landed gracefully on his feet, fully transformed. He donned a green helmet and a suit reminiscent of the other Rangers, adorned with golden arm bands and a chestplate.
"Oh my," Finster gasped in astonishment, and Rita stifled a chuckle.
Tommy raised his hands to his helmet and removed it, revealing green-tinted eyes that were otherwise brown. His gaze darted to Rita, and he immediately bowed his head.
"How may I serve my Empress?" he asked.
"You are perfect," Rita said in admiration, rising from her throne and circling Tommy. "The darkness emanating from you is enchanting!" She returned to her throne and took her seat.
"What is your will?" Tommy inquired.
"Tommy, you are the answer to the Power Rangers, summoned by my greatest adversary, Zordon. You will be the driving force behind their destruction, and together, we will conquer Earth."
"Understood," Tommy replied. "My Queen, why do you hate Zordon?" This question caught Rita off guard, and she hesitated before responding. Goldar stepped forward.
"You have no right to question our Queen!" Goldar snapped, earning a half-smile from Tommy.
"When I seek the input of a golden ape, I will come running to you. But until then," Goldar let out a roar.
"What did you call me?!" Goldar drew his sword.
"Silence, Goldar!" Rita commanded, and Goldar, deflated, turned around immediately. "You ask a question that I haven't pondered in a long time. I'll never forget my hatred for Zordon, but I choose not to dwell on the darkest chapter of my life," Rita began. "The story is too lengthy, but Zordon and I were not so dissimilar in the beginning. Hailing from Eltar, he was a prodigious wizard, just as I was from my homeland. The galaxy had been embroiled in wars long before Earth emerged, and when it did, our mission was to conquer it."
"You used to work with Zordon?" Tommy asked.
"It was a different era," Rita replied. "We each had our roles. However, Zordon, with his weak will, grew enamored of the human race. He found them innocent and impressionable, and he could not bear to see them suffer as so many other planets had. When I attempted to fulfill our mission, he turned against me, labeling me heartless. He banished me from Earth, and I found refuge on this very moon. No help came from those I once considered friends. Zordon was no longer a friend but an enemy. I knew what I had to do to survive."
"This is getting interesting," Squat whispered to Baboo, who delivered a swift smack to the back of his head this time.
"To exact my revenge," Rita continued, "I turned to the darkness. Dark Specter recognized my pain and granted me an army and powers beyond imagination. I led my forces to Earth to seek retribution against the human race and Zordon. But Zordon, ever cunning, created Power Warriors—Power Rangers. They were different from the current generation, certainly less formidable. We battled each other for years, and on one fateful day, I nearly emerged victorious. Victory was within my grasp. And then, Zordon did the unthinkable. He sacrificed himself—his physical form, at least. A surge of blinding light eradicated my legions, leaving me and my guard teetering on the brink of defeat."
"How did he survive?" Tommy inquired.
"As I mentioned, his physical form was sacrificed. Beings from his home planet, Eltar, are inter-dimensional, granting them various means of survival. His warriors managed to encase his soul within a crystal time warp, preserving his existence. I'm not entirely versed in its workings, but I believe he anticipated it. With his continued existence, he orchestrated my capture and banished me, along with my guard, to the moon's darkest recesses. However, ironic as it may seem, it was humans who eventually freed me. And now, I am here to fulfill my mission—to obliterate Earth, with Zordon powerless to stop me."
"No, we shall all have our revenge!" Goldar affirmed.
"My Empress, I shall personally ensure the destruction of the Power Rangers," Tommy declared, bowing his head once more.
"Excellent," Rita responded. "Your mission is to infiltrate Zordon's power chamber and dismantle it from within. You shall have only a few minutes, so make the most of your time. I shall summon you back when the moment is right."
"Agreed." Tommy replaced his helmet. Finster approached him and administered what looked like a medieval Taser.
"This will cloak the darkness emanating from your Dragonzord coin, albeit temporarily. We shall summon you back before the effect wanes, but if you linger too long, you will be expelled from the power chamber in a most agonizing manner," Finster explained.
"Understood," Tommy acknowledged.
"Go forth, my Green Ranger!" Rita waved her wand, and Tommy vanished in a cascade of green light. He traversed time and space, ultimately materializing in a dim corridor. Straining his ears, he heard no movement and ventured into a room filled with an ethereal glow. Before him stood a dormant robotic figure, its systems offline. Computers covered the surroundings, and a crystal cylinder—likely Zordon's confinement—drew his attention.
"You know what to do," Rita's voice resonated in his mind.
"Your command is my duty," Tommy replied.
Approaching the robot, he noticed a cord attached to the back of its head. Tommy tugged at it, but it proved more resistant than expected, causing the robot to stir.
"Perfect," Tommy muttered sarcastically.
"Alert! Alert! Hostile takeover!" the robot blared repeatedly while attempting to fend off Tommy.
"Shut up, tin can!" Tommy exerted greater force, finally dislodging the cord and sending the robot careening into a computer. Sparks flew as the machine collided, scattering debris across the chamber. "Now that you're out of the way," Tommy wiped his hands, surveying the room with uncertainty on where to commence.
"How is it possible that you are here?" a commanding voice echoed. A blinding flash of white light revealed Zordon in his crystal tube, his gaze locked onto Tommy. "Only one bearing a power coin can infiltrate this stronghold undetected."
"I possess such a coin," Tommy replied, withdrawing the Dragonzord coin from his golden morpher. "And its power." Zordon's focus was fixed upon the coin, and he could only gasp.
"Impossible," he uttered, "I'm uncertain how Rita corrupted that coin or why she chose to wield it now. Dark magic must have been invoked to utilize the Dragonzord coin's power. I believed it to be lost forever."
"I am her champion of darkness!" Tommy declared.
"Tommy," Zordon said, invoking his name, which unsettled Tommy. How did Zordon know that? He shook his head, choosing not to acknowledge the address.
"How do you—nevermind. I have work to do," Tommy remarked, approaching Zordon's crystal tube.
"Tommy, you are under an evil spell. I can save you from—" Before Zordon could complete his sentence, Tommy struck the tube with a punch, to no avail. Another attempt met with the same result.
"Damn, not even a crack," Tommy muttered, disappointed.
"Tommy, this isn't you. By serving Rita, you are becoming an enemy to your own kind!" Tommy remained silent and attempted to kick the crystal tube this time. Zordon's pleas fell on deaf ears.
"Shut it, old man!" Tommy retorted. "I may not be able to destroy you, but I can certainly wreak havoc while I'm here." He turned his attention to the multitude of computers in the room, knocking them over, smashing control panels, and severing wires. Alarms blared throughout the power chamber, while sparks and smoke filled the air.
"No, Tommy, don't do this!" Zordon implored, his voice growing faint as his image fluctuated within the crystal tube.
"Hurry, Tommy!" Rita's voice resonated in his head.
"Almost finished!" Tommy declared, knocking over one final computer console. Zordon's voice ceased altogether, and he disappeared. "I am ready," Tommy called out, satisfied with the destruction he had wrought. "Zordon has been vanquished, and the Power Rangers are next. Farewell, Zordon. My work here is complete!" A green light enveloped Tommy, and he vanished, leaving the power chamber in ruins.
Upon his return to Rita's palace's throne room, Baboo, Squat, and a couple of Putties celebrated Tommy's victory over Zordon with jubilant dancing. Goldar, however, remained unmoving, his gaze filled with disdain. Rita approached Tommy with a broad smile.
"Well done, Green Ranger!" she congratulated him. "Well done indeed. Phase one of my plan is complete. Now, onto phase two! Goldar!" She called out to him, and Goldar approached, bowing his head.
"Descend to Earth and take your position. You shall hear from me shortly!"
"Yes, my Queen!" Goldar responded, vanishing in a flash of golden light.
"Squat, Baboo!" The two henchmen materialized before her, shock and excitement on their faces at being chosen.
"You two will lead a faction of Putties to Earth and stir up those miserable humans. When the Power Rangers arrive, Goldar will strike!"
"Yes, your evilness!" Squat exclaimed enthusiastically.
"It shall be our pleasure!" Baboo concurred. Both of them disappeared seconds later.
"As for you, my Green Ranger, rest for now. You shall face the Power Rangers very soon, and I require you at full strength. Today marks the beginning of the Power Rangers' downfall!" Rita began to laugh maniacally, and Tommy joined in.
Tommy gazed down at Earth from the palace's balcony, counting down the moments until his impending confrontation with the other Rangers.
"They have no idea of what awaits them," Tommy remarked, smiling.