Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fourteen of "Running From Here." Ranger action will be coming in the next chapter. Rexy and Mia will get involved in the fighting, but it won't be right off the bat. Stay tuned for chapter fifteen.
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Chapter 14: Never Think
Zedd stood on the Lunar Palace's balcony twenty minutes later. He stared at Earth while gripping the railing. He moved his hand up his staff. He glanced over his shoulder at Squatt and Baboo, who were sitting on the stairs and playing jacks. He turned back to Earth as Squatt bounced the ball and grabbed six jacks. The dimwit caught it and showed it to his best friend.
"I just grabbed six jacks!" Squatt announced eagerly.
"That is impressive," Baboo said, cupping his chin in his hand.
"It sure is!" Squatt said, sitting up tall and proud. "Can you grab more than me at this moment?"
"I will see if I can," Baboo commented as Squatt laid the jacks down and gave him the ball. "Here I go."
Baboo bounced the ball. He grabbed eight jacks and caught it before it hit the floor. He presented them to Squatt, who furrowed his brow and scratched the top of his head.
"I got more than you did!" Baboo blurted out with a loud laugh.
"You may have, but it is not good to brag about it," Squatt warned, shaking his finger at him.
"Oh, shush!" Baboo said, waving him off.
"You shush," Squatt responded and peered at Zedd in the corner of his eye. "I wish Lord Zedd would play games with us once in a while. He is so boring."
Baboo snickered. "You got that right."
"Oh, I am boring, huh?" Zedd asked, shooting a glare at the duo. "Maybe I should do a stupid dance to prove I am not."
"Not at all, my liege," Baboo commented with a rapid shake of his head.
"Don't you know you should not butt your nose into other people's conversations?" Squatt added.
Zedd growled. "How about you stop talking so loud? Then I won't have to inject myself into your conversations."
Squatt chuckled nervously. "I guess that makes sense."
Zedd shifted his attention back to Earth. Squatt laid the jacks down, followed by the ball. He folded his hands and laid them in his lap. He twirled his thumbs around. He clicked his tongue twice.
"I better see what the Power Rangers are up to on Isla Nublar," Zedd said, rubbing his chin.
"Maybe they are being chased by dinosaurs," Baboo suggested.
Squatt nodded. "Yeah."
Zedd growled before beaming his visor at Earth. He caught sight of Billy and Jason riding on Mia and Rexy respectively. Tommy, Kim, Trini, and Zack walked alongside Rexy, who growled in uncertainty. Jason patted her neck very gently.
"Don't worry, Rexy. We will find the survivors soon," Jason assured.
"I still can't believe you were able to gain a Tyrannosaurus's trust, Jase. It is said to be the meanest of all the theropods," Zack whispered, shuddering fearfully.
"You can't judge a book by its cover, Zack," Jason responded, looking down at him. "Someone may look ferocious, but they are actually very gentle."
"Like those Velociraptors," Kim said.
Tommy nodded in agreement. "Exactly, Kim."
"I am still amazed at how we were able to pet those critters without being bitten," Trini admitted.
"I think staying calm kept them from attacking us," Billy suggested.
"You are likely right, Billy," Jason said, eyeing him.
Billy rubbed his throat. "Probably. Even a genius like me can get things wrong sometimes. It's part of life."
Zedd switched his visor off. He emitted a quiet chuckle before turning to Squatt and Baboo. They looked up at him, their hearts skipping a beat or two. They saw him move his hand down his staff.
"The Power Rangers managed to gain the trust of two dinosaurs! The Blue and Red Rangers are riding them! I remember Rita telling me the Power Coins contained the spirits of the animals they represent. They would allow their wielders to communicate with them through telepathy. That is what Billy and Jason must have done," Zedd said while cupping his chin in his hand.
"Who gives a shit, Lord Zedd? The Rangers are still trapped on the island," Baboo pointed out.
"Yeah," Squatt agreed, nodding rapidly. "That does not mean their huge friends will defeat any dinosaurs that attack them."
"I know that," Zedd groaned annoyingly. "I was just making a comment."
"I was just making a comment," Squatt said mockingly.
"Never mock me again, Squatt!" Zedd snarled, his body glowing bright red. He pointed his staff at him. "If you do, I will zap your ass into space. Is that clear?"
Squatt nodded in a rapid manner. He stood up and started to walk away. Baboo mimicked him both ways. Zedd aimed his staff at them. Two lightning bolts shot out of it, hitting them in their butts. They grabbed them with painful groans. They raced out of the throne room.
"Let that be a lesson to you, dimwits," Zedd warned sternly. "If you displease me in any way, you get zapped."
Zedd planted his staff into the floor and shifted his attention back to Earth. He took hold of the railing.
"You may have befriended two dinosaurs, Rangers, but they won't be a match for my warriors. You won't know you are trapped until you try to teleport out," Zedd said, chuckling evilly. "Oh, yes."
Zedd tightened his grip on the railing a bit. He moved his hand down his staff before growling softly.
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Tommy, Kim, Jason, Rexy, Trini, Billy, Mia, and Zack came upon a clearing. They proceeded to go through it. Rexy and Mia scanned their surroundings. They narrowed their eyes while snorting softly. They raised their heads and emitted soft rumbles. Jason and Billy touched the necks of their mounts. They petted them in a light manner.
"Don't worry. We will find the survivors soon," Jason assured.
"How long have you been on the island?" Rexy wondered.
"At least an hour or so," Jason admitted. "We don't have watches. Our communicators allow us to talk to each other across great distances."
"That is rather interesting," Rexy said and shook her head.
"Believe me. Things will get more interesting once we reach the survivors," Jason responded, petting her neck.
"Like how you and Billy were able to gain my and Mia's trust through your Power Coins," Rexy growled in a soft manner.
"Exactly," Jason agreed. "They may be reluctant to trust you due to your strength and power."
"I would not blame them," Rexy commented.
"Size is not an indicator that a creature is dangerous or not," Jason said, his body shaking somewhat. "That's for sure."
Jason gave Rexy's neck a gentle pat. He looked toward Billy, who placed his hand on Mia's frill. Mia let out a small yawn before shaking her head. She blinked three times.
"I hope we reach the survivors soon. My feet are beginning to hurt," Mia griped while lowering her head.
"The rest of us do too, Mia," Billy agreed. "Unfortunately, this forest makes it hard to move through it quickly. Let's not forget you and Rexy cannot move fast for long periods of time."
"You are right," Mia replied and looked ahead. "At least the ground is soft. That makes my feet hurt less."
"I have stepped on Legos in the dark several times. It hurt like hell every time," Billy said, shuddering badly.
She rumbled quietly. "I don't blame you. I have gotten rocks stuck in my feet several times myself."
"Ouch," Billy muttered.
"Yes," Mia agreed. "Ouch."
He patted her frill very gently. "I am glad we can agree on many things."
The entire group reached the end of the clearing. It went into the rainforest. Rexy opened her mouth slightly. She and her friends came upon an Allosaurus feeding on a juvenile Apatosaurus. They stopped a short distance away from it. The Allosaurus bit into the hindquarter of its meal. It shook its head from side to side, tearing a large piece of meat off. It swallowed quickly before grabbing another part.
"This is the first time we have ever seen a theropod eat, guys," Tommy said in amazement.
"Look at how that guy just takes a piece off with no effort," Zack said as the Allosaurus ripped another large piece of meat off and gobbled it down. He exhaled sharply at the sight of its snout covered in blood. "Talk about being hungry."
"No shit, Zack," Trini said with a roll of her eyes.
"I hope it doesn't see us and thinks we are disturbing it," Kim whispered nervously.
The Allosaurus looked at the Power Rangers and the dinosaurs. It emitted a soft growl. Rexy snorted, as did Mia. Tommy put his hand on Saba. He looked at his teammates.
"Keep your weapons ready, guys," Tommy commanded firmly. He eyed Jason, Trini, Zack, Billy, and Kim putting their hands on their Blade Blasters. "We cannot risk that bastard coming after us."
"Rexy could tackle him without any trouble. She is a bit bigger," Kim pointed out truthfully.
Trini huffed. "Size does not indicate the strength of an animal, Kim. You know that."
The Allosaurus tilted its head, a curious growl leaving its mouth. It snorted and looked back down at the carcass. It clamped its jaws on another piece of meat. It shook its head from side to side, tearing it off. It swallowed quickly before looking away. The Rangers sighed in relief. They took their hands off their weapons.
"Thank God the Allosaurus decided we were not worth the trouble," Tommy whispered, curling his hand into a fist.
"We need to get going," Billy said, narrowing his eyes as the arrow pointed northeast. He pointed his finger in that direction. "We need to head that way."
"Okay—" Tommy started.
The Allosaurus looked up at the sound of soft growling. It spotted a subadult Allosaurus making its way toward it. It narrowed her eyes at the critter. It snarled warningly and snorted fiercely. The subadult stopped for a minute, but it resumed walking toward the kill. It picked up its pace a tiny bit. It emitted an eager snort as it got closer to a potential meal. It let out a hungry growl, its nostrils flaring.
"That subadult Allosaurus won't be getting a meal out of this," Trini whispered and swallowed hard.
The adult snarled softly as it moved its foot back. It flared its nostrils and charged at the subadult with an aggressive roar. The subadult squeaked fearfully while halting itself. It turned around and ran away. It increased its stride. The adult snapped its jaws, missing by mere inches. It stopped in its tracks and snorted in satisfaction. She headed back to the Apatosaurus. It ate a little more of it.
"Talk about sending a potential thief running for its life," Zack commented with a chuckle.
"Yeah. We better go," Tommy said seriously. He and the others began heading in the new direction.
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John, Ian, Alan, Ellie, Lex, and Tim watched Goldar and Scorpina play paper-rock-and-scissors. Tigton and the Putties were not far from either group. Goldar and Scorpina moved their fists up and down three times. He made his hand flat while she kept hers as it was. He laughed in much happiness. Tigton went over to his comrades.
"Paper covers rock," Goldar said and placed his hand over her fist.
"Lucky you," Scorpina said as she placed her hands on her hips. "I still have won more games than you have."
"Don't brag about that. It will bite you on the ass without warning," Goldar said as he shook his finger at her.
"I don't care. I want my ass bitten, anyway!" Scorpina said with a giggle. "I hope it is a Compsognathus that does it."
"That dinosaur may be little, but it can be dangerous when it gathers in large numbers," Goldar said honestly.
"For sure," Scorpina agreed. "Thankfully, their teeth are not strong enough to bite through our armor."
"Unfortunately, they can still get exposed areas," Goldar murmured as he motioned toward their faces.
"Yeah," Scorpina said and touched her cheeks. She laid her hand on her unarmed arm. "I have a few scars on this arm."
"I have no scars on my exposed areas," Goldar said, chuckling. "I guess that makes me the better fighter."
"No, you are not," Scorpina responded with a shake of her head. "Anyway, let's play another round."
"It will be my pleasure," Goldar said eagerly. "Oh, yes."
Goldar and Scorpina formed their hands into fists. They growled as they moved them up and down four times. He kept his as is while she turned hers into scissors. She laughed delightfully.
"Scissors cut paper," Scorpina announced and pretended to cut his fingers. She held up her hand. "I win."
"Oh, man," Goldar grumbled disappointingly. "I can't believe I lost. I was sure I would win a second time like I did before."
She smirked. "We can't always get what want."
He growled. "True."
Scoffing caught the duo's attention. They looked at John and Ian, seeing fierce expressions on their faces.
"We thought you two would have gotten bored with paper-rocks-scissors by now," John said, flaring his nostrils.
"You've been playing it for a long time," Ian added, moving his legs outward and spitting at the ground.
"Who the heck cares?" Goldar snapped, his lips curling into a snarl. "We enjoy the game. That's all that matters."
"You can't play because you're all tied up!" Scorpina hissed in much ferocity.
"We anticipate the Power Rangers will be here soon," Tigton commented, chuckling to himself. "When they finally get here, it's lights out for them."
"That's what you think," Ellie retorted and gritted her teeth.
"They will kick your sorry butts!" Lex yelled defiantly and turned her nose upward.
"Yes, they will!" Tim agreed, giving a sharp nod.
"You will never get away with this," Alan added with a snarl.
"Shut up, you pathetic humans," Scorpina yelled and acted as if she were yawning in boredom. "You should come up with new lines. The old ones are making me go deaf."
"How about I scream right in your ear and make you deaf that way?" Lex taunted and clenched her teeth.
"Do it. I dare you," Scorpina responded, looking at her. "Then again, you can't because you are all tied up."
"You will remain that way, little girl," Tigton said, going over to Lex and ruffling her hair. He pulled his hand away when she snarled at him. "Getting a little feisty, aren't you?"
"I can get a lot feistier than that," Lex commented, proudness lining her voice.
"Don't get too proud," Tigton warned in a stern voice. "It will bite you on the butt."
Lex huffed and flipped Tigton off on both hands. John, Tim, Alan, Ellie, and Ian felt their jaws drop to the ground. Their eyes widened to the size of saucers. Tigton emitted an angry growl.
"Why you little—" Tigton started and headed toward Lex, but Scorpina stopped him by putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Tigton, you are not going Homer Simpson on that girl!" Scorpina said, shaking her head rapidly. "The Power Rangers should be here before long."
Tigton held up his hands. "Okay, okay. I will leave her alone."
Scorpina sighed in relief. "Thank you."
Tigton and Scorpina looked at each other. They began talking amongst themselves. Lex put her fingers down with a relieved sigh. John cleared his throat, causing her to look at him.
"Lex, I can't believe you flipped that monster off!" John yelled shockingly.
"He deserved it, Grandpa. I wish I could have shoved my fingers up his nose," Lex admitted and snickered under her breath.
"That would have been a nice sight to see," Tim responded, a big smirk forming on his face.
"Even better would be hitting that monster over the head with a stick and yelling 'Not the mama' over and over again," Ian added.
Ellie groaned annoyingly. "Ian, you have been watching Dinosaurs too much."
"Ellie is right," Alan agreed. "You are a little too into watching Baby hit Earl on the head with an object and yell 'Not the mama' constantly."
"What can I say? I love it when that happens," Ian said with a soft chuckle.
"I hope you don't get the idea of hitting any of us on the head with a bat or something," Alan said, swallowing hard.
Ian shook his head. "Don't worry. I won't."
The survivors looked up to see a Pteranodon flying overhead. They listened to its squawks. They watched until it vanished beyond the horizon. John started about the start of cloning the dinosaurs.