Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirteen of "Running From Here." I decided to resume this after a ten-month hiatus. This chapter has some Tommy/Kim and Jason/Trini. It features Rexy's return. I felt it was time to feature her again after not having her appear for a while. Ranger action is coming in the next chapter or so. Stay tuned for chapter fourteen.
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Chapter 13: What a World
Tommy, Kim, Jason, Trini, Billy, Zack, and Mia came upon a large clearing five minutes later. Billy was riding on Mia. He was right on her neck. They went into the middle of it. They came upon a plant containing white and pink flowers. They stopped before it. Tommy and Zack stepped forward and knelt down. They touched the petals of two flowers.
"West Indian lilac," Tommy whispered in great awe.
"These flowers have a reputation for being toxic," Zack responded, shooting a glance at him.
"They can make anyone or anything that eats them very sick," Tommy murmured, rubbing his chin.
"I wouldn't want to be that unlucky guy," Zack said.
"Who would?" Tommy asked with a shake of his head.
The Black and White Rangers continued examining the flowers. They mumbled inaudible words. Billy looked down at Mia, who peered up at him. She put a front hoof back.
"Have you and your fellow Triceratops eaten those plants, Mia?" Billy asked while touching Mia's frill.
"No. They taste very bad to us. I overheard the veterinarians saying that Michelle might have gotten sick from eating them. However, Dr. Sattler examined her droppings and found no trace of the berries. They never found out what caused her illness. She died soon after the island was abandoned," Mia explained.
"How often did Michelle get sick?" Billy wondered.
"Once every six weeks," Mia responded with a snort. "It was so odd. It's more than likely she had a recurring infection. It would go away. Then it would flare up. Some flare-ups were worse than others."
Billy emitted a disgusted shudder. "Yikes."
"Yikes indeed," Mia agreed. "Every step you take must be a careful one. You never know what you might walk into."
"Like a Tyrannosaurus feeding on a kill," Billy said with a nervous laugh.
"Exactly," Mia responded, seemingly nodding. "If a predator feels you are threatening to take its kill away, it will come after you."
"If a mother feels you are threatening her offspring, she will come after you," Billy commented.
Mia bellowed. "Right."
Billy looked down at his device. He found it was now pointing northwest. He looked in that direction. He whistled, causing Tommy and Zack to look at him. Jason, Kim, and Trini followed suit.
"Guys, we need to head this way," Billy announced while waving his hand toward himself.
"Okay, Billy," Tommy responded, saluting him. "Lead the way."
Zack snickered. "Let's hope we do not run into any brick walls."
"Zack, that is the lamest joke you have ever made," Trini said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in disbelief.
"For sure," Kim agreed.
"Hey, someone has to lighten the mood," Zack pointed out truthfully.
Jason waved his hands in the air. "All right. That's enough. We need to go now."
Mia began walking in the new direction when Billy nudged her neck with his legs very gently. Her tail moved from side to side. Tommy, Kim, Jason, Trini, and Zack followed her close behind. Mia sniffed the air and emitted a disgusted snort. Jason tried not to chuckle, but he could not help himself.
"It seems Mia caught a bad smell," Jason said, his hands going upward.
"It was probably a rotting carcass," Trini suggested.
"It is possible someone let out a really smelly fart," Jason commented and waved his hand in front of his face. "I hate that kind of smell."
"Sometimes, it is so bad that it makes you about ready to faint," Trini murmured, making a retching sound.
"Let's hope we do not encounter the source," Jason said and cleared his throat. He saw Mia stopping in her tracks. He became a bit confused. "What the hell is Mia stopping for?"
"I have no idea," Trini admitted. "No siree."
Tommy, Kim, Jason, Trini, and Zack went around Mia. They groaned disgustingly at the sight of a stripped subadult Parasaurolophus laying on its side. Flies hovered over it, some landing on it. Billy touched the back of his neck.
"I think we found the source of the smell," Zack mumbled, cringing badly.
"No shit, Sherlock," Tommy responded, scoffing to himself.
"Who knows how long that Parasaurolophus has been laying there and how many predators have eaten from it?" Trini wondered, curiosity filling her eyes.
Kim shook her head. "You don't want to know."
Kim looked at a puddle while balling her hand into a fist. She gasped when it rippled slightly at the sound of a thump. She swallowed hard when the rippling happened again, this time it being bigger with the thump growing louder. She began breathing hard and grabbed Tommy's arm. She gave it a hard tug. He looked at her.
"What is it, Kim?" Tommy asked.
"I think we better get the hell out of here!" Kim yelled frightfully as she pointed her finger at the rippling puddle. She whimpered at the thumping becoming louder. "We have to go now!"
"I agree with Kim," Zack said, feeling his heart beat faster.
"Then let's go!" Tommy ordered.
The entire group started walking, but it came to a stop when it saw Rexy coming toward it not very far from it. Mia emitted a quiet yet alarmed bellow. She snorted softly before shaking her head. Tommy, Kim, Jason, Trini, and Zack went to her side.
"It's Rexy!" Mia whispered.
"That's Rexy?" Billy asked in surprise. "She looks even bigger than what you described."
"That might be her food. If it is, she could think we are disturbing it and attack," Mia suggested.
"You could be right," Billy said, jumping off her. "I will tell the others."
Billy looked at his friends while swallowing hard. He could feel his heart beating faster. He held up his hand before pressing his lips together.
"Stay still, guys. Dr. Grant said the Tyrannosaurus's vision is based on movement," Billy whispered seriously. "This could be her kill. She could attack if she thinks we are disturbing it."
The others nodded at the Blue Ranger. Mia opened her beak and snorted loudly. Rexy was moving closer every second. Just then, Jason started walking toward her. Tommy gasped in much shock.
"Jason, what in the fuck are you doing? Get back here!" Tommy ordered sternly.
"Tommy, I want to talk to Rexy. We could use her help," Jason said, looking over his shoulder.
Tommy shook his head. "You shouldn't. It's too—"
Jason placed his hand on his Power Coin. It glowed very brightly as he turned to Rexy. The brightness got dimmer in a quick way. He halted himself, as did she. She let out a confused growl at his moving his hand out. He took three deep breaths before growling in determination.
"Hello, Rexy," Jason said calmly.
"Who in the hell are you?" Rexy demanded. "How do you know my name?"
"I know your name because we were told about you by a special friend of ours," Jason explained.
"You shouldn't be here!" Rexy snapped. "It is very dangerous. You can be eaten up by vicious animals!"
"We understand the risk, but we had to come," Jason insisted firmly.
"You look like someone who would hunt me for sport. I heard Jurassic Park operators joke about that," Rexy hissed angrily.
He chuckled and jerked his thumb toward Billy and Mia. "That's what Mia said to Billy over there."
She snorted. "I have seen Mia a couple of times. I have never been interested in hunting her and her fellow Triceratops. I prefer Parasaurolophus and Saurolophus to eat."
Rexy swung her tail from side to side as she looked past the group at the Parasaurolophus. Mia narrowed her eyes at her before tilting her head slightly. Rexy shifted her attention back to Jason, who breathed hard and heavy. She blinked three times.
"You need not worry. That is not my kill. That belongs to Utahraptors," Rexy assured.
"That's good. My friends and I would never hunt you and your fellow dinosaurs. We are the Power Rangers," Jason answered in a gentle voice. "We are superheroes who protect people and animals."
"Power Rangers?" Rexy said incredulously. "Talk about a weird name for superheroes."
"I agree," Jason said, moving closer to her. "My name is Jason. How did you get the name Rexy?"
"I didn't have a name at first, but my handlers started calling me Rexy a few years after I was born," Rexy admitted. "It was more of a nickname than it was an actual name. It became a term of endearment, so it stuck. John Hammond liked it."
"I see," Jason whispered.
Rexy lowered her head while relaxing her posture somewhat. She kept her eye on Jason, who laid his hand over his heart.
"Listen to me, Rexy. Goldar, Scorpina, and a monster named Tigton captured John, Lex, Tim, Alan, Ellie, and Ian," Jason said.
"Those humans are here, even the kids?" Rexy asked shockingly.
"Yes. Goldar, Scorpina, and Tigton are agents of Lord Zedd. Lord Zedd has been trying to conquer Earth. We are trying to find the Jurassic Park survivors," Jason explained.
She snorted. "I don't like the sound of those people. They seem vicious."
He let out a heavy sigh. "They are. We have some protection from Mia, but we could use some from you. You saved those survivors from those raptors, so you know them better than we do. You and Mia could work together to fight off any predators that attack us as we try to find our friends."
Rexy looked away, a soft growl coming from her. She remained uncertain about the Rangers, yet she knew Jason was right. She could work with Mia to fight off predators if she accompanied them on their quest. She admitted she yearned to see the survivors. She lowered herself to his eye level after turning back to him.
"I will come with you on your quest," Rexy said.
"Thank you," Jason whispered in a grateful way. He touched her nose so lightly that it seemed he hadn't done that. "Thank you so much."
Rexy released the tension from her body before nudging Jason. He ran his hand up and down her nose. He went to the spot between her eyes. He looked at his teammates and motioned with his head.
"Come on, guys," Jason encouraged. "It's okay."
Tommy, Kim, Billy, Trini, and Zack went to the Red Ranger's side. They observed him patting Rexy on the nose.
"Great work, Jason," Tommy complimented.
"We can't stand around anymore," Billy said as he looked down at the device. He rubbed his chin and emitted a soft snort. "We need to keep going in the same direction."
Tommy exhaled. "All right. Let's go."
Tommy, Kim, Jason, Trini, Zack, and Billy resumed walking. Rexy rose to her full height and glanced at Mia. They followed the team close behind.