The Phantom Princess
A Power Rangers In Space Fic
By: Malaizjan P.J. Shultz
***Since I normally write Batman Beyond and Young Justice fics, I had this fic collecting dust in a notebook. When my fellow DC co-author Reina Grayson decided to re-write her PR fic, I decided to take a break as well and get my own PR fic out. And she has helped me improve a few parts so it's way better than what I wrote WAAAAAAYYY back in 2000... I don't own Power Rangers or any of its seasons because if I did…it would have had at least a PG13 and above rating…As such, my fic is rated teen. And thanks to Reina Grayson for helping me with this chapter and the next one too. I am no real Power Rangers expert…period!***
Chapter 3
At Posiplys Lake…
As Cerina landed, she leaped up, caught the next Mercerite around the neck with her feet and flipped it into the lake itself.
One Mercerite started blasting at her and followed her as she ran away from it.
Trini threw one of her Griffin Daggers into the head of another Mercerite and it exploded. She then doubled-kicked the next two in quick succession, followed by a punch to the chest plate of a third.
Beta continued to blast at the others Mercerites as Cerina looked behind her and then ran harder for the nearest tree. As the Mercerite gave chase, she leaped up into the tree.
Not one to fall for such a tactic, the Mercerite then blasted the base of the tree and that tree toppled over, and Cerina was pinned to the ground before she could leap away. She struggled to free herself with her boa staff as she saw the Mercerite come into view, his arm blaster aimed at her face.
It was then hit from behind, and Trini came into view. She pulled on the tree enough for Cerina to slip out from under it. Then the two tag-teamed the rest of the Mercerites, taking them all down with devastating moves that rendered them all damaged beyond repair.
When the smoke cleared, so to speak, all of the Mercerites were down and unmoving and Cerina and Trini were standing, with Beta looming behind them the girls high-fived each other with a laugh. "Wow…" Trini commented. "I really like my Thunder powers; it's good to have them back."
"You haven't even scratched the surface yet, Trini. Now, I just need to get one thing in here and we can go." Cerina sounded disappointed in having leaving so soon after her arrival but the Mercerites invaded her mother's old castle. That proved to her that nowhere was safe for her. Cerina went inside the castle with Trini and Beta close behind.
Cerina stayed morphed as she went down the dark hall, arm raised as her hand glowed a bright creamy-colored hue to light up the place. Beta stayed behind Trini, using two small oval-like flashlights to light the way better.
Trini took the time to look at the paintings on the wall, noting how all of them were scenery paintings. "Beta," Trini whispered. "Did her mother like nature?"
"Indeed she did. Queen Solidaia was a woman with much passion for nature and not ruining a planet in the name of 'progress'." Beta whispered back.
Cerina went straight to the throne room, which was a straight walk from the hall. She then went behind the only throne chair there and tapped the wall behind it for about a minute. Then she pulled out a section of the wall and a small, capsule-looking device fell into her hand. She held it up. "Ok. We can go."
"What is that?" Trini asked.
"A last resort. Beta, we're on our way back, can you pick up a Mercerite whose on-board computer system isn't fried?" Cerina looked at her android companion.
"Of course, my Princess." Beta turned to find one.
"Cerina? What are you going to do?"
"I plan to find out who sent these things…and then send it back with this bomb…" Cerina held up the device that she just freed from the wall. "I should've done this years ago…but I was too afraid to really fight back…And quite frankly, I'm tired of running away."
Trini chuckled. "You and me both, but we better go before more show up." Trini and Cerina walked side-by-side out of the castle.
On Earth…
T.J., Cassie, Ashley, Carlos, Andros and Zhane walked up to Justin's house in civilian clothes. The six Space Rangers were cautious as Justin's father didn't know that Justin was a ranger. Before T.J. could knock on the door, Justin opened it. "Hey Justin."
"Tej! Good, all of you came! Come in. No worries, my dad had an emergency at work. I'm free for the weekend!" Justin explained quickly as he let the others inside. He was quick to close the door behind Zhane.
"Justin, you remember Andros?" Carlos said.
Justin shook the Red Space Ranger's hand.
"This is Zhane, the Silver Ranger…and my best friend from my home planet." Andros introduced.
"Nice to meet you!" Justin said, shaking his hand.
"Likewise…" Zhane said, but there was just a hint of anger in the Silver Ranger's voice.
The others sat on the couches and chairs as Justin sat by the computer desk.
"Ok Justin. Tell us what's going on?" Andros said after a silent spell.
"Ok…I got this visit from a girl from the future. She knew who I was and said that she needed my help here in the present. She said the Gold Ranger turned on everyone and started to take down all the rangers. Only six remained, herself included. She said her name was Cerina and she was the Queen of Eltar."
Zhane looked really mad when Cerina's name was mentioned.
"She said that the Machine Empire sent android assassins called Mercerites after her. And that her younger self is being chased all around the universe by these things. I was to find her and take her to Eltar where her bothers and she could reform the Sword of Power. Then I was to take that sword to KO-35 and get to the castle on the lake and stab the throne. She said it would create a time wave that'll weaken the Gold Ranger's power enough to launch an attack."
Andros was thinking for some time before he spoke. "And how were you going to find her?"
"Storm Blaster can find something called Wind Rider, who's with Cerina." Justin answered.
Zhane stood up. "Why did she fake her death!?" he demanded.
"HEY! I don't know, she never said; but she was sad….like involving me was a last resort or something!" Justin shouted.
"I believe you, Justin." Andros said as he was quick to get up from his seat and grab Zhane by the shoulder.
"Back off, Andros," Zhane warned and Andros moved his hand away.
"You're the one who can't control his anger," Andros countered. "I know you loved her-"
"It was more than that!" Zhane moved away from Andros to stand before the living room window. "We were supposed to be married. And then…we get attacked and we wake up to find her blood everywhere and over the ledge! And now…she's alive and she never came to US!"
"Zhane…you know the Purple Ranger is about protection more than anything. She probably did it to save us."
"I agree," came a voice.
Everyone looked around and the Phantom Ranger became visible, standing rather close to Andros, which made Andros back up a few steps.
Cassie looked faint at the sight of the Phantom Ranger.
"And when did YOU hitch a ride!?" Andros asked.
"Back on KO-35. My zord should be coming into orbit in about 15 minutes. So she's alive? My sister?"
"Sister?" Cassie asked.
"Cerina's my little sister," Phantom said to her.
Cassie didn't know what to say.
The Phantom Ranger sighed. He walked to Cassie. "Cassie?" he said, and held out a hand to her.
Cassie took it without hesitating.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" Cassie asked.
"Not telling you I had a sister. I didn't mean to spring this onto you."
"You've never told me anything about yourself."
The Phantom Ranger sighed again. He reached up and unhooked his helmet on each side. He opened the back of it. Then he pulled it off of him.
Cassie held her breath.
The Phantom Ranger removed his helmet. His skin was very pale, almost translucent. His wild dark blue hair and dark gray eyes were a shock to Cassie. "My name's Shadow. Prince Shadow of Eltar."
Cassie was obviously shocked. Then she fainted.
Shadow caught her before she hit her head on the chair behind her.
Andros was next to the pair. "You should have warned her..."
"Are there no blue haired people on Earth?" he asked Andros.
"I've heard about people dying their hair all sorts of colors, but no natural blue hair exists on Earth."
"Oh."
Just then the space rangers' morphers beeped to life. "Rangers; DECA is picking up Pyramidas' signature heading for Earth."
"I wonder what brought him here," Andros remarked, but he had a feeling that news had gotten to the Lord of Triforia about his cousin.
"It won't be long before we find out." Zhane stated. He was still mad, but he knew that another old friend being around could help.
The rangers talked for several more minutes and Cassie came to by then, when suddenly; the front door started to open. The space rangers thought that Justin's father had forgotten something for his emergency at work, so they found hiding places and Shadow went invisible. It only took a couple of seconds longer before the door opened, but instead of one person, there were three.
"Who are you three?" Justin asked as he got into a defensive stance.
"We are of one being just split into our three essences. I am Trey of Heart; combined with my other selves, Trey of Courage and Trey of Wisdom, I am the gold Zeo Ranger."
At the mention of these three being a Power Ranger, Justin released the tension in his body, but he was still weary. The Space Rangers came out of their hiding places and Shadow reappeared.
"Justin, he may have already introduced himself, but this is Trey of Triforia." Andros told the 13 year old ex ranger. "He's Cerina's and Shadow's cousin."
Trey stood there in the home of the youngest Earth Ranger ever, staring at Andros in disbelief. It looked like everyone was there for the same reason. "Are you sure?" Trey had asked.
"I am. It was confirmed." Andros eyed Zhane with worry.
"Zhane?" Trey asked.
"Not talking about it!" Zhane declared with a hint of anger in his voice.
Trey and Shadow stared at each other. The two cousins nodded, as if they had talked but never did.
"Wait-you two are cousins?" Cassie asked.
"From Zordon's side of the family. My father and Zordon were brothers," Trey explained.
"Zhane..." Ashley started but the Silver Ranger merely glared at her.
"You're not the only one angry at my sister. I am too. And speaking of, I better go try and find her." Shadow remarked as he took Ashley's lead. The Eltarian prince then threw on his helmet and walked to the door. He paused. "Cassie...would you come?"
"Sure!" Cassie said too quickly. She then cleared her throat and said, "Um...sure. Ok." She looked to Andros.
He nodded.
"Call if you find her," Justin spoke up.
Cassie smiled and followed Shadow out.
Trey looked at Andros. "I'll start my search too. We all need to find her then. I'll check in every 6 hours." Trey then left.
Trey headed back for Pyrimidas to head home. It had been a long week and he wanted to rest up before helping in the search for Cerina. To know that his cousin was alive and being hunted down by assassins was too much for him to process right away.
He paused as he neared his zord. He felt like he was being watched.
Trey looked around him carefully. He saw nothing that would warrant the feeling.
So he boarded Pyrimidas and took off, leaving Earth at a quick pace.
As soon as the coast was clear, a blue time warp appeared and the Gold Ranger appeared from it.