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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 19, 2008 22:05:24 GMT -5
Title: Semper Fi / Always Faithful
Author: Chrisangelo & Jade-Max
Rating: M
Disclaimer: Power Rangers does not belong to me, the use of the characters, and original ideas all belong to Saban and there respective partners. The plot for this story and the sub stories do belong to me however.
Summary: Intent on capturing all of the Rangers, an old evil has returned and Jason and Kim must face their own nightmares as they race to protect the planet one last time…
Author Notes: This fanfiction was created and sorted out over a period of 3 weeks, and this takes Power Rangers into a very dark world. Major thanks to Jade-Max for deciding to help create this.
Main Pairing: Tommy/Kimberly Minor Pairing: Jason/Katherine
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Chapter 1: Last One...
--
“We have to warn them!”
“We can't risk it, if we expose them...”
“They already know who they are.”
“But not where they are...”
“It's only a matter of time. Isn't it better to give them a fighting chance?” Silence greeted his query and he doggedly continued. “Anything is better than what we encountered, ANYTHING. They're after us again too, and if nothing else, we can find-”
“No!!” She snapped harshly as she brought her uncomfortable posed arms up to her face as she blocked it from his gaze.
“He's the longest standing Ranger-”
“I said no! He couldn't stand up to them before, he couldn't..” Tears began to fill her already swollen eyes as the realization of the situation began to settle in.
“It won't happen again. It's not the same...”
She lifted her head as she moved her arms back into the same uncomfortable position she was previously in as she looked at him. “Isn't it?”
“Look, what happened in the past is done and over with, can you honestly live with yourself knowing you could have saved them and didn't? Don't you think that's a little selfish?”
“Selfish? You’re calling ME selfish? I went through seeing it happen once and it nearly killed me - I can't do it again!”
“You’re assuming that things will be the same-“
“Wouldn’t it? He's not even the same man as he was when I watched him-” Choking on the words, she fought the sick feeling they brought. She couldn’t do it again! Turning to face him, she glared. “If you can't understand why I won’t go through with it, then you’re wasting your time here.
“It’s not-“
She was on her feet and at the apartment door in moments, swinging it open as she extended her arm and pointed to the hallway. “Just get out.”
“Come on now...”
“No, NOW!”
He shook his head as he grabbed his black leather jacket and draped it over his right shoulder and walked past her only to stop in the doorway. “I'm a phone call away.” He proceeded out the door only to hear it slam.
--
They fought like the siblings they should have been and it tore him up inside no less despite the fact there was no blood relation. Kimberly Hart, former Pink Ranger, could aggravate him like no one else – and could cheer him up like no one else. As he stormed out of the apartment complex, frustrated with her beyond no end, Jason Lee Scott, former Red Ranger, knew from experience the anger would pass quickly. It always did. Despite the increasingly explosive nature of their arguments, and their almost identical stubborn personalities, they always managed to come out of it without lasting harm to their relationship.
Family doesn't hold grudges.
Jason reached into his leather jacket pocket and pulled out his cellphone as he dialed the phone number that hopefully would make this whole situation simmer down from what seemed like an over boiling pan of water.
“Hello?”
“Hey bro, I'm so glad you answered...”
“Thank you for calling Dr. Tommy Oliver's uhh.. cellphone number, please leave a -brief- message.”
“Short? Hell! You’re in danger – get out of Reefside and call me when you get this.”
Jason shut his phone as he rubbed his tired eyes. He proceeded to reach into his pocket as he pulled out a ruffled up paper that seemed fairly old considering the hundred creases it contained. “I think that's just about everyone...just them...” He said circling a group of names: Tommy Oliver, Kira Ford, Conner McKnight, Ethan James, Trent Mercer.
They were the last rangers left in the universe that Jason knew of, that he still had to contact and warn them about the biggest threat that any of the rangers had ever faced. Bigger than Rita, bigger than Ivan Ooze – bigger than Mezagog. It was a threat so horrific to contemplate, a fate worse than death, he blocked it from his memory despite having been exposed – and escaped.
The midnight wind blew through Jason's dark brown hair as he sighed deeply. He looked at the cracks in the brick sidewalk as he looked down at the list. “Five...” He let out a frustrating groan as he pictured how he would tell them. “Normally I have a pretty, stubborn, and keen side-kick here to switch around the ways of telling them! Kim...we both went through it...what gives you the right to escape our fate?”
His attention quickly switched to his vibrating and blinking phone as the name that registered on the outside of the red razor cellphone quickly brought a smile to his face. “Figures, about time.”
--
Closing the door behind Jason, Kimberly’s gaze traveled over the now empty room as another tear shook its way from her eye, down her face. Running shaky hands through her hair, she lightly bit at her bottom lip aware that, other than her tears, face was completely drained of all emotions.
Kimberly walked throughout the apartment until she found her way into the kitchen. “I need sleep.” She mumbled and reached into a lower drawer and pulled out a prescription medication bottle.
Take two at approximately 7 pm.
She read over the instructions and glanced over at the digital clock on the microwave.
11:09 pm
Staring back at the prescription bottle, Kimberly lightly groaned and drifted her vision up towards the cupboard. “Mom always thought of warm milk for an alternate remedy...” She reached up to grab one of the smaller, delicate glasses as she was only tall enough to make it tip forward into her grasp.
The glass tipped forward, but glided the wrong way against Kimberly's fingertips and tipped far to much to the left as it fell out of her reach and crashed landed against the tile floor, landing in between her feet.
The former crane certainly lost her way as the sound and feeling of the shattered pieces caused Kimberly to jump with fear and shock as she crumbled to the floor beneath her.
Pulling her knees up against her chest, Kimberly rested her head down against her arms. “Why did this have to happen..why did any of it have to happen..is this my punishment?”
She slowly lifted her head and stared at the glass. Kimberly stretched one of her arms out as she moved it along the tile until she picked up one of the larger shards.
The piece of glass reflected Kimberly's image back at her as it revealed the true state she was in. Her eyes slammed shut as she grabbed her head and began to scream, but nothing escaped. She felt the breeze that was entering through one of the windows near the kitchen and it picked up a yellow and black ribbon that followed through the silent wind and landed gently against Kimberly's feet.
The shock of seeing the ribbon brought more pain to the emotional wreck that was Kimberly. Tears formed in her eyes as she found her herself slowly standing up and making her way over to the sofa. Kim slowly succumbed to the comfort of the soft cushion as her tears streamed down from her doe eyes. A sniffle escaped her nose and she covered her face with her hands as she began another breakdown.
“Of all people why do we have to tell him.. they won't find him. They'll never know where he is... Jason you know I can't go through that.. not again.” She said between the tearful hiccups she was experiencing. She reached for her phone and dialed the one number that existed inside her phone book. Over the years, Kim had cut off all ties with everyone except Jason. “Please pick up...”
--
“...I thought you'd never call.”
“I'm sorry Jason.. please come back. I..I know I can't get through this without you and we have to tell them.. but I can't do this without you.. I can't do this alone.” She managed to mumble out through her cries. Once again she felt the overturn of the world coming down to crash on her shoulders.
A knock came on the apartment door as Jason stood outside. “Well let me in already, sis!” His gentle tease was affectionate and understanding – accepting. It was also demonstrative of their relationship and the acknowledgment that they were more like siblings than friends or lovers – more like family.
Kimberly wiped her tears and stumbled to the door as she unlocked a deadbolt, a chain, and then three other locks as she opened the door slowly and shoved it open once she saw Jason. “I'm sorry..” She tipped her head as she finished wiping her tears.
Jason stepped in through the door to embrace Kim as he shook his head. “I know we've been through a lot, and I know how much you went through with Tommy.. and -everything-, but we have to warn him. We have to Kim.”
“I know..but I'm scared, Jase..”
“I'm scared too. But we have to pull through this, and we can only do that together.”
Moving a few steps back, while still holding onto Jason's arms, Kimberly looked up at him trembling. “I just feel like I'm going down an empty road with millions of miles separating me from city limits. I feel like we are never going to get over what happened.. or what is going to happen.”
Jason moved his hand to her cheek and wiped her soft tears away as he smiled down at her. “We'll make it through. I'll drive you to that city if I have to. But before we can get there.. we have to move along our own fate. You know destiny shines the way, but sometimes you have to steer its course.”
“Okay..let's do this.”
Jason half smiled and nodded. “Let's finish this.”
Kimberly crossed her arms and looked up at him once again. “Is it okay if I change first...?”
Eyes widened and a mouth nearly dropped as Jason was blown away. “Sure, Kim...” He warmly smiled and closed his eyes. /I haven't heard the real Kim in a long time.../
By the time Kim had finished, Jason realized it was after midnight which meant they were pushed for time. He decided the best plan for action would be to take his motorcycle. It would provide easier access for driving though forests, and very very fast.
Kimberly originally had her hair pinned up but due to having to wear a helmet, she was forced to put her wavy brunette hair down which cut off around her upper back and shoulders. She was dressed in a white corset and a pair of dark blue jeans, and a black trench coat that she wore for the cold nights breeze. Other than that she was wearing a pair of sneakers of course.
Jason was simply in his dark blue jeans, red shirt, and a black leather jacket.
They both of course were now wearing helmets as they made their way to Reefside.
--
Jason's motorcycle slid to a stop as they came to their fated destination in the no-where outskirts of Reefside. The house was heavily surrounded by the forest and outer terrain. The city lights were barely visible through all the trees and miles that separated the two locations.
Kimberly swung her leg over the motorcycle end as she stood up and looked around. She removed her helmet and shook her hair as she tried her best to remove her helmet hair.
Jason stood up as well and tossed his helmet under his arm as he looked at the unlit house. Tommy's jeep was no where to be found and it looked as if the house was empty. The moonlight was enough however to provide some source of light for the area. “Damn, he's not here...”
“What should we do?” Kimberly brought her arms up together by her chest as the cold breeze brought goosebumps to her skin.
“This.”
Jason walked up the few stairs and across the outer house deck and slowly approached the door.
“Jason?!” Kimberly whispered as she slowly walked up the stairs trailing behind him.
“Should we really be doing this? If he's not home we should wait..”
“Wait to be found, Kim?”
“Okay.. well just be quiet.” She said as she grabbed onto his arm and watched from behind them.
Like clockwork, Jason propped the door open as he entered with Kim.
“Okay, let's go!” Jason whispered loudly as they both moved through the entrance and turned on the lights. The opening room was obviously the living room, detailed with a leather black couch, table, and entertainment center. It also had a fireplace in the corner.. and the ashes were somewhat still lit.
“Someone's been here.”
Kim pulled her hair back to gather on her right shoulder as she squatted down by Jason to see. “Do you think Tommy has a contact list so we can warn the others?”
“I'm sure he does, Kim. I'm going to go check around outside. Try to find the contact list and then make the calls. I shouldn't be too long.” Jason took off his jacket and laid it on the couch and proceeded out the door, shutting it behind him.
Kim let out a deep breath as she nervously moved her hands together. “OK...let's see...if I were Tommy, where would I put...something I wouldn't -lose-”
Kimberly walked over to the desk that the cordless phone was placed on and opened the first drawer. “Looks like someone's changed.” She grabbed the book and quickly placed it on the desk as she opened it and scanning through the contacts. “Ford..Ford..Kira..Ford..ah!” She was sure out of all the teenage rangers, that Kira, being the only girl, would know where everyone else was. Maybe she would even know where Tommy was.
She picked up the phone and began dialing the number. “5...7...5...3...4...2...8.” The phone began pulsing as Kim turned around to try and watch Jason outside.
“Hey, Dr. O! I wasn't expecting you to call this late?”
Kimberly was caught off guard and her cheeks turned a light shade of red as she stood up straight. “No..” She cleared her throat as she moved her hand around it. “This isn't Dr. Oliver. My name is Kimberly Hart...” She was trying to remember how she approached the other rangers. They mostly met in person, this was one of the occasions where it was through a phone call. “I am...I was...one of the original power rangers that was on Tommy...I mean Dr. Oliver's team.”
On the other end of the phone line, Kira's eyes widened with shock and a small bit of excitement. It wasn't everyday that you spoke with one of the 'legends'. “From the video tape!” She yelled into the phone.
“Video tape?”
“Yes, Dr. Oliver profiled his years as a ranger and showed us. You were the Pink Ranger, right?”
“Well...yes...but look, that isn't important right now. Every former and current power ranger is in danger, serious danger. I can't explain it right now, but I need you to contact the other members of your team and leave Reefside, tonight.”
“What are you talking about, Mezagog is dead. We don't even have our powers anymore.”
“That doesn't matter!”
“Oh...”
“I'm sorry for being so harsh and forward but this is serious. I also need you, if you can, to tell me when the last time was that you saw Dr. Oliver.”
“It was about a week ago...he came by to check up on all of us at Hayley's Cyber Space.”
“Thank you. Contact your friends, leave Reefside. There is a...” Kimberly finished giving Kira the information on where to go, and how to get there, and placed the phone down.
“Would he really be at a cyber-cafe this late? It's...after...midnight.” Her eyes widened and she quickly turned back around to see if she could spot Jason. When she couldn't, she ran for the door.
--
“Hello foolish human!” Goldar cackled as he appeared in flames and lunged forward at Jason. “I thought I told you the last time to stay out of my way!”
Caught, Jason struggled against Goldar's hold, struggling to break free of the tight grip. "I'll never let you get to him, Goldar!” Jason's was accompanied by the thrust of his leg to push Goldar back. The beasts' arms fell away and Jason turned, finding his footing before he flipped back and away. Backing away cautiously, he settled into a defensive stance, acutely aware that he had no powers to draw on - and little hope beyond a good defense of keeping the monster away.
“I let you escape last time, but you'll never escape the likes of Lord Zedd!! You can always run, but you can never hide, Red Ranger!”
“I've told you before, monkey boy, and I'll tell you again. You mess with one Power Ranger, you mess with all of us!" For all his bravado, Jason knew if he didn't find a way to get past Goldar and back to the house, he was in for a rough ride. Without Kim's help, no matter his training, Goldar had an edge on him. "I'd back off if I was you."
"Funny, I don't see any Power Rangers here." A horrible laugh escaped from Goldar's mouth as he pointed his sword at Jason. "Maybe it's you who should surrender and save yourself the trouble."
"And give you Tommy? I don't think so."
"It's your funeral. Ahhh!" Goldar charged, swiping at Jason with his sword as he did.
Jason back flipped out of the way, landing and finding his balance in a split second. He ducked as Goldar's sword made to chop his head off and lashed out with one foot to catch him in the side. Spinning away, and going down to the ground, Jason took Goldar's legs out from under him with a sweep kick.
Goldar hit the ground with a roar as Jason darted to the side and around, heading back towards Tommy's house. He had to get to Kim!
"Going somewhere so soon?"
Jason rolled with the impact as Goldar slammed into his back, driving him to the ground and rendering him unable to throw off the golden monstrosity. Goldar's sword came to rest across the back of his neck and Jason froze, knowing he was caught.
"If Lord Zedd didn't want you so badly, Red Ranger, I'd take your head for a trophy."
"Then you'd better keep it where it is," Jason returned with a grunt. Goldar's weight was slowly smothering him into the ground. "And while you're at it, lose a few pounds!"
"Heh heh heh," Goldar eased back, keeping the sword tip at the base of Jason's throat. "Wouldn't want to kill you before Zedd gets the chance."
Jason closed his eyes for half a second, gathering both his strength and his courage, before rolling violently to the side, the tip of the sword biting into his neck and drawing blood. He didn't pause as Goldar pursued him, scrambling to his feet.
"Kim!"
"Kimmy can't help you, Red Ranger - she's too scared to come out and play."
Jason dodged to the side, slapping one hand across the back of his neck as the warm liquid began to slide under the collar of his shirt. The slice was clean - but deeper than he'd anticipated. He needed help, and he needed it fast. "Kim!"
A blow from the side sent him sprawling, but he didn't stay down. He scrambled for purchase on the wash that was Tommy's driveway, leaving a red hand print on the gravel as he turned to face Goldar and side-stepped a swing from his sword.
"I thought you'd be done with me by now - getting old, Goldy?"
"I'll live longer than you will puny human."
Goldar stepped between Jason and the house, blocking his way to Kim. He had to warn her, to get her help. If Goldar was here, Lord Zedd wouldn't be far behind and both of them knew what that meant. Trouble with a capital T, not to mention the impact seeing Zedd again would have on Kim. It was not an encounter he intended to put her through.
"We'll see about that, Goldar. Zi-ya!"
Jumping at the golden monster and screaming for all he was worth, Jason planted his foot into the armored chest with as much force as he could. Goldar, instead of trying to impale him, dropped his sword and caught Jason's foot, going on his back and then rolling. Jason was caught, unable to pull his leg free, and Goldar slammed him into the ground forcefully enough to make his teeth ache.
"Heh heh heh, not so tough now are you - argh!" Goldar suddenly threw up his arms as brilliant light blinded him from the direction of the driveway entrance. The sound of a car's tires as they slid along the gravel was clearly audible as the light from its headlights blinded their vision.
A black shape appeared out of the nothingness, barreling into Goldar and throwing him off Jason. "Don't touch him!"
Kimberly's half-crazed cry echoed through the area as she sent Goldar sprawling, landing just to the side. Quick as a cat, Kim was back on her feet and slamming her foot into Goldar's face, kicking him for all she was worth, her actions more infuriated than controlled.
Jason forced himself to his hands and knees, feeling the impact of hitting the ground to his bones, but unwilling to let Kim deal with Goldar alone. "Kim!"
"Take that, you golden bastard. Pervert! Voyeur! You winged freak!" Kimberly's insults were accompanied by kicks and Goldar was forced to lift his hands to protect his head under the onslaught.
Behind the wheel of the black Jeep, Tommy Oliver stared at the sight before him, completely floored. Kimberly Hart and Jason Lee Scott were sitting in his driveway fighting with Goldar or all people. Jason had obviously been bested, but Kimberly... Kimberly was acting like a mad woman. Her screams were almost intelligible, made up mostly of incoherent noises and shrieks he hadn't known she could make.
Goldar rolled away from Kimberly, grabbing for his sword, and Tommy snapped into action. Grabbing the frame of his Jeep, he pulled himself into the seat and leapt onto the hood. "There are two things I don't like Goldar."
Goldar stopped, surprised by his voice - just as he'd hoped. Tommy didn't wait for Goldar to respond. "People picking on my friends and bad guys who don't know when to die – Zi-yah!"
Goldar stumbled backwards as Tommy's flying kick landed squarely in his chest, throwing him backwards. Jason regained his feet as Tommy landed, using the Jeep for support. Kimberly was already moving towards him, preparing to attack him again, her eyes holding a wild look that had never been present before - and Goldar knew it was time to retreat.
"This isn't over Rangers. Lord Zedd will have you - all of you - again!"
As Goldar disappeared, Tommy relaxed his stance his gaze riveted on Kimberly - he hadn't seen her in ten years - and struggled to find the words to ask what they were doing. Kimberly turned, saw him and Tommy lunged forward as her eyes suddenly rolled back in her head, dropping away in a dead faint.
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 19, 2008 22:08:55 GMT -5
Chapter 2: A Dash of Clarity...
--
Panic struck as Kimberly’s eyes rolled back in her head and Tommy didn’t think as much as reacted. Old instincts kicked in before he could make a rational decision and she was in his arms barely moments later.
The smell of her was the same, he realized with a start as he pulled her tight against his chest unthinkingly. The feel of her was the same - as if she’d never left his protection; as if she’d never abandoned him. Using the skills ten years of separation had taught him, he buried the feelings deep - back into the past where they belonged - and focused instead on the reality of the situation.
Pain in his knee made itself known and he suddenly realized just how close he’d come to letting her hit the ground - he was down on one knee, the backs of his hands scraped from brushing against gravel. Yet the physical pain was nothing compared to what he’d seen in her gaze.
Terror.
Hope.
Despair.
The Kimberly he remembered had always been open when looking at him, a source of joy and light, but what he’d seen moments before her collapse was something he’d never thought to see in her – ever.
Fear.
“I’ve got you,” the words passed his lips unconsciously - despite the fact he knew she couldn’t hear him - as he rose to his feet.
Jason - still on the ground, exhaled a sigh of relief as Tommy caught Kimberly. He’d recognized the signs of her imminent collapse but hadn’t been able to intervene. Tommy, thankfully, had always been reliable when it came to Kimberly’s safety; ten years hadn’t changed it. Muffling a groan, he rose to his feet with a wince.
Now came the tough part.
The former white ranger turned his way, cradling Kimberly in his arms, and Jason knew immediately that she would kill him later. Not for letting Tommy hold her - but for not offering to carry her himself. Tommy nodded to the cabin upon seeing that Jason was on his feet and relatively unharmed. He made no move to relinquish Kimberly - in fact looked downright stoic, almost pained, with her in his arms despite it.
Tommy’s tone was tense as he moved towards the cabin and then stopped. “Are you coming?”
Yup.
Kim was going to kill him.
Jason grimaced and followed Tommy inside.
Laying Kimberly gently down on the couch once they were inside, Tommy stared at her for a long minute, fighting the need to remain where he was and forced himself to turn around and face his best friend. “Need to explain anything, Jase?”
Jason looked at Kimberly and closed his eyes, instantly picturing what it would be like when she discovered that he'd confided in Tommy. He couldn't see Kim go through that much pain - not again; not like before. But then there was the pained confusion that Tommy couldn't completely mask. He couldn't leave him in the dark, but he wouldn't tell Tommy everything.
It was not his place.
“Zedd is back.” Jason finally mustered out as he looked up at Tommy.
“Well clearly." Tommy's tone was wry despite the situation. "But how is it possible?”
“It's not the Lord Zedd we faced nearly a decade ago. It's not even the Zedd from our world.”
Whatever he'd been expecting, it hadn't been that. Tommy half turned to look down on the unconscious Kimberly well remembering their struggles against Lord Zedd. “Go on...” Words would not come as he battled the memories - not to mention what his imagination was turning out as he considered the damage an alternate dimension Lord Zedd could do.
“Remember when Kim left to compete in the Pan Globals?”
“How could I forget?”
“Well that was around the time I came back from the Peace Conference. I decided to leave early - I wanted to finish school. I met up with Kimberly down in Miami and we both enrolled to finish our Senior Year while she was competing.”
Tommy's face turned three shades of white as he slowly turned back around and looked at Jason. “The letter...” Accusations quickly moved into Tommy's mind as he could still hear Adam's voice, when he read the letter, at the Youth Center. “We're you the one - the one she left me for?” A hint of anger released with his voice.
With a quick shake of his head, and a wave of his hand, Jason dismissed Tommy's last statement - seeing it as completely ridiculous. “Bro, of course not! But the letter is another story - and it's not my place to tell you about it.”
Jason's consolation did little to mollify or subdue the old hurt - hurt Tommy had thought himself long over - but Jason's glance at Kimberly as he'd made his denial was as good as his explanation. It was Kimberly's story.
As he tried to formulate the right words to explain what happened to them, in a brief view, Jason failed to notice Tommy's scrutiny - and acceptance. “Right around that time, when Kim and I started at Miami High, we were captured and held in the Dark Dimension by Zedd.”
“Why didn't you tell me when you came back as the Gold Ranger?”
“Honestly? I barely remember my time as the Gold Ranger or any of these past few years - it's like a blur. Same for Kim too. I can't even describe what happened or what we went through...” He looked beyond Tommy and back over at Kim who was still unconscious on the couch. “Let's take this outside...”
Jason didn't wait for Tommy's agreement as he moved out the front door and onto the deck where he leaned against the outer railing, looking up at the midnight moon and stars. He waited, patently, as Tommy hesitated, the sound of footsteps finally sounding behind him.
Tommy stopped just outside the door, closing it behind him. Crossing his arms, he regarded the tense lines of his friend's back, seeing more tension there than he'd ever seen before - and it scared him. Not just because of what Jason was going to tell him, but because whatever it was hadn't yet been dealt with. It was still happening. He cleared his throat when it became obvious Jason wasn't going to speak and asked the question Jason seemed to need. What came out was laced with fear - for both Jason and Kim - but it was the memory of Kimberly's haunted gaze that was tearing at his insides.
“What happened to you guys?”
There was silence for a long minute as Jason seemed to think about his answer, struggling to find the right words; the words that would explain everything without needing to go into detail - the words that would showcase exactly how horrific the experience had been. “All I can say is it was the worst experience of my life." Big understatement, but it was true enough. "I still have nightmares about it and I pray every night that I don't - that the memories won't come. It was worse for the others...but I still went through a lot.”
“You mean worse for Kim?”
“No, well yes - but the others besides Kim.” He paused and looked back over his shoulder at Tommy, moisture starting to form in his eyes despite his struggle against it. “Trini...and Zack...they didn't make it when we escaped.” Looking away, Jason lifted on hand to wipe away the tears that escaped - that always escaped - when thinking about it. As much as he tried to put on the tough-guy routine and always stay strong, the mention of his fallen friends always broke him down.
Silence befell both of them.
When it was obvious he'd shocked Tommy into silence Jason had to add the last, most awful part of the whole thing. “They sacrificed themselves to save Kim and I.”
Tommy walked forward and placed a comforting hand on Jason's back, propelled into action by the choked admission. “They were true friends. They knew you would have done the same if the situation was reversed.”
“But it's not!” Jason raised his voice as he stood straight, rounding on Tommy. “You have no idea what happened, bro; you can't possibly understand! Don't try and rationalize what they did - you don't know the half of it.”
“No, I don't understand. But I know how they would have felt. It's how any of us would have felt.”
Jason managed an apologetic half grin as he looked back at Tommy, standing face to face now.
“In the dark dimension, we woke up restrained to these machines...Zedd referred to them as 'Morphing Grid Transmogrifer Hubs'. I simply call them draining the hell out of my powers. But in all reality we could have died. Their purpose was to drain us of our powers and life energy...to create the Dark Rangers. The machine's first model was the rotating power transfer that Zedd used when Goldar kidnapped Kimberly. Being able to enhance the machine, he was able to generate both power and life force. Even though the rangers that he had captured were former rangers, their power source was still deep within their blood. The power never truly leaves you.”
Tommy's eyes widened and his mouth gapped open a bit for a half second before he frowned. “Does he already have them?”
Shaking his head, Jason crossed his arms. “No, he hasn't created them yet. He's using his minions to try and track down the remaining rangers.”
“Goldar and Scorpina?” They were Tommy's first thought. He had already seen Goldar but Scorpina was like his fighting female - his counterpart. Like Kimberly was to Tommy.
“No, he doesn't have Scorpina; in her place is someone much worse...I can't even believe her power. She is a version of a dark ranger, but Zedd did not create her. Astronema, who is actually Karone, created the Psycho Rangers which faced the Space and Galaxy Rangers. We had no idea who she was until we met up with them to warn them about the threat. They explained who Psycho Pink was.”
“I've heard about the Psycho Rangers, but how did they survive?”
Jason sighed deeply out of both of agony and irritation. He had told this story so many times, but never once did he have any trouble... but none of the other rangers were Tommy. “Try to keep up with me, Dr. Oliver. Zedd isn't from our world, or from our reality. In the reality that Zedd is from, Psycho Pink ruled supreme. She defeated both the Space and Galaxy rangers.”
“So that's why you and Kim showed up here?”
“Partially. Zedd had this twisted... infatuation with Kim.”
Tommy felt a lump in his throat and his stomach turned. He didn't know exactly what Jason meant by that but he had some idea. He didn't even want to think about what it implied - and knew without asking his friend wouldn't say more. Instead he asked the other obvious question. “Have you faced Goldar and Psycho Pink before today?”
“Unfortunately - and each time seems to get worse. Psycho Pink wasn't here this time, which was good as she has an obsession with Kim too. Since Kim was the original and first Pink Ranger, Psycho Pink wants to destroy her more than anyone or anything else.”
“Then why didn't she attack this time?” Tommy asked seeing the logical strategy to go after Kim.
“Maybe Zedd held her back. He... needs Kim.”
Nodding, after understanding everything that Jason revealed to him, Tommy pulled out his cell phone with a slight grimace as he noted the time. “I better warn the others - this isn't going to be easy.”
--
The room was barely lit with the one lamp on the end table. The light only reached as far as the end of the couch and dimmed out by the coffee table. Kimberly's still restless body had passed from unconsciousness into slumber, unaware of her surroundings.
“Fools.” A shadow appeared, fusing out from the depths of the wall. “It's too easy.”
As the shadow moved closer it revealed it's true form once the light from the lamp lit against it. The space villain, clothed in a main hard metallic black suit, with winding stripes of pink, stripes that appeared to stand out like bat wings, and a helmet that was mostly covered with the same pink bat-like structure, and an rugged mouth covering, stepped out from the darkness.
Psycho Pink glided towards Kimberly, thrusting her arm out to grab hold of Kimberly's forehead - which instantly awoke the former Pink Ranger.
Brown eyes snapped open, widening with alarm as her mouth gapped and Kimberly let out a scream. Psycho Pink's free hand slapped her mouth shut, cutting off the shriek. Kimberly grabbed onto her wrists as she tried to break the grip on her.
“No!”
Tears streamed down Kimberly's face as she felt her energy being drained and her mind being read. “Not again!”
Psycho Pink read Kimberly's mind as a wave of pink energy swirled up her arm. An evil, insane, and vicious laugh escaped her mouth. “Yes, Kimberly! And this time I'll finish you!”
Running at a mile a minute, Kimberly’s mind was frantically searching for a way to force Psycho Pink away. Tommy and Jason were still outside and the door was shut, so they wouldn't have been alarmed by any sound. She thought quickly even though her mind was already racing, from it being pulled and probed at.
"Tommy! No!"
“Kim...you...need...to...escape...”
A dark memory swirled about her, breaking free from the restraints she'd built inside her mind, and Kimberly knew she had to act fast. Somehow she managed to resist the searing pain that came with it, channeling it into action.
With a thrust of her knee, and a swing from her arms, Kimberly twisted her body up and thrust her leg out, knocking Psycho Pink into and over the coffee table, causing it to collapse. “Jason!” The scream was shrill, desperate as she flipped over Psycho Pink.
With Kimberly flipping in the air, Psycho Pink reached out and grabbed her wrist, using it to spin into the air with her. It brought Psycho Pink back up and straight at Kimberly, using the momentum to throw Kimberly into the wall as she reached for the tip of her head. “I already know your secrets, why not reveal more?”
Another psychotic laugh followed.
The sound of the door crashing open almost made Kimberly weep with relief as Jason's familiar form raced through just behind Psycho Pink. The former red ranger grabbed the villain by one shoulder, yanking her away from Kimberly. As she fell back, Jason thrust his leg out and forcefully kicked her out of the house, through the doorway - almost hitting Tommy.
“Uh-YAH!”
Kimberly's cry had sounded through the door and Tommy's blood had run cold. Kimberly calling Jason's name the way she'd once called his had been something of a shock. Jason's reactions, however, had been better than his own. Moving like a man possessed, Jason had flown by to Kimberly's rescue.
Incensed, Tommy felt as if his blood was boiling. After being so close to her after ten years, he couldn't, and wouldn't let anything happen to her. As he saw Psycho Pink fly out of the doorway, he grabbed her, lifting her into the air and pushed her through and out his deck. “Ut-set-uh-yah!”
Psycho Pink was still laughing however, as she hit the ground and effortlessly stood up to point a finger at Tommy. “You'll regret coming back here.” She faded away in a pink light as it disappeared in the forest.
--
Kimberly crumbled to the floor the moment Psycho Pink was flung away from her, covering her face in her hands and pushing as she ran them back towards her hair. Grasping large handfuls in frustration as tears began to fall; she sobbed once - a very deep and uncontrollable cry. Her body shook with fear and she began to cough as she saw Jason kneel down to her.
“Kim! Kim, are you alright?!” Jason almost yelled in fear and placed his hands on her shoulders.
Shaking from fright, Kimberly looked up - her expression devoid of all emotion. Recoiling from his support, she leaned against the wall - unable to stifle her cries as she pulled her knees up. Her tormented gaze held the only emotion as tears continued to stream from sightless eyes - eyes that suddenly disappeared as she buried them against her raised knees. Jason's hand fell away as her arms wrapped tightly against her legs, her knuckles turning white where they grasped opposite forearms.
Anyone who had known Kimberly through her ranger days would never have believe the same self-assured, self-less and fear-less young woman who'd brave countless monsters in order to save the ones she loved and cared about was the quivering woman before them.
Even when her power coin was under the hands of evil, she risked her own life to try and save Katherine she'd never been broken, emerging from the battle scarred but fundamentally the same. Now, to see the same woman break down over Psycho Pink's quick attack, was heart wrenching.
Tommy returned as Kimberly's broken cries echoed through his living room, his hands fisting as he struggled with the instincts urging him to run to her, to shoulder all of her cares and worries - to take care of her once more. Somehow, in those few moments, he resisted and managed to walk over by Jason, but it didn't stop the pained expression that covered his face. He'd never been able to stand seeing Kimberly cry and even now he shook with the effort to resist comforting her.
“Kim...?” There was no reaction forthcoming. Crouching, Tommy tried again, his own hands turning bloodless as he fought off the need to touch her. "Kim?"
Placing one hand on Tommy's shoulder, Jason shook his head. "She can't hear you, bro."
“Is she going to be alright?”
Jason studied his friend for a moment. He had to reach Kim, if it got any worse, he wasn't sure if he'd get her back. “I don't know, man. Can you get a glass of water?”
It was there in front of him and Tommy couldn't help but feel a sharp stab of pain as he realized he was intruding - he was powerless. He couldn't believe how close Jason and Kim had grown over the years and a part of him was envious. Another part was sad as he understood Jason's unspoken message - nodding slowly, he rose to his feet and quietly turned for the kitchen.
Jason made Kim look into his eyes as he placed two hands on the side of her head and locked his gaze with hers. “Kim, what did she do to you?”
Biting her lip, Kimberly tried to hold it together so she could at least mumble out what happened during her altercation with Psycho Pink. Inhaling deeply, she was able to push past the tightness in her throat. “She... she stole...” Kimberly shut her eyes as the damage that Psycho Pink began to surface, shredding defenses and hurtling through the blocks she'd put in place to stop it - damage that tore and made her heart bleed.
In the norm of Psycho Pink, she would steal the inner most memories and powers of her foe. But in her newly powered state, instead of stealing her memories, and gaining knowledge from them she had forced Kimberly to live through the memories she was trying to block out.
“Stole what, Kim?!” Jason asked as he turned his head to see Tommy walking back with a glass of water.
Kim followed his look and the moment she gazed upon Tommy, her eyes slammed tightly shut and the choked sobbing resumed as she rocked back and forth in an attempt to block out... everything.
One of the memories that Psycho Pink released, rushed back, heedless of her attempts to keep it at bay.
The Dark Dimension Lord Zedd had reestablished was a horrible place. Kimberly and Jason had just arrived and their fears and worries showed in their expressions as they landed unceremoniously in a large cavern. With no any powers and no communicators, they didn't know just how were they suppose to escape.
Smoke swirled about the area and Kimberly spun as a sound echoed from somewhere to her right. "Who's there?"
“Kim...” The faint voice came again.
Turning her head, Kimberly looked around, trying to find who was calling out for her. She walked through the room, confused and dizzy, and something grabbed her ankle. Jason steadied her, only to let go as she collapsed to the ground instead of flipping away.
What she saw when she stopped horrified her.
“Tommy?!” Kimberly cried out as she placed her hands on his chest and shook him. "Tommy!"
He looked haggard, emaciated, almost as if he'd been tortured or starved - but it wasn't a physical pain that was shadowed in his gaze. It was the terror she saw there that caught her attention - not for himself but for her.
"Tommy, say something."
"Kim..."
"Tommy!" She clasped the hand he reached towards her. "What have they done to you?"
White beams of light emanated from his body as he struggled to form the words to tell her. His expression turned intense and, somehow, he forced the words out. “Kim...you..."
Gripping his hand tighter, she could feel the substance starting to slip away..
"need...to..."
Horror engulfed her as she realized that Tommy was slipping away from her grasp, his hand going from substantial to semi-substantial - her own squeezing his tightly in an attempt to hold him.
"escape...”
White energy beams of light were floating all around his body and when he finished speaking, his form beamed white and then all that was left of him was piles of white energy dust, the kind that Lord Zedd was collecting. The feel of it was gritty on her skin, slipping through her fingers as his hand disintegrated in hers. Unconsciously clenching her fingers about it, she reached for the pile blindly, trying to bring him back.
Everything had been in his gaze - regret most of all. Regret that he couldn't spare her the same fate.
“No! TOMMY!”
Opening her eyes, they met Tommy's as he kneeled down to give her the water. She quickly turned her head to block out his expression - she couldn't bear to look at him. The tears, which had never stopped, continued to slide down her cheeks; a silent, solemn testament to what the vision was doing to her inside.
Jason followed her actions without difficulty and it didn’t take much to deduce what she was thinking.
“Hey...come on Kim." Tommy's coaxing tone was slightly rough, hurt by her rejection - by what he saw again in her gaze. He wanted some type of reunion with her other than holding her unconscious body against his chest."This will make you feel better.”
Knowing Kim's reaction already, Jason took the glass of water and placed his hand on her shoulder. She made no move, gave no reaction or indication she felt his touch. Yet, when Jason placed the glass into her field of view, she lifted one trembling hand and accepted it wordlessly.
Tommy backed off, stung by her actions and trying not to feel it. Ten years was a long time, but he couldn't recall having done anything that would make her ignore him this way or have her treat him like this. He rose, moving to sit on the arm of the couch as he watched Jason say something softly to her without more than a twitch in response before the former red ranger rose to his feet and joined him.
Jason chose to stand in case he had to go back to Kim, watching her with obvious concern.
Breaking the silence, Tommy knew what he had to ask based on the evidence. "This..." he waved one hand at Kimberly to indicate her state, "has to do with me, doesn't it?"
Jason nodded, watching Kim dipping one finger into and out of the water mindlessly as she stared blankly off into the distance, the wet streaks continuing unabated down her cheeks, but didn't offer anything further.
"What... what happened, Jason?" A part of him didn't want to know, but he had to ask. "What did I do to her?"
Bleak eyes turned his way. "You died."
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Post by Kim on Jun 19, 2008 23:02:20 GMT -5
um...wow.....okay, while completely confused, I'm also really, really sad...that was just...wow.... poor Kim, she always gets the brunt end of everything, doesn't she?
I liked it, can't wait for more.
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 19, 2008 23:04:48 GMT -5
The first few chapters are actually supposed to be confusing, a lot of stuff is still hidden, and kept secret, leaving the readers going ' what the h*ll happened?!" I originally intended to give more information, but the co-writer, Jade-Max, convinced me to keep you in the dark ^~^
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Post by ~*Cathy*~ on Jun 20, 2008 1:37:54 GMT -5
Wow, this is a very interesting start. You've got my curiosity piqued, and I can't wait to read more.
Good stuff!
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Post by kckatnip on Jun 20, 2008 5:26:35 GMT -5
oooo i cant wait for more!~
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shawn30
Wild Force Ranger
~* King of TK *~
Cookies!!!!
Posts: 185
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Post by shawn30 on Jun 20, 2008 8:28:36 GMT -5
These first two chapters have set a grave, angsty tone with a ton of mystery. I love it, as well as the pacing, dark plot, and your grasp of storytelling. You have a excellent vocabulary and abilty to convey emotions and inner thoughts. You and your co-author should be damn proud and I can't wait to read more.
S
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 20, 2008 13:38:52 GMT -5
- faints - That's a true honor coming from you Shawn! Thanks so much everyone for your comments!
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 22, 2008 0:21:39 GMT -5
Chapter Three: The Break of Darkness
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"Died?" Arching his eyebrows, Tommy regarded Jason in surprise. "Funny, I don't feel dead."
"It wasn't you - but it was."
"I don't get it. Shouldn't she be happy I'm alive?"
Jason looked back to Kim and made a decision; this part of the story he could tell. "The Tommy from an alternate timeline died - but it was you to her. You died in her arms, bro - vanishing into a little pile of white dust and there was nothing we could do about it. You didn't see her face afterwards; it just about destroyed her thinking that you were dead. She was so certain it was you..."
He shook his head as, across the room, Kimberly continued to rock back and forth in silent agony. Knowing there was nothing he could do or say to really comfort her, he silently cursed the fates that her episodes were always worse after Psycho Pink's attacks. "We didn't realize it wasn't you - this you - until we escaped and saw you guys on TV. That when this... it..." Unable to continue, Jason waved one hand towards Kim in silent explanation.
It wasn't the whole truth, but it was a good chunk of it. Unfortunately there was little more he could relate that was his story to tell.
"I still don't get it. I'm alive; shouldn't she be happy?"
Their gazes locked once more and Jason shook his head. "It's not that simple, bro. I wish it was, but what Kim went through-" he stopped, cutting himself off. Instead, he tried to answer Tommy's question - but only ended up being cryptic. "You're a reminder right now of everything she thought she'd lost and has lost, Tommy - hopes and dreams she no longer has. It's why you're the last group we came to find."
"I don't understand, Jase."
"That's all I can tell you. Your death affected her in ways I didn't know it could - and finding out you were alive only made it worse."
Died.
He'd died.
And Kim had held him when it happened.
It was too much to take in on top of everything else and Tommy reeled with all the information that was swirling around in his head a muddled mess. Alternate timeline villains; rangers and enemies; alternate timeline demises; Kimberly witnessing his own death and who knew what else! With a soft groan he dropped his head and cradled it in his hands.
A solid hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed in silent support.
It was too much to take in for such a short period of time. Still, Kimberly and Jason were here now, more importantly they hadn't died in Zedd's Dark Dimension - they'd escaped and taken up a mission to warn all former Rangers of the danger they were in. Despite her traumas, Kimberly was still fighting underneath it all - fighting to prevent what had happened to her from happening to others.
He tilted his head and regarded her silently - really looking at her for the first time since they'd arrived; and noted things now that he hadn't had time to since this whole crazy episode had begun. She looked tired - exhausted was probably more accurate - as if she hadn't slept well in a long, long time. Black circles marred her features under her eyes where previously there had been none, new strain lines around her eyes and mouth visible to him even at this angle.
Jason wasn't telling him everything - the guy flat out admitted it - but what was he hiding?
What had happened to Kim?
Jason left Tommy to his quiet contemplation, watching Kimberly with him for several moments before swooping down pick her up. Despite the sudden lift into his arms, she stayed in her impotent state, not even bothering to latch onto him for a long moment. It wasn't until he made to turn, to look at Tommy, that Kimberly clung to him and her once silent cry turned full into sound.
“Do you have a spare room?” Jason's quiet question was directed at Tommy as Kimberly buried her face in the side of his neck to avoid the former white ranger.
That small action, intentional or not, made Tommy flinch. Kimberly had never deliberately avoided him before and today was a new lesson in rejection. It was one Tommy could have done without. He understood why Jason was moving Kim - it was because the other rangers were coming over - but seeing Kimberly put all of her trust and faith in Jason, made Tommy's heart crumble further more. The closest he had gotten to Kim, was when she was unconscious.
Was she that afraid of him?
With a wave of his hand, he pointed Jason in the direction he needed to go, aware he was being watched expectantly. “Yeah...it's down the hall. Last door on the left."
No sooner than Jason disappeared with Kimberly, than an urgent knock came upon Tommy's front door. It figured. When had anyone given him time to recover from the whirlwind that was his life? "Perfect timing...” A shake of his head brought him out of his melancholy thoughts, tucking them away for later as he stood and moved to let his former students through the door. “Thanks for coming.”
“No problem, Dr. O.”
The leader of the dino five entered first, followed by Ethan who shook Tommy's hand, anticipating a full on explanation on why they had to leave Reefside. He'd heard the abbreviated version from Kira - who was told by Kimberly. It was obvious from his intent look that he expected their mentor to be able to explain the cryptic warning.
Kira followed on his heels, smiling at Tommy as she pulled Trent in with her, their hands entangled. Trent returned the favor, moving to sit down on the couch and hauling Kira down with one arm wrapped around her waist. Conner and Ethan both sat down on nearby chairs as they all looked at Tommy. Kira settled herself against Trent, looking at Tommy expectantly. “I told them everything Kimberly told me to, but when we received your call, we were about to leave. What's up, Dr. O?”
Closing the door with a last look outside, Tommy turned and moved the two steps necessary to stand before them. His attention was focused down the hallway behind them where Kimberly lay in who knew what kind of state. Yet, he knew he had to keep his attention to this current situation. No matter how badly Kimberly - or Jason - hurt, it was plain as day they wanted no help from him. Whatever had happened had drawn them towards one another, bound them so tightly, Tommy felt like the outsider he'd begun as over twelve years ago.
Focusing on his former students, he drew his mind back to the task at hand. "Lord Zedd, self-proclaimed Ruler of the Universe, has finally taken his podium."
"Your video diary said you beat Lord Zedd."
"In this reality." The confirmation was accompanied with a faint smile. "In an alternate reality, my friends and I never defeated him and he completely obliterated every generation of Power Rangers to capture the entire universe.”
“Except for the odd one that managed to escape.” A voice echoed from a dark hallway as the very first leader of the Power Rangers stepped forward in the light. His upper shirt was soaked from Kimberly's tears, and he had draped his jacket over his shoulder. “Or at least that's what I'm led to believe. If Zedd had captured and destroyed all of the power rangers, he would live supreme and he wouldn't need to journey into another world to capture us.”
“How do you know all of this?” Conner spoke up, his instant leader voice kicking in, and filled with disbelief.
Frowning, Jason stared at the younger man, unable to believe his skeptic attitude. What happened to the teenagers that actually took concern from their mentors? Making a quick decision, Jason tossed his jacket over one arm of the couch and turned, reaching back to jerk his shirt up by the collar.
Angry red welts and white scars crisscrossed the once smooth plane of muscle. A suture mark, where a muscle had been severed and reattached, disappeared upwards under the cloth and was revealed as Jason tugged his shirt over his head. The mark covered almost half his back from waist to shoulder and faint pink circles created divots that hadn't healed from his time on Zedd's machine.
A shocked inhalation behind him was Jason's cue. Turning back to face the former dino rangers, Jason's tone and expression were grim. “I know - because I was one of four who escaped.”
There was silence as Jason pulled his shirt back over his head and down, hiding the scars. A silence Tommy finally broke as he went over and placed one hand on Jason's shoulder. He couldn't help his stricken look as he considered the pain Jason must have endured. “Jase...you never said anything about these.”
Jason then proceeded to lift the sleeves on his arms, revealing raised tissue, from him trying to escape from the Morphing Grid Transmogrifer Hubs - the machine that stole his power and life energy. He had struggled for over a week, trying everything he could to get out and help his friends. Even with the power draining, Jason had never given up. It wasn't in his nature to do so. "The timing wasn't right, bro, but you deserve to know. Mine are worse than Kim's."
Tommy ran a fingertip over one of the puckered scars before turning to face the other former rangers again. “Lord Zedd-”
The sound of the door opening unexpectedly caused his defensive nature to spring up and he stepped into his fighting stance without thinking. It wasn't until a woman stepped through the door, that Tommy relaxed in surprise. “Haley?”
“Do you honestly think I would miss an opportunity to save the world - again?” The brunette inquired with a warm smile as she closed the door and held something up for his inspection. “I still have a key.”
The former dino rangers seemed to relax with Haley's appearance and Jason took his cue from the rest. That Tommy trusted her was enough for him - for now.
“Now, please continue.” Haley moved to sit by Conner on the edge of the chair he'd chosen. "And don't leave anything out."
"Do I ever?"
Her pointed look made Tommy flush and he cleared his throat before continuing. “According to what we know, Lord Zedd's ultimate goal is to create the Dark Rangers. Since Zordon recruited us," he motioned to Jason and himself, "as teenagers, we and many others after us, have faced different incarnations of these Dark Rangers. But, none of them are even close to perfection. From the way I understand it, is that in order for them to exist, Lord Zedd needs exceeding amounts of life force and energy, the kind that only a ranger can produce after they are dead."
"The body gives off no signals once it's dead." Haley broke in skeptically. "How is that even possible?"
"Dead rangers turn into sand particles of their respective colors.” He slanted a look at Jason, who nodded in confirmation.
Jason took up the story since he and Kim hadn't fully briefed Tommy yet. "We're not sure how exactly that makes a difference, but Lord Zedd's been collecting the sands. Somehow, he's pulling whatever energy's left out of it. Even dead we're helping him."
Unease had spread with Jason's wounds, but true fear now worked its way through the room. Kira clutched at Trent, Conner paled and even Ethan looked an unhealthy shade as they exchanged nervous looks.
Haley, though not a Power Ranger, felt her own kind of fear. Not for her life, but for the lives of those the Power Rangers had always protected. The Earth - for as long as she understood it - had some help from the Power Rangers. If they were gone, in both realities, there would be no hope for the future. Lord Zedd would reign supreme everywhere and continue to destroy until he and his minions were the only ones left. Resolve sharpened her mind as she began forming strategies, for an nonstrategic battle. “What can we do, Tommy? How can we stop him?”
“You can't!” Jason pulled on his leather jacket, heading for the door. “No one can. No power exists that can stop them.”
“I'm sure I could come up with something...we can't just let Earth die because we didn't try.”
“You don't understand!” Jason snapped as he pointed back into the hallway towards the room where Kim lay. “You didn't see what they did to us even when we swore never to give up. Kim and I have fought... we've fought for years. And we've lost... two of the best rangers - the best friends - we've ever known because they sacrificed themselves so we could warn the rest of you. Too many have died trying to fight him. The only choice now is to run.”
Zack and Trini. Jason's reference couldn't be anyone else and while the former dino rangers wouldn't know of whom he spoke, Tommy and Haley did. Haley because Tommy had spoken of his past and Tommy... well Tommy well remembered the two from his initial days as a Ranger. Trini had been Kimberly's best friend and her death was likely another blow to Kim's already battered mind.
Tommy stepped forward as Jason looked to continue his impassioned speech and real anger crept into his expression. No matter Jason's frame of mind, Tommy wouldn't let this degenerate into a screaming match that would only alienate themselves from one another. Subconsciously he found himself stepping into the role Kimberly had normally filled - peace maker.
“There's literally nothing we can do. The Dino Gems have been destroyed and every other power source out there was lost when Zordon's energy was sacrificed to stop evil. No other power exists - and if it does, we haven't found it yet. Our best offense right now is our defense - which is to run.” He turned to face Haley and his face softened up, knowing they wouldn't be after her. “You are safe, but I suggest still leaving Reefside. You four...” He turned back to them. “Have to escape; tonight. We're wasting time by you even being here.”
Jason, once again in control of his temper, offered the last of the information Tommy didn't yet have. “There is a sanctuary stationed in Stone Canyon. It's an underground base that William Cranston established, which blocks out any senses of Zedd. He can't track you there. The other rangers have been grouped there for months.”
“If...he's in Reefside, how do we escape?” Kira's question was hesitant and very uncharacteristic for the spunky and self-confident blonde.
“Time. That's all we can give you. You need to leave now. It's been about an hour since the last attack so they shouldn't be back for awhile.” Jason hoped that - for once in his existence - Goldar would stick to a pattern. "Kim and I will stay behind to ensure you get away cleanly."
"And me." Tommy shook his head sharply as Jason made to protest. "They're safer without me anyway; Lord Zedd's always taken my continued existence personally."
Opening his mouth as if to reply, Jason quickly snapped it shut. What Tommy didn't yet know was that Lord Zedd hadn't had a problem with Tommy - but with Tommy's attachment to Kimberly. That tie had turned into a grudge Lord Zedd had turned on Kimberly during their captivity and his continued taunts about Tommy's demise had only made things worse. Much worse. Jason shook off the memories with difficulty. "Thanks bro. The rest of you should head out - the sooner the better."
"Are you sure you should stay, Doctor O?"
"I'll be fine, Kira. Just keep them in line until we join you at Stone Canyon."
She grinned, slanting a mischievous look at the other former dino rangers and looking more like herself since this meeting had begun. "Are you putting me in charge?"
"Someone has to be." Trent interjected with a half-smile before Tommy could reply. "Might as well be you. Be careful, Doctor Oliver."
"I will, Trent."
"Kira in charge?" Connor scoffed as he shook hands with Tommy. "You've a screw loose Doctor O."
"She's more level headed than you are - and she thinks before jumping in." Tommy's answering smile was tinged with regret. "Just don't drag her into anything."
Conner smirked, heading for the door. "That's what she's got Trent for."
Ethan shook his head as he clasped Tommy on the shoulder. "We'll be careful - you too Doctor O. We expect you to make that rendezvous."
"I'll be there."
"You'd better be."
“If there's nothing else that I can help you with," Haley drew their attention as she stepped forward to hug Tommy. "I should probably go with them.”
"You don't have to."
"I know." She embraced the former white ranger with an almost impish smile. "But who else is going to help Billy with this crew? I'll be able to move around more freely than they will and, who knows, I just might-"
“Wait, Haley..." Jason held out his hand as his expression faded into horrified incredulity - directed at himself for almost passing up an ideal opportunity. "There is something that you can help us with.”
Haley spun, instantly willing help them with whatever they needed and forgo running to hide. Her demeanor and will was a lot like Billy's. “What can I do?”
“There...was a ranger we never could manage to get a hold of...we searched everywhere. She was one of the ones we tried contacting over a year ago...one from the beginning.”
Tommy, under the impression that the Dino Thunder Rangers were the last to know about this, was thrown into a loop with Jason's sudden confession. “Who do you mean, Jase?”
“Kat..." He paused, clearing his throat and then elaborated for Haley's benefit. "Katherine Hillard; the second Pink Ranger. We searched in London and Australia, but we never did find her. Billy tried locating her, but our teleportation system isn't fully functional and he couldn't get a read on her anywhere.”
"What did you try?"
Jason smiled faintly. "Anything Billy could think of, Haley - but with our limited resources, we couldn't try everything he wanted to."
"Our command center is still partially intact and I know I repaired most of the computer systems." Haley looked to Tommy and then towards the teenagers who were teetering on the brink of leaving, but wanting to stay and help if they could. "Someone needs to go with them, though."
Tommy made one of those split second decisions he'd always had to make as a ranger and pointed instead to the basement, beckoning his former students over. “Once we find where Kat is, we'll guide you out of the city. If they come, we'll give you the opportunity to escape.”
They trooped by him, but Jason put a hand on Tommy's shoulder, obviously torn as the others disappeared below, looking back towards the dark hallway. “I need to help Haley, bro. Do you think you could watch over Kim? She... she doesn't do well - alone.”
"Are you sure, Jase?"
Jason nodded. "She needs someone with her when she gets like this and I can't..." he glanced back towards the basement, obviously torn. "I have to help Haley find Kat. Just be there for her; it seems to be enough."
Almost fearing the responsibility - not because he couldn't fulfill the obligation but because of how Kimberly reacted to him - Tommy finally nodded. “Sure, no problem...just make sure to try and hurry...I don't know when they'll be back.”
"Thanks bro - we'll hurry.”
Jason disappeared into the basement through the secret wall that lead down from Tommy's kitchen, leaving Tommy alone at the top of the stairs.
Alone.
A part of him wanted to follow, to help find Kat, but he couldn't. He'd just promised Jason to take up a burden he'd never expected to carry again - one Kimberly herself had relieved him from. Shaking off the old feeling of protectiveness she'd always awakened in him with difficulty, he turned to make good on his word. The eerie feeling of walking through the unknown settled upon him and everything in his home seemed to have taken on a newness it had lacked before. He refused to examine why as he padded down the hallway and slowly opened the bedroom door to look in.
Kimberly was sleeping. Curled up on her side, her hands lay beside her head on the pillow and she hunched unthinkingly into her jacket. Her eyes were swollen from lack of proper sleep and the emotional whirlwind she experienced on a daily basis. Spread out about her head like a halo, was the chestnut colored hair he still remembered in his dreams - hair he loved to touch and his hands twitched to feel even now.
Selfish.
Could he be so selfish as to move closer to her? To brush his hand through her hair and sit down next to her in an attempt to reassure her that - as long as he was living - no one would ever hurt her? Could he be so selfish as to give into temptation; to hold her knowing part of what she'd been through? To indulge his selfish, whimsical need to recapture the past and be the one she leaned on again?
No.
Those feelings were completely gone now - or so it seemed to Tommy at least. Kimberly had grown, moved beyond him and he had to respect her choice. Still, she was his friend - always his friend - regardless.
“I'll protect you, Kim. I'll save you from this.” The words slipped out before he could stop them - not that she heard.
Tommy didn't move from the doorway, watching her silently sleep and fearful of another rejection should she wake to find him near. His mind turned over everything that had been revealed to him, knowing it was only a small portion of the tale they had to tell. Having her nearby once more was both a blessing and a curse, drawing emotions from the depth of his soul he hadn't realized he still harbored. It made him want to open the sealed mental box of memories to bask in the past - and knowing he couldn't.
Friend of lover, whatever had happened to Kimberly was etched in the exhaustion of her features and it broke his heart. There, in the semi-darkness of his guest room, a tear finally broke free from Tommy's eye as it ran down his cheek. A silent, glistening testament to what was, what could have been and what never would be.
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“I found her.”
Haley had fought with the computer to get it to boot, but once loaded, it worked like a charm. Using her considerable knowledge, she refined her search using the criteria Jason provided. After about twenty minutes of searching the entire planet, she had located Katherine. There was a dot pulsing - of course - in her natural ranger color; pink. As Haley zoomed in on the area, a unexpected gasp escaped her lips.
“This can't be...”
“What is it, Haley?” Jason asked as he approached her computer chair, resting slightly on it and the computer desk.
“She's in Reefside.” Haley said as fear flooded her voice and she began typing swiftly on the keypad as she activated the camera systems that were set up all over Reefside. “She should be on that screen in moments.”
Jason directed his attention to it, watching as the blurred image finally sharpened up. Slamming his fists against the desk, he leaned closer to the screen. “No!”
The teenage rangers stood up to see what prompted the antagonized scream to come from Jason, gathering around behind him to get a look at the video feeds.
“Hey, that looks like outside of Dr. O's...wait...that's his jeep!” Ethan digitalized the image into his mind, as he used his photographic memory of the outside surroundings and quickly deducted where they were.
“He's right. They're outside.” Haley confirmed as she powered down the systems and activated the security to the house - despite the fact she knew it wouldn't help.
Storming up the stairs, Jason shoved his way through the secret door and ran for the dark hallway, his horse call echoing through the house.
“Tommy!”
--
A/N: I'm not sure why it didn't carry over, but throughout the story there are certain parts / words in italics, so I'll have to modify this post later.
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Post by ~*Cathy*~ on Jun 22, 2008 0:52:12 GMT -5
Wow, another great chapter Chris. Can't wait for the next one.
For words to be made bold, or underlined, or italisized you have to put codes in brackets [ ] in front, then [/ ] after the word (a b- bold, i- italisized, or u- underlined). Unfortunately the board doesn't keep html coding from Word.
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 22, 2008 0:58:19 GMT -5
Awe thanks and I'll keep that in mind about the board. *chapter four - enters Kat* and you will definitely fall over on the ground with the chapter. It gets very interesting there. I have up to 5 written but they are being editted.
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shawn30
Wild Force Ranger
~* King of TK *~
Cookies!!!!
Posts: 185
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Post by shawn30 on Jun 22, 2008 13:07:02 GMT -5
You've definetly got me hooked on this story. Again, the storytelling mechanics, vocabulary, and character portrayals stand out. This is easily one of my top three fics I'm reading right now and I could not possibly recommend it more. I love the way you wrote Haley and the slow reveal of Jason and Kim's backstory in the other dimension. The graphic descriptions of Jason's scars really underscored the darkness of the story, and now Kat's appearance seems almost ominous... I can't wait to read more.
Shawn
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Post by .liz on Jun 22, 2008 15:33:03 GMT -5
I read this story in FFnet and I loved it. The tension was too much.. Cant wait for more.
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 22, 2008 17:49:44 GMT -5
I'm really glad you guys are enjoying this story. I'm definitely enjoying writing it with Jade-Max. We started this story in May but it took so long discussing the plot, and working each individual concepts, making everything unfold. Chapter 4's half written, but Jade-Max is my beta/editor/input lady I guess. She's moving right now so I'm not sure when a new chapter will be ready. I'll have some new videos and graphics though done , besides the trailer for this fic, that's already up.
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Post by Kim on Jun 22, 2008 20:51:43 GMT -5
Two words summed it up best - KICKED ASS!
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jps1926
Astro Ranger
by Kim
Posts: 134
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Post by jps1926 on Jun 23, 2008 19:43:35 GMT -5
Hey Chris! I'm so glad that you posted on this site. It's such a cool site to post your fabulous work on.
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 23, 2008 23:30:16 GMT -5
Awe, my biggest fan! Thanks JPS ^^;'. I actually came here cuz of one of your reviews on Self-Destruct. Thanks Kim! I was hoping it would kick ass, in true Kimberly fashion too.
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 28, 2008 19:07:55 GMT -5
Chapter Four: Whisper in the Dark
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Tommy straightened at the sound of Jason's cry, the first soft echo almost swallowed by the stairs. He'd begun to turn when Jason called a second time – but it was Kimberly's reaction that caught him completely off guard.
Slumber disappeared in an instant and Tommy was nearly bowled over as Kimberly shot from the bed - as if she'd been waiting for the call. That it wasn't her name, but his, didn't seem to matter - only that it had been Jason's voice. An almost morbid curiosity was contained in her breathless tone as she joined him in the doorway. “Are they back?!”
Jason skidded to a halt in the hallway as Kimberly appeared with her hair askew and landing about her shoulders haphazardly. There was a glazed look in her eyes, a hint of dread he couldn’t help but miss and something… something else.
She was apparently ignoring the fact that she was standing directly beside Tommy, Jason couldn't help but notice - even in his panic - that it was an act. Kimberly had never been able to ignore anything about Tommy. Not when they'd first become Power Rangers, not when she'd thought him dead - and not when they'd returned with the knowledge that they'd eventually have to warn him.
Jason's focus shifted back to the matter at hand and what had brought him to find them. The seriousness of the situation had him fighting to control the gorge rising in his throat as his heart pounded erratically; Kat was in danger. “They've got her.”
“They've got who?”
Tommy pushed himself away from the doorframe, stepping to the side to avoid being close to Kim. It went against every instinct, but he knew she wouldn't thank him later - and he needed to focus on the now. She was too much of a distraction, especially in her current state. His desire to protect her - even from her nightmares - was too great.
“Kat. They've got her... and they're outside.”
The three veteran rangers quickly made their way to the living room, where Haley and the other four former rangers had congregated after Jason's mad dash up the stairs. This particular instance involved civilians - Haley and Kat - neither one of them had experienced this newfound battle. Kat might have had a couple of years of fighting as a ranger but even still she wasn't nearly experienced as Jason, Kim, or Tommy. The Dino Thunder Rangers were the least experienced - and would need a way out.
“This would have worked! How the hell did they get Kat?” Jason's confused question wasn't directed at anyone in particular. They'd diligently looked everywhere they could think of... how could Lord Zedd get to her first?
“Let us help.” Trent insisted confidently as he held onto Kira's hand. "We're former rangers too."
Kimberly took a long look at the youngest of the Ranger groups and shook her head. “You need to get to Billy's Sanctuary; you can't stand up against them.”
"Who're you to tell us what to do?"
"Connor, you dolt, that's Kimberly!" Kira's hiss made him blink in surprise.
"Kimberly?"
"The original pink ranger?" Connor's face flushed as Kira rolled her eyes and addressed the former ranger. "Sorry, Kim."
Kimberly waved the apology away. "We could use your help, you guys, but this is beyond your abilities. Jason and I-"
"And me."
Pausing at Tommy's interruption, she reluctantly rephrased what she was about to say. "Jason, Tommy and I stand a better chance of doing this on our own if we know you're all safe. Rangers always want to help other rangers, but the biggest help you can be to us is to get the hell out of here."
“Your mission is to protect Haley." Tommy dug into his pocket for his keys, knowing the four needed to have some kind of direction - to feel like they were contributing. "Use my Jeep. We'll distract them. Follow the path through the forest and then head for Stone Canyon. Make sure to tell William Cranston to meet us back in Reefside as soon as possible.”
Conner nodded, catching the keys. “Will do, Dr. O.”
As they were about to exit the house and head right into danger, Jason called a sudden halt. Something in his demeanor grabbed everyone's attention and he looked pointedly at Tommy. "We should go in from behind.”
Tommy wasn't about to argue that suggestion - it made tactical sense.
Jason's gaze skirted away, landing on the petite brunette slightly off to the side and reached out to place his hand on her shoulder - both lending and receiving silent support. “Tommy and I can circle around the other way if you can keep him distracted. By going out the front and sending you out with the others so they can get to the Jeep - it should work. We can grab Kat before Goldar will know what hit him."
"Good idea."
"Are you up for another fight?” Jason's concern was pitched low so only Tommy and she caught it.
Not wanting to disappoint anyone, Kimberly fought back the terror that was ever present. The knowledge that the next fight, the next time might be the one where Goldar succeeded in dragging her back to Lord Zedd - or stealing her himself - was almost overwhelming. Shuddering, she closed her mind from the awful possibility, knowing both Jason and Tommy were waiting for her answer. She managed a half smile and nodded. “I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
"Kim-"
Shrugging his hand away, she shook her head and started forward before her courage failed her. "Let's do this.”
Tommy watched as Kimberly led the four young former rangers and Haley outside, turning to face Jason with a faint grin. "It'll be just like old times, huh?"
"Yeah." Jason slanted the former white ranger an unreadable look. "Just remember you said that."
[ insert a separator ]
Leading the way through the front door, Kimberly kept low as she darted across the desk just outside of Golar's line of sight. It took her a couple of deep breaths, but the knowledge that Katherine was depending on her buoyed her spirits. She refused to leave her friend in that twisted creature's clutches. Using the element of surprise, Kimberly outstretched her arms and moved into her fighting stance. Her gaze narrowed on the golden monster that stood waiting by the Jeep - and the struggling woman in his grasp.
“Not so fast!” Yelling, Kimberly motioned for the other rangers to move from the deck, behind her. Modulating her tone, she pitched it so only the other former rangers would hear. “Stay behind me, once the Jeep is free, get the hell out of here.”
They didn't answer, but Kimberly knew they'd comply.
“Oh, some more powerless rangers we can capture! Perfect!” Goldar roared as he held Katherine in his grip.
“Kimberly!” Katherine choked out as she stretched out her hand, reaching for help.
Adrenaline rushed through Kimberly's system, drowning out the fear and lending her strength. “Hold on, Kat; I'll help you!”
Completely missing the fact that - once again - Psycho Pink was absent, Kimberly ran forward and began somersaulting her way to Goldar. The golden monster shot bolts of energy her way - stunning bolts to any former power ranger - in an attempt to strike her down. Nimbly dodging the blasts, Kimberly increased her speed. On her final flip, she jumped into the air and kicked out at the side if his head as Katherine ducked.
“Ki-yah!”
Goldar staggered under the blow, unable to avoid it as Kimberly regained her feet and tried to force his arms apart so she could free Katherine. Pulling and tugging at him to get him away from the Jeep, she drew him to the side avoiding the way he attempted to kick or strike her. For someone of her natural agility against an encumbered opponent, it wasn't overly difficult.
Yet, Goldar didn't seem to notice. "Did you miss me so much you have to stay so close, Kimmie? I can show you a better time than Lord Zedd!"
Kimberly shuddered, mentally shying away from the closed part of her mind where that resided and lashed out with a snap kick to his side as she noted the distance from the Jeep. Almost... there! She side stepped and dove to the ground, flipping, as Jason and Tommy ran at Goldar from behind.
“UH-YAH!” They yelled in unison as they thrust their fists into his wings, pulling them back and causing him to lose his hold on Katherine.
The former dino rangers sprinted for the Jeep as Katherine rolled, striking the ground hard. Regaining her feet in time to turn and face her rescuers, only Kimberly noted the look of utter shock - and delight - on the other former pink ranger's face. Her disbelieving shout was laced with joy. "Jason!"
Kimberly grabbed Katherine's arm as she pulled her out of the way from the moving Jeep. She saw all four former rangers and Haley, safely secured and moving fast, just as instructed.
“Come on!” Dragging Katherine behind her, she ran for the forest; her main objective was to keep Katherine safe. Even having trusted the mantle of the pink powers to her years ago, Katherine had no idea what she was up against. They drove further into the woods, Kimberly stopping abruptly behind a blind and turned to face her. “Stay here.”
“No! I have to help Jason.” Katherine stood her ground until Kimberly shoved her lightly into a tree. “You're helping all of us by staying out of danger! Just trust me.”
Katherine looked about to protest further but Kimberly shook her head, pinning the tall blonde to the tree. "This goes beyond you, me or Jason, Kat. I won't let anything happen to him."
----
Jason swung his fist into Goldar's armor and dragged him to the ground, kicking him away with his leg as Katherine went sprawling. “Stay away from her!”
He didn't know if Zedd had gotten to Kat or not but he had to survive this battle. They all did.
Tommy lost his grip on Goldar's wing as Jason took the monster down with a vicious force, far more brutal that he'd been in the past and a hidden note in his voice gave Tommy pause. Since when had Jason ever been that concerned about Kat? As he moved in to help, Tommy was sent sprawling towards a nearby tree by a kick from behind.
“What the-!”
Only his reflexes saved him from a face plant into the bark and he spun - right into the palm of Psycho Pink's hand. Her hand connected with his forehead and - being a Psycho Ranger - her power activated. Instead of Pink lights coming out of Tommy, black waves were moving from Pink's arm, into his mind - the color of his last incarnation as a Ranger.
“Ah...let me go!” He reached for her hand - or rather tried to, and found he was paralyzed by her hold. It explained everything about how Kim had been unable to fight back with frightening clarity – and just how many times she’d have been through this to even try and move. That thought alone was terrifying. Fragments of memories flashed through his mind as his eyes slid shut of their own accord. A painful groan escaped his lips as he collapsed to the ground, struggling mentally against the hold on his mind and Pink's hand never leaving his head.
“Nn..no...”
He never stood a chance.
“Time for you to remember!” The mechanically voice laughed as Psycho Pink delved into his mind and - finding the memories he least wished to remember - brought them back to life...
"Tommy!"
He knew that voice, he knew that voice well, in fact, it had been the voice that first welcomed him to Angel Grove - the first voice that had made him smile... and one he'd wanted to know better. Yet, despite the fact that deep within him he wanted nothing more than to turn towards her, his body remained impassively immobile, ignoring her. Whatever was in his locker completely absorbed him and the sickening knowledge of what he was seeing filled him.
This was the thing of nightmares – his time as Rita’s Green Ranger. It was a time when Kimberly had tried to befriend him and he’d done nothing but shut her down time after time despite everything inside him screaming he was a fool. He’d been powerless against Rita’s enchantment, stuck behind a wall of glass as he’d watched himself crush her.
Twisting inside his gut was the same butterflies he’d always felt around her back then, but Rita’s spell nullified the nervousness, channeling it into indifference, and the agony of being a prisoner inside himself as he watched Kimberly’s attempts – and his own cold shoulder.
“Tommy?”
He hadn’t seen it consciously the last time, but this time he did. He caught the flash of hurt in her gaze, the way she licked her lips and nervously shifted her grip on her bag, hitching it up over her should before trying again.
“So what happened to you, um, the other day after school? I thought we were gonna meet.”
He screamed at himself as the folder in his hands closed with a snap, knowing it would do little good, and knowing there was nothing he could do to ease the sting of the tone he was about to use. The mental flinch at his own cold and curt tone didn’t show on his features. “Something came up.”
“Oh.” Kimberly seemed to deflate behind him, but amazingly she didn’t go away as he’d expected her to. Not then and not in his memories. Only this time he noted this he didn’t before – maybe because he was looking back on the scene with twelve years of memories – and things he never would have seen at the time. Her posture was determined despite his rebuke. “You know, I just got kinda worried..”
Rounding on her, his tone turned patronizing and deliberately hurtful. “Hey. I'm a big boy, Kimberly. I don't need you to worry about me.”
Hurt raced through her expressive brown eyes, pain he’d failed to notice at the time and ripped through him like a serrated blade. It wasn’t just the pain, it was the dying of something in her gaze, the way her hope seemed to fade and shrivel… as if he’d reached in and crushed it in his fist.
“Is something wrong? 'Cos you're totally acting like-“
“Like what?”
She reared back as he snapped at her. “Like you're upset with me?”
“Has it ever occurred to you that I might have other things on my mind? Newsflash, Kimberly: you are not the centre of everyone's universe.”
“Well, excuse me for living!”
Pain flared through his mind as the scene cut away, his brain pushing Psycho Pink further, beyond that memory to one that held almost as much shame.
“Tommy… Tommy I know… I know you’re the Green Ranger.”
Kimberly’s concerned tone echoed through his mind now as it had then, only this time he knew two things. One - the outcome and two - he had been brainwashed at the time. It still didn’t dull the sting of rejecting her offer of help - or knowing he’d reject her now as he had then.
Under Rita’s spell or not, he’d been a fool. A fool who’d been unable to acknowledge or see Kimberly’s desperation to help him, her yearning to be his friend if nothing more – her frantic need to break Rita’s spell and turn him back into himself.
The guilt of knowing he’d been an idiot, despite being Rita’s prisoner, was something that still ate at him. Their relationship had started off with him attempting to hurt her. Hurting her both physically – during Ranger battles – and mentally through his harsh words. Spell or not, it was only of his most secret shames… and one he’d never understood.
“Well then, Pink Ranger…You should also know that you and the other Power Rangers will soon be destroyed.”
“A little attached to miss pink, were we?” Psycho Pink’s laughter echoed on the edges of Tommy’s memories as they continued to play back some of the happiest - but most cutting - of his recollections.
“We miss you.”
“Yeah, well, you guys were a team long before I showed up. It’ll all be back to normal before long.
“I miss you.”
The look on Kimberly’s face as she’d sought him out had been priceless. Hopeful and yet hurt - and he’d been nervous despite his katas. He’d watched her twist her fingers together anxiously, as if waiting for him to say something - but the words wouldn’t come. Instead he’d chosen to take her hand in his, relishing the feel of her smooth skin under his thumb, and dared to lean in to kiss her.
That she’d kissed him back - shyly but intently - had been like sunshine after the rain. His soul had been soothed and excited all at once and a part of him, the part of him that had fallen for her the first time they’d talked, had rejoiced.
This was the woman he would be with always.
This was the woman who would hold his heart.
This was the woman that would be at his side - forever.
It was like watching a movie but powerless to control the speed or scenes you viewed. The pleasure of the memory was so intense it was painful, drawing a gasp as he fought against it. He didn’t need to be reminded of everything he’d once thought about Kim. Didn’t need to see it or feel it again - but Psycho Pink was relentless, breaking down the barriers and making him remember...
“Hey Tommy, a letter came for you.
“Yeah it’s from Kimberly”
“Ah ha! Cool. Hey Adam, will you do me a favor and read it? I’ve got one more set to do.”
No… no! Not this memory… not this…
“You got it.”
“Thanks man.”
“Dear Tommy,
Everything is going great here in Florida.
Coach Schmidt has me as ready as I'll ever be for the competition.”
“Man, Kimberly is going to do great,” the envy and pride in Rocky’s tone were unmistakable.
“What else does she say?” That was Tanya’s curious question.
Adam mumbled through it, recapturing his place and began reading again. ““Tommy, this is the hardest letter I've ever had to write. You've always been my best friend, and in some ways, you're like a brother. But something has happened here that I can't explain. It's both been wonderful and painful at the same time.
Tommy, I've met someone else.”
A quiet, eerie calm settled over him as Adam read Kimberly’s words, everything seeming to still into an unreal silence. Kimberly had sent him a “dear John” letter – it was inconceivable, so dreamlike he doubted his senses.
“What?” Kat’s incredulous question barely registered. “That can’t be right.”
“Tommy,” Adam was hesitant. “Maybe you should finish this another time.”
He couldn’t. Not with a lead in like that. “Lemme see that.” Turning he grabbed for the letter, feeling the dry parchment between his fingers, an anchor in the calm which threatened to burst into a terrifying tempest.
“Tommy, you know I would never do anything to hurt you. But I feel like I've found the person that I belong with. He's wonderful, kind, and caring. You'd really like him. Everything would be perfect if it weren't for hurting you. But I have to follow my heart. I will always care about you, Tommy.
Please forgive me.
Kimberly”
The sense of futility that settled over him was unreal. Nothing registered, nothing around him seemed real anymore. The agony that ripped through his being, tearing straight through his heart like the sword of darkness he’d once wielded under Rita’s command was a sheering, cutting sensation not unlike the shredding of paper or food as it was torn apart in a blender. The torture of that pain was biting, so excruciating he didn’t even feel it… wouldn’t feel it until much, much later…
“No!” Tommy shouted as the memories and feelings that he had been trying so hard to forget came flying back. He didn’t need to relive that scene; he didn’t need to be reminded of it - he’d never been able to forget - but he had been able to move beyond it.
Or so he'd thought. If he had, it wouldn’t have had the power to hurt him still.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered the fact that Jason was struggling with Goldar and screaming for Kim...
----
“Kim!" Jason yelled as he grappled with Goldar. "Tommy needs your help!”
Struggling still with Kat, Kim looked back to see Psycho Pink attacking Tommy. Dark energy flowed about him and the pained expression on his face struck a chord deep within her that vibrated and seemed to shatter. Bolting from Katherine’s side, she sprinted back towards the fight with a force she long forgotten.
Psycho Pink didn’t appear to hear her coming as Kimberly pounded towards where she was absorbed in Tommy’s memories - and making him relive them. From the look on Tommy’s face, the memories were both agonizing and unbearable. The need to need hurry before more serious damage was done drove Kimberly into action.
“Tommy!” Screaming for him as she left her feet and lunged into the air, Kimberly aimed for Psycho Pink’s chest. “Ki-YAH!”
Tackling the Psycho Ranger, Kimberly pushed through the hit with more force than she’d believed possible, driving the monstrosity back and away from Tommy.
“Don't touch him!”
They slammed into the ground with bruising force, Psycho Pink taking the brunt of the impact - an impact that left her partially dazed. Kimberly didn’t notice as she threw punch after punch, kick after kick.
Psycho Pink was slow to recover, even more so with the abuse Kimberly continued to rain down from above, but shortly she was able to find her focus and stop a few of the attacks, then half and finally blocked the rest. Her immense strength countered Kimberly’s lightning strikes, turning them ineffective.
“Don’t you want to know what he saw Pink Ranger?”
"Nothing you could say would interest me!"
Psycho Pink blocked another attack, moving to get back to her feet under Kimberly's continued assault. "Not even that the memories which pain him so are about you?"
"Liar!" Kimberly slammed both open palms into Pspycho Pink's chest, staggering her and sending her back to one knee.
"Why lie when the truth is so much more interesting?"
"You wouldn't know truth if it hit you in the face."
"Ah, but that's all I unlock. I feed off truth, Pink Ranger."
"You're a perversion, Psycho Pink!" Kimberly spat the words venomously. "A parasite."
"A parasite?" Psycho Pink struck back, forcing Kimberly to duck or be struck by her open palm in the head - and risk putting her in the same position as Tommy. "All I do is free the mind of the unnecessary blocks you puny humans place upon it. That his blocked memories all seem to include you is most intriguing. Lord Zedd-"
"Ki-YAH!" Kimberly spin kicked at the Psycho Ranger, cutting off whatever she'd been about to say. "Lord Zedd can rot in his Dark Dimension. You can't have Tommy!"
"You mean this Tommy? The one that lusts after you even after all this time?" Psycho Pink's taunt was barbed, sliding home far more cleanly than she'd ever anticipated and - to her surprise - had an effect she hadn't anticipated
“Enough! That's ENOUGH!” Kimberly screamed, kicking out at Psycho Pink's chest and sending her sprawling to the ground.
A small crack appeared in her chest plate from where Kimberly had kicked her, forcing the armor fractionally inwards. Stunned, Psycho Pink stared at Kimberly in shock.
Satisfied the Pink monstrosity was out of the fight for a few moments, Kimberly whirled and ran back to Tommy, crouching beside him. Her gaze roved from head to toe, concern chocking her – the need to touch him great – but an unconscious fear checked her hand.
“Tommy?”
He didn’t look at her as he struggled to lift himself up on his elbows. Him emotions were ricocheting from one end of the spectrum to the other, the old desires, fears and needs he’d thought he'd long since moved beyond careening through his system. As they centered on Kimberly, he didn’t trust himself to look at her and not have her see them. She’d always been able to read him - maybe a little too well.
“Tommy?” Reaching out, she touched him without thinking and drew his gaze. Looking into his eyes, she tried to see if he was alright. When they’d been teenagers that was all she’d ever needed to do to believe that he would be fine; simply look into his eyes. What she saw was confusion, embarrassment and emotions that she couldn’t - her mind wouldn’t - understand. “Are you alright?”
Her silent plea went unanswered as Tommy stared back at her helplessly. Shaking from the intensity of the emotional recoil, his brain couldn't form the words she so obviously desired. The feel of her arm around his waist as she helped him stand was his undoing and her name slipped out without conscious thought.
“Kim...”
After experiencing the visions and emotions that he had been trying to forget, he wasn't sure he could say anymore. Everything was still too fresh, too new despite the fact it had all happened years ago. He took his chance, wrapping his arms about her tightly. She didn't fight him as he'd expected, but instead went willingly - if hesitantly - into his close embrace. Her head came to rest in the familiar position over his heart, as he placed his chin on the top of her head.
This was where he’d wanted her since she’d waltzed back into his life. He closed his eyes to relish the feel of having her - willingly - in his arms once more.
Katherine watched as Kimberly threw Psycho Pink away, silently cheering her friend and letting out a sharp cry as Kimberly turned back to Tommy. Her attention shifted from Tommy and Kim as Goldar struggled over to Psycho Pink to help her up. Jason stood, panting slightly, off to the side and she took the opportunity to look at him - just look - to be sure he was free from harm.
Completely disregarding Kimberly’s direction, she sprinted back towards the house, leaving the safety of the forest. The need to feel he was alright pumped through her system “Jason!”
Jason turned as she neared, incredulity crossing his features as she jumped at him. He caught her on pure reflex, completely unprepared as she clung to him like death would come if she didn't. Her arms wrapped around his neck as her legs wrapped around his waist and threatened to unbalance him, her words a tearful - but joyful - cry.
“Jason! I...I thought I'd never see you again!”
His arms came up to hold her without conscious thought, one automatically stroking her hair. The reality of the situation took a minute to process as pure shock overtook Jason. Katherine had never lunged at him like that before! What is she doing? The thought demanded an answer and he opened his mouth to ask, only to pause when he saw how upset she was.
Her eyes were red rimmed, blood shot and glistening in a face that was puffy from too much crying. Had Zedd gotten to her the way he'd gotten to Kimberly? Concern wiped away any other emotions, and his grip tightened fractionally on her in an attempt to offer wordless comfort. Katherine stared back at him, her eyes searching his for something.
Then, before he could say anything, she bracketed his face in her hands and captured his lips - forcing him into a passionate kiss.
Shocked, Jason could do little more than react - and before he could think - kissed her back.
Psycho Pink stood with Goldar’s help, examining the crack in her armor. Fury closely followed - the thought that one of these puny former Rangers had dared to presume to judge her - to damage her - was all encompassing. “Let's finish this!” Summoning her bow, she fired several arrows at the distracted rangers.
None of them noticed, too absorbed in one another to defend themselves in time.
“ENOUGH!”
A strange voice echoed from a distance, but boomed around them all at the same time.
“Ninjetti Crane!”
Appearing in a blinding flash of light, a solitary figure stood on the edge of the battle field, a pink wave wrapping about it as the summoned abilities of the Pink Crane appeared in front of the arrows, stopping them all with an outstretch hand. The projectiles flew harmlessly into the sky, rebounding off a solid staff in the figure's hand, twirled once - expertly.
“This has gone on for far too long and ends now! Your evil shall no longer reign over these rangers.”
[ insert a separator ]
Deep within the forest, two figures were running. Both clothed in dark brown cloaks with emblem strikes flowing throughout the fabric; one yellow, one black.
“We have to hurry!” The yellow one insisted, dodging left and right around trees.
“They're already there! Come on!” The black cloaked figure returned as they darted through the forest. Foliage blurred around them as they sped up, making a bee line for their target.
[ insert a separator ]
Kimberly's mesmerized state was interrupted as she was pulled away from Tommy's embrace by a large pink wave directed from Psycho Pink's hand. The pain lanced through her back as the energy burned through shirt and skin, hauling her back into Psycho Pink's embrace with an ear shattering scream
“She's mine!” Psycho Pink slammed both hands against Kimberly's head and began her ultimate drain wave - similar to Zedd's machine - but not nearly as powerful.
“No!” Kimberly shrieked as the power ripped through her skull, blood oozing from her nose to drip onto her shirt.
“Move away from the Crane!”
The figure that had stopped the arrows moved forward and tossed off their dark cloak, revealing the true Ninjetti Queen of Phados - Dulcea. She looked the same as when the Rangers had last seen her on Phados during their Ninjetti quest; unchanged by the ravages of time. Her buck skin clothing remained the same, the only difference a spot of light that caught the eye; on her belt six crystals shone their true colors.
“I order you to stop!”
Psycho Pink paid no attention to the new threat.
“Dulcea!” Tommy came out of his emotional overload with a snap, still reeling but more centered for having felt a reconnection with Kim. His gaze went to Psycho Pink as Kimberly shrieked and he took a step forward. “Let her go!”
"Falcon!"
Dulcea's commanding tone brokered no argument and Tommy reluctantly backed up several steps, his gaze never leaving Kimberly's agonized expression. Everything in him screamed at him to do something, to take action, but Dulcea’s order wasn’t one he could fight.
Drawn from the ever tempting distraction of Katherine's kiss, Jason pulled himself away to look over her shoulder in time to see events unfolding. Despite Katherine's continued attempts to resume the kiss, he held her off and then, seeing Tommy move to stand with Dulcea - whom he'd never met but heard much about - he moved despite Katherine's assault to stand behind Dulcea and Tommy. With effort, he managed to untangle Katherine’s legs from around his waist so she stood on her own, but she did not relinquish her hold on his person.
“Power Daggers!”
Tommy and Jason whirled at the familiar cry as two daggers, similar to the original Yellow Power Ranger's - but with no resident power - shot out from the yellow clad figure emerging from the woods. They flew true, arcing through the air and colliding with Psycho Pink's hands - forcing her away from Kimberly.
Psycho Pink's hold broken, Kimberly collapsed to her knees and held her head, unable to prevent the dry heave that accompanied the blackness and dizziness of the attack. The voice and the incredulity of the situation registered and she looked in the direction the daggers had come from. Despite the pain in her head, despite the pounding agony that flooded her system, she still couldn't contain her disbelieving cry.
“It can't be!”
Goldar, tired of these humans, stepped forward and held the sword above Kimberly's neck. “It's time to die, Kimmie!”
“No! Kim!” A voice cried out and the other figure ran into the battlefield, black clad from head to toe - the familiar voice also striking a chord.
“Power Axe!”
Again a weapon that was similar to the original Black Ranger's - but held no power - collided with Goldar's sword as the strange figure jumped into the fray. “Back away, monkey breath!”
“This is enough!”
Dulcea commanded was accompanied by the entire area being surrounded with pure white light. Goldar and Psycho Pink were thrown free of the brilliance, blasting them back and away, out of Dulcea's range. Lifting her hands, Dulcea teleported Jason, Tommy, Kimberly, Katherine, and the two mysterious figures, along with Billy - who was on his way from Stone Canyon - with her out and away from Earth.
Goldar and Psycho Pink collected themselves slowly from the battlefield. Sharing a look, they disappeared, leaving the carnage of Dr. Tommy Oliver's front driveway for Zedd's Dark Dimension.
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Post by Kim on Jun 28, 2008 20:19:31 GMT -5
Um, wow....holy shit.....so much happened, and I wish I was really wrong about what Zedd did to Kim, but somehow, I know I'm not. But Kim kicked Psycho Pink's ass for a few mintes there, and the hug made me mushy....but damn.....
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 28, 2008 20:24:07 GMT -5
*winks* Be sure to stay tuned! Next chapter - all will be revealed
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Post by Jade_Max on Jun 28, 2008 21:03:10 GMT -5
Or so Chris thinks... *laughs*
You guys will likely get more hints in the next chapter - more solid hints which you'll be able to make your own deductions... it's going to be fun *evil grin*
Oh... I suppose I should introduce myself - I'm chris' co-author *waves* the silent one of this partnership.
Thanks for reading guys - your responses have really made our day!
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 28, 2008 21:18:52 GMT -5
Anne, Silent? No way x.x *praises you for life* Finally, both authors of this fic are here And yes I spoke too soon, but your confusion will be lessened with the next chapter.
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Post by .liz on Jun 28, 2008 21:41:40 GMT -5
Oh hey both wonderful authors *waves* You two are doing a really great job with this fic! I'm digging it
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 29, 2008 9:53:56 GMT -5
I'm really glad you're digging it, Liz
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nm4ever
Wild Force Ranger
Posts: 199
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Post by nm4ever on Jun 29, 2008 11:28:46 GMT -5
Damn.......I thought I'd read stories before that were screwy and mysterious. This one is awesome! I'm totally in love with it and can't wait till the next chapter! I loved the whole scene between Jason and Kat! *grins*
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 29, 2008 17:22:46 GMT -5
I'm really shocked no one went 'wtf?' when it came to Jason and Kat but you'll just have to wait to find out
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Post by Kim on Jun 29, 2008 18:02:56 GMT -5
Jason + Kat = SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN F**KING ZEO! That's why none of us whent WTF?
Okay, I'm done being weird again
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Post by chrisangelo on Jun 29, 2008 19:09:51 GMT -5
Lol, thanks to Anne's fic, Hearts & Armor, I started liking them as a couple ^^;'
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Post by Kim on Jun 29, 2008 19:57:58 GMT -5
They had some pretty good chemistry brewing in a few Zeo episodes, and it would have went somewhere if Kat hadn't been hung on Tommy and Jason hadn't had Emily.....and I'm being grouchy so I'm going to shut up now *grumbles about wanting her damn JK as she slinks back to her corner*
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Post by Jade_Max on Jun 30, 2008 1:14:32 GMT -5
*laughs* and the reason I pair Jason and Kat comes out Seriously, the chemistry is there... and hopefully this fic will give you a bit of that fix - since it involves the couple *grin* We're glad you're enjoying this guys; it's a ton of fun to throw back and forth.
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