pretty poison: by cynthia_harrell [power rangers: breakfast]
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters presented here and am not making any profit off of this whatsoever.
Title: Pretty Poison
Words: 3,599 (total so far: 33,499)
Theme: breakfast
Fandom: Power Rangers
Warnings: Power Ranger level of violence.
“What…” Tommi sagged back into Trini’s grip, her head spinning. Everything was fuzzy for a few moments. Then, with a nearly audible mental snap, clarity returned. Tommi stiffened, then wrenched herself away from the Yellow Ranger, half-collapsing onto the beach. Her stomach churned, and she heaved, heaved until there was nothing left to come back up, and her throat burned with bile.
Jason came over to her, touching the back of her neck. “Are you all right?”
“That…has to be the stupidest question…I’ve ever heard anyone ask.” Tommi slowly looked up at him, then dropped her gaze back to the sand. Her head ached even more than it had earlier, and she wanted to find someplace very dark and stay there a while. Thirty or forty years sounded about right.
I…I hurt so many people. And none of them deserved it. There was no way that she could ever make up for what she’d done. Except, maybe, if she gave up the Power Coin to Zordon and let him choose someone who deserved it, not someone like her.
“You’re free of her spell now.” Jason held a hand out to her. “You can choose what you do for yourself.” He continued to hold the hand out, even when she didn’t take it. “But we’d like it if you joined us.”
Tommi blinked a few times as she slowly sat back, looking around at them all. They’d demorphed when she hadn’t been looking, and they looked so different to her now. Before, she’d seen them all through the emerald haze of Rita’s brainwashing. Now, she could see them for the kind people that they were. People she would have wanted to be friends with, if all of this hadn’t happened.
“You’d want me?” She shook her head, then blinked. Oh. She knew what it was. “Jason…if Zordon can help you, he should. I…I dosed you with a love potion the other day when we were at the Youth Center.” That was what was doing this to Jason, making him think that he wanted her around.
She looked down at her hands, and the Power Coin appeared there in a brief flash of green. She turned towards Zack, who was now the closest to her, and held it out. “Give this to Zordon. You guys can find someone better than me to be the Green Ranger. I’ll keep your secret, though.” She didn’t ask that they keep hers. If they wanted to punish her by letting everyone else know what had happened, then so be it.
“Tommi…” Jason started to reach for her again, but she evaded him quickly and shook her head.
“Find someone who really deserves that.” She just couldn’t bring herself to be around them right now. Still somewhat unsteady on her feet, she headed off of the beach and towards home, not looking back. Looking back might have made her think twice, especially if she’d seen Jason again.
Don’t be stupid. You know it’s just because of that stupid love potion. Her eyes were damp. But all she would let herself do was just wipe the tears away.
Alpha ran the scanner up and down Jason, checking the readout carefully. He nodded a little, then turned to Zordon, who had watched everything with his usual attention.
Rita’s love potion has been completely removed from your system. Zordon told him. How are you feeling?
Jason rubbed at the back of his head a little. His thoughts were a lot clearer, and a lot less focused on Tommi, than they had been in days. “Better. A lot better.”
This was not to say that the former Green Ranger wasn’t on his mind, of course. He looked to where the Green Coin had been sealed until they found someone worthy to give it to. “What are we going to do about that?”
“Not everyone can be a Power Ranger.” Alpha told him. “There are certain emotional and physical qualities that must be possessed. We were quite lucky that the five of you had them all in potential.”
Kim tilted her head back to look up at Zordon. “Does Tommi have them?”
Yes. She is quite suited to be a Power Ranger. But her experiences with Rita have not left her unaffected. We must respect her choices. Regret tinged Zordon’s voice as he dropped his head a little. We must therefore choose another Green Ranger.
“Is there anyone else who would qualify in Angel Grove right now?” Jason asked. He didn’t want to just abandon Tommi. Love potion or not, he liked her, and he wanted to see more of her.
Alpha went over to one of the consoles and began to punch a few buttons. “There are a few.” Images flickered up on the screen, some of them faces familiar to the teens, some of them not. Kim blinked at one of them.
“You’re telling me that Skull could be a Power Ranger?” It was a thought that had never passed her mind before.
“I guess anything’s possible.” Zack said with a shrug. “I don’t think Rita’s going to wait around for us to make a decision very long.”
Zack is right. But it is also a choice that must not be rushed. You five are possessed of the highest potential, which is why you were the ones chosen when Rita attacked. Everyone else who was a potential Power Ranger had much less to offer in terms of skills or personality.
“So, which one do you think could be the best for it?” Trini asked, arms folded over her chest. None of this felt right. She wished there was something that some of them, any of them, could do in order to help Tommi, but the former evil Ranger had been staying away from all of them in the three days since her release from Rita’s control. She’d scarcely even bothered to look at them when they passed in the hallways.
Jason looked over the information that Alpha had brought up. “I can’t say for sure right now. Let’s think about it first.” They might not have much time, but they had some, at least until Rita made an attack. Until then, who knew what could turn up.
Tommi tried her best to avoid being around the others as the days flicked by. She’d managed to talk most of the teachers into moving her seat away from theirs, and with a little judicious managing of her time, she could avoid them coming or going from school.
Avoiding being around them didn’t mean she avoided thinking about them, however. She could hardly do that, no matter how much she wanted to. Anything reminded her of them, or of what had happened. A flicker of bright colors, hearing them talking amongst themselves, just passing by her own locker, any of those or a million other factors brought back some form of a memory.
I wonder why they haven’t picked up a new Green Ranger yet. There had to be someone they could use. She was hardly unique, and just about anyone would be better than an idiot who had gotten herself captured and brainwashed. They deserved so much better. Someone who would be a strength to their team, not a weakness, had to come along sooner or later. Not that she was paying that much attention to see when the new Green Ranger turned up, of course.
She nibbled a little on her breakfast, though her appetite ever since her release had been more than a little lacking. It was necessary to eat, but everything tasted like ashes and grief in her mouth. She managed to choke down enough every day to keep herself strong enough to train and study. But there was no actual joy in just eating. At least her mom hadn’t asked too many questions about her loss of appetite lately.
“Tommi?” At least she hadn’t asked many questions until now. Tommi looked up at her.
“Are you feeling well? You haven’t really been yourself lately.” Her mother sat down opposite her and watched her carefully.
Not been myself? That’s one way to put it, mom. “I’ve just had a lot to deal with.” Tommi dared not say a word to her mother about what had really happened. She wouldn’t reveal the secrets of the Power Rangers, and she couldn’t tell what had happened to her. “I’m fine, Mom, really.”
She poked a bit more at the food, until it looked as if she’d eaten more than she had. Her mother said nothing, but continued to give her that look that all mothers give to their children when said children are being stubborn. “If you ever do want to tell me the truth, I’m always here.”
Tommi nodded a little, then glanced at the time. She had never been more grateful to see how late it was getting. “Gotta go, Mom! See you later!” She grabbed her books and headed out quickly. If she waited much later, there was a chance that she would cross paths with Jason on his own way to school.
Maybe I’ll figure out something to tell you someday, Mom. She really didn’t like making her mom worry that much. But not today. Maybe not for a long, long time to come, either. But at least being a Power Ranger wasn’t something she’d ever have to lie about again.
No decision had been made yet on who would take up the reins as the new Green Ranger. Jason stared over the lists of qualities and those who had the best chances, and none of them gave him half the sensation that they would be a good Ranger that Tommi did. The only hard part would be convincing her of that.
Yet another school day had drawn to a close. He was getting his books out of his locker when that familiar beep sounded from his communicator. He glanced about quickly, and noticed Tommi was at her own locker. She turned slightly towards him, then away again, not even quite meeting his eye.
“What is it, Zordon?” Jason asked. As much as he really wanted to talk to her, business had to come first.
Rita has sent down a group of Putty Patrollers to the park. Well, it looked as if vacation were over with.
“All right, I’m on the way.” He slammed his locker door shut and hurried to the nearest concealed location before teleporting. It looked like the usual path of clay heads; nothing much to worry himself about. He wouldn’t have been surprised if the local civilians could have taken care of them without him.
“Red Ranger!” Well, Goldar might be a little more difficult for them to deal with. But Jason was getting more and more used to solving the problem of the big winged pest. “What’s the matter? Misplace your little girlfriend?”
“Are you going to talk or are you going to fight?” Jason retorted, ignoring most of what Goldar had said. That was something else that worried him. If they went after Tommi again, and she had no morpher…
Goldar charged, and Jason charged right back, grinning as he did. He might not be able to make some decisions, but this was one that was easy to deal with. Goldar needed a good solid butt-kicking and he was going to give it to him.
Kicks, punches, flips, and blows of every style were being exchanged. The other four Rangers had shown up as well, taking on Putties and Scorpina, who had turned up sometime when Jason had been wrapped up in fighting Goldar. She and Trini were going at it again. There was obviously quite a bit of bad blood left over from that poisoning attack. Jason wished Trini the best of luck.
Goldar and Scorpina ended up back to back, both sneering at the Rangers. The Putty Patrollers were gone, tossed into a heap that vanished. Jason rolled his neck a bit and glared at the two warriors.
“So what are you two doing down here? Just looking to kill some time?”
“Oh, in a way.” Scorpina smirked at them. “But really, we’re just killing time for you. So that Rita’s monster has a chance to finish off that worthless Tommi.”
“Zordon!” Jason went for his communicator right away. “Tommi’s in trouble, they’re going after her!”
Understood, Jason. Zordon’s calm voice soothed him, but Jason wanted to do more than that. He wanted to get there to her, to be certain she was all right personally. He glared over at Scorpina and Goldar.
“You’re going down.” He charged, all of the others going along with him. These two had to be dealt with first. Once they were finished, he’d go find Tommi.
In another part of the park, Tommi herself was having difficulties. She’d wanted to avoid it altogether, but to do so would have meant going way too much out of the way. Maybe I should have risked it. Two Putty Patrollers had her in their grip, and she was being dragged over towards a seven foot tall monster that appeared to be made out of daggers.
“So what are you supposed to be? Sharpy something?” Tommi glared at the creature, still yanking against the clay soldiers with all of her strength. These weren’t the usual Putties, which she had thrown around even before getting the Green Coin. She could move them, a little, but for the most part, they had her arms twisted around too much for her to be able to get away.
“I am the Dagger Duke!” The monster waved its hands, which resembled highly sharpened knives. “And Queen Rita wants you disposed of, former Green Ranger.”
“Sorry, I don’t do what she wants anymore.” Tommi brought one foot up and smashed it down as hard as she could on one of the Putties holding her. If their arms had been made stronger to hold her, then their feet hadn’t been, since it released her almost at once. She grabbed it by the wrist and slung it into the other one, getting her other arm free.
Dagger Duke was still coming closer to her, however, blades gleaming in the afternoon sun. “You will regret not having pleased her!”
“I think I’ve regretted a lot of things, but that’s not going to be one of them.” Tommi declared, moving around as quickly as she could to stay out of the range of those weapons. She’s not going to just let me go. I’ve got to be able to fight.
Fighting was going to be easy. Winning was what was going to be difficult.
Shrieks echoed suddenly, and Tommi’s gaze snapped behind Dagger Duke to see a couple of girls, probably three or four years younger than she was, being encircled by a group of Putties. They’d obviously wandered a little too close to the action, and the Putties didn’t care who they hurt, so long as they hurt someone.
She’d taken only a step or two closer when the monster got in her way again. “What do you think you’re doing?” he sneered, waving those sharp hands towards her. “You’re not a Power Ranger anymore, remember?”
No, she wasn’t. She’d given up the Coin. “Maybe not. But I don’t have to be.” She crouched for a moment, then leaped over Dagger Duke, somersaulting until she landed beside the girls and the Putties. “Why don’t you clay idiots take on someone who can fight back!?” she challenged, sparing only a quick glance for the girls. She jerked her head a bit, indicating for them to get out of there.
She didn’t watch long enough to see if they did, but plunged right into the fight. Whenever she got the chance, she threw one of the Putties towards Dagger Duke, keeping him as far back as possible. More and more Putties started to turn up; was Finster working overtime or something? The fight had begun with five, now there were seven…ten…fifteen…
Tommi was getting overwhelmed. She stumbled, her breath coming short as she fought for air she wasn’t getting, and a Putty, a little more clever than the rest, chose that moment to shove hard into her side, knocking her down. The rest piled on top of her, keeping her pinned down as the monster came closer.
“Time to finish this!” Dagger Duke raised up his blades, the Putties moving just enough so it would have a clear shot at her. Tommi stared up at him, moments when she’d had the Red Ranger at her mercy flickering through her mind.
He’s not going to stop. He’s going to kill me. She jerked and flailed in the Putties’ grip but to no avail. I don’t want to die! Had Jason thought the same thing? Would she have cared then? Yes and no. I want to stop this! I want to stop them! No one had the right to kill someone else over nothing. No one had the right to rule over other people the way that Rita did.
She had to be stopped. Like I was stopped. Her eyes narrowed, and she wanted, she wanted that Coin to be in her hands, she wanted it more than she wanted her own life, more than anything else.
Something cool dropped into her half-open hand. She didn’t question. She didn’t look. She just knew.
She gripped it tightly.
Dagger Duke’s blades came down swiftly.
“DragonZord!”
Her gloved hands wrenched away from the Putties holding her and blocked the monster. “Not today!” Green Ranger declared, shaking off the rest, her energy revived as the Power flowed through her, strong and clean and no longer tainted by Rita’s twisted spells. This was what a Power Ranger should be.
She launched into an attack without another second to spare, slamming into Dagger Duke as hard as she could. Her armor protected her from the blades now, and she pummeled with all of her strength, punching, kicking, blasting with her Blade Blaster, anything that would back the monster up.
“Hey!” Jason! She would recognize that voice anywhere. No time for reintroductions, though. She kept on fighting. “Who are you?”
“Right now? Wanting to get rid of this thing. Think we can manage this?” Tommi asked, grinning fiercely beneath the helmet. Her voice wasn’t distorted now; she wasn’t sure if they’d recognize it or not. They didn’t seem to.
Six Rangers against Dagger Duke were six too much, and after a flurry of blows of every type, the monster fell backwards.
“Let’s finish this!” Jason declared, gesturing with his Power Sword. Tommi watched as the Power Blaster was formed, then a sudden thought occurred. There was an empty slot at the top…could she…
Before they blasted it, she slammed her Dragon Dagger in that slot. “Now! Time for his Grace to make a graceful exit!”
“Fire!” Six voices resounded, and a blast of raw power tore through Dagger Duke, leaving him naught but a small pile of scraps.
Tommi relaxed, trembling just a bit from all the excitement. Jason turned towards her. “So…” He tilted his head some, looking at her. “Who are you?”
She grinned to herself. This was going to be interesting. Slowly she unsnapped her helmet and slid it off, shaking her hair out as she did. “It’s me.”
“Tommi!” Her name erupted from their lips in varying levels of disbelief. Jason stared most of all, then started to grin.
“There’s got to be a good story behind this,” eh said. Tommi started to nod, but before she’d scarcely begun the motion, a far too familiar blast of light came down, bathing Dagger Duke.
“There is, but first, we’re going to need to finish that thing once and for all.” This would be her real first time with the DragonZord. She could hardly wait to see what it could do.
Together, the six Power Rangers headed off into battle together for the very first time.
Congratulations, Power Rangers. Zordon’s proud gaze bent down on them all. And to you as well, Tommi Oliver, for your choice to protect this world against Rita Repulsa’s evil.
“Someone has to do it. And since I helped her, even though I was under a spell…it’s only right that I try to stop her, with all of you.” Tommi smiled a little, fingering the green communicator on her wrist. She was still a bit iffy about it all, but she was going to do her best, no matter what.
Jason placed a comforting arm on her shoulder and she smiled a bit at him. “There’s a whole lot that we should talk about, I think. If you’re not too busy tomorrow morning, maybe we could meet up for breakfast at Ernie’s, before school gets going?”
Tommi wet her lips a bit. It didn’t sound like a date, and he was right that they all needed to talk. “All right. I’ll see you there.”
“Great.” Jason’s grin widened and some of that ashen taste that had been in Tommi’s mouth and mind since that day on the beach faded away. “Can’t wait.”
Tommi nodded, glancing around at them all. She didn’t know them yet as well as she would like, but that would change in time. There was so much that lay ahead of her. Even if she’d known, she wouldn’t have been able to comprehend it all just then. One day at a time.
And more and more of those days would begin with breakfast at Ernie’s, with Jason, and with all the friends she was going to make because of her choice to become the Green Ranger.
The End
Title: Pretty Poison
Words: 3,599 (total so far: 33,499)
Theme: breakfast
Fandom: Power Rangers
Warnings: Power Ranger level of violence.
“What…” Tommi sagged back into Trini’s grip, her head spinning. Everything was fuzzy for a few moments. Then, with a nearly audible mental snap, clarity returned. Tommi stiffened, then wrenched herself away from the Yellow Ranger, half-collapsing onto the beach. Her stomach churned, and she heaved, heaved until there was nothing left to come back up, and her throat burned with bile.
Jason came over to her, touching the back of her neck. “Are you all right?”
“That…has to be the stupidest question…I’ve ever heard anyone ask.” Tommi slowly looked up at him, then dropped her gaze back to the sand. Her head ached even more than it had earlier, and she wanted to find someplace very dark and stay there a while. Thirty or forty years sounded about right.
I…I hurt so many people. And none of them deserved it. There was no way that she could ever make up for what she’d done. Except, maybe, if she gave up the Power Coin to Zordon and let him choose someone who deserved it, not someone like her.
“You’re free of her spell now.” Jason held a hand out to her. “You can choose what you do for yourself.” He continued to hold the hand out, even when she didn’t take it. “But we’d like it if you joined us.”
Tommi blinked a few times as she slowly sat back, looking around at them all. They’d demorphed when she hadn’t been looking, and they looked so different to her now. Before, she’d seen them all through the emerald haze of Rita’s brainwashing. Now, she could see them for the kind people that they were. People she would have wanted to be friends with, if all of this hadn’t happened.
“You’d want me?” She shook her head, then blinked. Oh. She knew what it was. “Jason…if Zordon can help you, he should. I…I dosed you with a love potion the other day when we were at the Youth Center.” That was what was doing this to Jason, making him think that he wanted her around.
She looked down at her hands, and the Power Coin appeared there in a brief flash of green. She turned towards Zack, who was now the closest to her, and held it out. “Give this to Zordon. You guys can find someone better than me to be the Green Ranger. I’ll keep your secret, though.” She didn’t ask that they keep hers. If they wanted to punish her by letting everyone else know what had happened, then so be it.
“Tommi…” Jason started to reach for her again, but she evaded him quickly and shook her head.
“Find someone who really deserves that.” She just couldn’t bring herself to be around them right now. Still somewhat unsteady on her feet, she headed off of the beach and towards home, not looking back. Looking back might have made her think twice, especially if she’d seen Jason again.
Don’t be stupid. You know it’s just because of that stupid love potion. Her eyes were damp. But all she would let herself do was just wipe the tears away.
Alpha ran the scanner up and down Jason, checking the readout carefully. He nodded a little, then turned to Zordon, who had watched everything with his usual attention.
Rita’s love potion has been completely removed from your system. Zordon told him. How are you feeling?
Jason rubbed at the back of his head a little. His thoughts were a lot clearer, and a lot less focused on Tommi, than they had been in days. “Better. A lot better.”
This was not to say that the former Green Ranger wasn’t on his mind, of course. He looked to where the Green Coin had been sealed until they found someone worthy to give it to. “What are we going to do about that?”
“Not everyone can be a Power Ranger.” Alpha told him. “There are certain emotional and physical qualities that must be possessed. We were quite lucky that the five of you had them all in potential.”
Kim tilted her head back to look up at Zordon. “Does Tommi have them?”
Yes. She is quite suited to be a Power Ranger. But her experiences with Rita have not left her unaffected. We must respect her choices. Regret tinged Zordon’s voice as he dropped his head a little. We must therefore choose another Green Ranger.
“Is there anyone else who would qualify in Angel Grove right now?” Jason asked. He didn’t want to just abandon Tommi. Love potion or not, he liked her, and he wanted to see more of her.
Alpha went over to one of the consoles and began to punch a few buttons. “There are a few.” Images flickered up on the screen, some of them faces familiar to the teens, some of them not. Kim blinked at one of them.
“You’re telling me that Skull could be a Power Ranger?” It was a thought that had never passed her mind before.
“I guess anything’s possible.” Zack said with a shrug. “I don’t think Rita’s going to wait around for us to make a decision very long.”
Zack is right. But it is also a choice that must not be rushed. You five are possessed of the highest potential, which is why you were the ones chosen when Rita attacked. Everyone else who was a potential Power Ranger had much less to offer in terms of skills or personality.
“So, which one do you think could be the best for it?” Trini asked, arms folded over her chest. None of this felt right. She wished there was something that some of them, any of them, could do in order to help Tommi, but the former evil Ranger had been staying away from all of them in the three days since her release from Rita’s control. She’d scarcely even bothered to look at them when they passed in the hallways.
Jason looked over the information that Alpha had brought up. “I can’t say for sure right now. Let’s think about it first.” They might not have much time, but they had some, at least until Rita made an attack. Until then, who knew what could turn up.
Tommi tried her best to avoid being around the others as the days flicked by. She’d managed to talk most of the teachers into moving her seat away from theirs, and with a little judicious managing of her time, she could avoid them coming or going from school.
Avoiding being around them didn’t mean she avoided thinking about them, however. She could hardly do that, no matter how much she wanted to. Anything reminded her of them, or of what had happened. A flicker of bright colors, hearing them talking amongst themselves, just passing by her own locker, any of those or a million other factors brought back some form of a memory.
I wonder why they haven’t picked up a new Green Ranger yet. There had to be someone they could use. She was hardly unique, and just about anyone would be better than an idiot who had gotten herself captured and brainwashed. They deserved so much better. Someone who would be a strength to their team, not a weakness, had to come along sooner or later. Not that she was paying that much attention to see when the new Green Ranger turned up, of course.
She nibbled a little on her breakfast, though her appetite ever since her release had been more than a little lacking. It was necessary to eat, but everything tasted like ashes and grief in her mouth. She managed to choke down enough every day to keep herself strong enough to train and study. But there was no actual joy in just eating. At least her mom hadn’t asked too many questions about her loss of appetite lately.
“Tommi?” At least she hadn’t asked many questions until now. Tommi looked up at her.
“Are you feeling well? You haven’t really been yourself lately.” Her mother sat down opposite her and watched her carefully.
Not been myself? That’s one way to put it, mom. “I’ve just had a lot to deal with.” Tommi dared not say a word to her mother about what had really happened. She wouldn’t reveal the secrets of the Power Rangers, and she couldn’t tell what had happened to her. “I’m fine, Mom, really.”
She poked a bit more at the food, until it looked as if she’d eaten more than she had. Her mother said nothing, but continued to give her that look that all mothers give to their children when said children are being stubborn. “If you ever do want to tell me the truth, I’m always here.”
Tommi nodded a little, then glanced at the time. She had never been more grateful to see how late it was getting. “Gotta go, Mom! See you later!” She grabbed her books and headed out quickly. If she waited much later, there was a chance that she would cross paths with Jason on his own way to school.
Maybe I’ll figure out something to tell you someday, Mom. She really didn’t like making her mom worry that much. But not today. Maybe not for a long, long time to come, either. But at least being a Power Ranger wasn’t something she’d ever have to lie about again.
No decision had been made yet on who would take up the reins as the new Green Ranger. Jason stared over the lists of qualities and those who had the best chances, and none of them gave him half the sensation that they would be a good Ranger that Tommi did. The only hard part would be convincing her of that.
Yet another school day had drawn to a close. He was getting his books out of his locker when that familiar beep sounded from his communicator. He glanced about quickly, and noticed Tommi was at her own locker. She turned slightly towards him, then away again, not even quite meeting his eye.
“What is it, Zordon?” Jason asked. As much as he really wanted to talk to her, business had to come first.
Rita has sent down a group of Putty Patrollers to the park. Well, it looked as if vacation were over with.
“All right, I’m on the way.” He slammed his locker door shut and hurried to the nearest concealed location before teleporting. It looked like the usual path of clay heads; nothing much to worry himself about. He wouldn’t have been surprised if the local civilians could have taken care of them without him.
“Red Ranger!” Well, Goldar might be a little more difficult for them to deal with. But Jason was getting more and more used to solving the problem of the big winged pest. “What’s the matter? Misplace your little girlfriend?”
“Are you going to talk or are you going to fight?” Jason retorted, ignoring most of what Goldar had said. That was something else that worried him. If they went after Tommi again, and she had no morpher…
Goldar charged, and Jason charged right back, grinning as he did. He might not be able to make some decisions, but this was one that was easy to deal with. Goldar needed a good solid butt-kicking and he was going to give it to him.
Kicks, punches, flips, and blows of every style were being exchanged. The other four Rangers had shown up as well, taking on Putties and Scorpina, who had turned up sometime when Jason had been wrapped up in fighting Goldar. She and Trini were going at it again. There was obviously quite a bit of bad blood left over from that poisoning attack. Jason wished Trini the best of luck.
Goldar and Scorpina ended up back to back, both sneering at the Rangers. The Putty Patrollers were gone, tossed into a heap that vanished. Jason rolled his neck a bit and glared at the two warriors.
“So what are you two doing down here? Just looking to kill some time?”
“Oh, in a way.” Scorpina smirked at them. “But really, we’re just killing time for you. So that Rita’s monster has a chance to finish off that worthless Tommi.”
“Zordon!” Jason went for his communicator right away. “Tommi’s in trouble, they’re going after her!”
Understood, Jason. Zordon’s calm voice soothed him, but Jason wanted to do more than that. He wanted to get there to her, to be certain she was all right personally. He glared over at Scorpina and Goldar.
“You’re going down.” He charged, all of the others going along with him. These two had to be dealt with first. Once they were finished, he’d go find Tommi.
In another part of the park, Tommi herself was having difficulties. She’d wanted to avoid it altogether, but to do so would have meant going way too much out of the way. Maybe I should have risked it. Two Putty Patrollers had her in their grip, and she was being dragged over towards a seven foot tall monster that appeared to be made out of daggers.
“So what are you supposed to be? Sharpy something?” Tommi glared at the creature, still yanking against the clay soldiers with all of her strength. These weren’t the usual Putties, which she had thrown around even before getting the Green Coin. She could move them, a little, but for the most part, they had her arms twisted around too much for her to be able to get away.
“I am the Dagger Duke!” The monster waved its hands, which resembled highly sharpened knives. “And Queen Rita wants you disposed of, former Green Ranger.”
“Sorry, I don’t do what she wants anymore.” Tommi brought one foot up and smashed it down as hard as she could on one of the Putties holding her. If their arms had been made stronger to hold her, then their feet hadn’t been, since it released her almost at once. She grabbed it by the wrist and slung it into the other one, getting her other arm free.
Dagger Duke was still coming closer to her, however, blades gleaming in the afternoon sun. “You will regret not having pleased her!”
“I think I’ve regretted a lot of things, but that’s not going to be one of them.” Tommi declared, moving around as quickly as she could to stay out of the range of those weapons. She’s not going to just let me go. I’ve got to be able to fight.
Fighting was going to be easy. Winning was what was going to be difficult.
Shrieks echoed suddenly, and Tommi’s gaze snapped behind Dagger Duke to see a couple of girls, probably three or four years younger than she was, being encircled by a group of Putties. They’d obviously wandered a little too close to the action, and the Putties didn’t care who they hurt, so long as they hurt someone.
She’d taken only a step or two closer when the monster got in her way again. “What do you think you’re doing?” he sneered, waving those sharp hands towards her. “You’re not a Power Ranger anymore, remember?”
No, she wasn’t. She’d given up the Coin. “Maybe not. But I don’t have to be.” She crouched for a moment, then leaped over Dagger Duke, somersaulting until she landed beside the girls and the Putties. “Why don’t you clay idiots take on someone who can fight back!?” she challenged, sparing only a quick glance for the girls. She jerked her head a bit, indicating for them to get out of there.
She didn’t watch long enough to see if they did, but plunged right into the fight. Whenever she got the chance, she threw one of the Putties towards Dagger Duke, keeping him as far back as possible. More and more Putties started to turn up; was Finster working overtime or something? The fight had begun with five, now there were seven…ten…fifteen…
Tommi was getting overwhelmed. She stumbled, her breath coming short as she fought for air she wasn’t getting, and a Putty, a little more clever than the rest, chose that moment to shove hard into her side, knocking her down. The rest piled on top of her, keeping her pinned down as the monster came closer.
“Time to finish this!” Dagger Duke raised up his blades, the Putties moving just enough so it would have a clear shot at her. Tommi stared up at him, moments when she’d had the Red Ranger at her mercy flickering through her mind.
He’s not going to stop. He’s going to kill me. She jerked and flailed in the Putties’ grip but to no avail. I don’t want to die! Had Jason thought the same thing? Would she have cared then? Yes and no. I want to stop this! I want to stop them! No one had the right to kill someone else over nothing. No one had the right to rule over other people the way that Rita did.
She had to be stopped. Like I was stopped. Her eyes narrowed, and she wanted, she wanted that Coin to be in her hands, she wanted it more than she wanted her own life, more than anything else.
Something cool dropped into her half-open hand. She didn’t question. She didn’t look. She just knew.
She gripped it tightly.
Dagger Duke’s blades came down swiftly.
“DragonZord!”
Her gloved hands wrenched away from the Putties holding her and blocked the monster. “Not today!” Green Ranger declared, shaking off the rest, her energy revived as the Power flowed through her, strong and clean and no longer tainted by Rita’s twisted spells. This was what a Power Ranger should be.
She launched into an attack without another second to spare, slamming into Dagger Duke as hard as she could. Her armor protected her from the blades now, and she pummeled with all of her strength, punching, kicking, blasting with her Blade Blaster, anything that would back the monster up.
“Hey!” Jason! She would recognize that voice anywhere. No time for reintroductions, though. She kept on fighting. “Who are you?”
“Right now? Wanting to get rid of this thing. Think we can manage this?” Tommi asked, grinning fiercely beneath the helmet. Her voice wasn’t distorted now; she wasn’t sure if they’d recognize it or not. They didn’t seem to.
Six Rangers against Dagger Duke were six too much, and after a flurry of blows of every type, the monster fell backwards.
“Let’s finish this!” Jason declared, gesturing with his Power Sword. Tommi watched as the Power Blaster was formed, then a sudden thought occurred. There was an empty slot at the top…could she…
Before they blasted it, she slammed her Dragon Dagger in that slot. “Now! Time for his Grace to make a graceful exit!”
“Fire!” Six voices resounded, and a blast of raw power tore through Dagger Duke, leaving him naught but a small pile of scraps.
Tommi relaxed, trembling just a bit from all the excitement. Jason turned towards her. “So…” He tilted his head some, looking at her. “Who are you?”
She grinned to herself. This was going to be interesting. Slowly she unsnapped her helmet and slid it off, shaking her hair out as she did. “It’s me.”
“Tommi!” Her name erupted from their lips in varying levels of disbelief. Jason stared most of all, then started to grin.
“There’s got to be a good story behind this,” eh said. Tommi started to nod, but before she’d scarcely begun the motion, a far too familiar blast of light came down, bathing Dagger Duke.
“There is, but first, we’re going to need to finish that thing once and for all.” This would be her real first time with the DragonZord. She could hardly wait to see what it could do.
Together, the six Power Rangers headed off into battle together for the very first time.
Congratulations, Power Rangers. Zordon’s proud gaze bent down on them all. And to you as well, Tommi Oliver, for your choice to protect this world against Rita Repulsa’s evil.
“Someone has to do it. And since I helped her, even though I was under a spell…it’s only right that I try to stop her, with all of you.” Tommi smiled a little, fingering the green communicator on her wrist. She was still a bit iffy about it all, but she was going to do her best, no matter what.
Jason placed a comforting arm on her shoulder and she smiled a bit at him. “There’s a whole lot that we should talk about, I think. If you’re not too busy tomorrow morning, maybe we could meet up for breakfast at Ernie’s, before school gets going?”
Tommi wet her lips a bit. It didn’t sound like a date, and he was right that they all needed to talk. “All right. I’ll see you there.”
“Great.” Jason’s grin widened and some of that ashen taste that had been in Tommi’s mouth and mind since that day on the beach faded away. “Can’t wait.”
Tommi nodded, glancing around at them all. She didn’t know them yet as well as she would like, but that would change in time. There was so much that lay ahead of her. Even if she’d known, she wouldn’t have been able to comprehend it all just then. One day at a time.
And more and more of those days would begin with breakfast at Ernie’s, with Jason, and with all the friends she was going to make because of her choice to become the Green Ranger.
The End