Power Rangers Crystal

[TreyX]

The following is a combination of multiple ideas I've had for Power Rangers over the years. Basically, this story is what I would produce if I had control of a season of the show. The whole storyline is already mapped out and will be posted as I finish them one at a time. This story also marks the return of one of the most disliked Rangers in history, but he's the perfect challenge for a writer to take. All comments and critiques are welcomed and I sincerely hope you enjoy my work.

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POWER RANGERS CRYSTAL
By. TreyX

CHAPTER ONE: A NEW DAWN
ANGEL GROVE NASADA SPACE PORT: MAY 1997
As the 30-second count down began, TJ Johnson tightened the straps that locked him into his chair. The spaceship’s converters fired up, sending a low vibration through the cockpit. For the first time all day, TJ was finally able to breath. They had made it. Though the coming dangers were great, now was a rare chance to rest before the next chapter of his life began. As the adrenalin rush faded, the cuts and wounds on TJ made themselves known. He looked forward to a long shower and washing off the dried blood on his chest. Unfortunately, his poor shirt was beyond saving. TJ looked to his right, confirming the arrival and safety of his friends and fellow Turbo Rangers: Cassie, Ashley, and Carlos were all seated and ready; as well as their robotic counterpart, Alpha 6. But where was Justin? He hadn’t arrived.

Ashley looked to TJ. “Where is he?” she asked. TJ’s heart began racing. This was no time to fool around. Justin had been at Mission Control, helping to set up this sudden flight, but if didn’t arrive soon, he would miss the ship and be stuck on Earth. “Come on,” he muttered, “Let’s go, Justin.” TJ hit the communication switch. “Justin, we’re missing someone.”

At Mission Control, Justin peered out the window at the starship that held his four closest friends. At the age of twelve, Justin was the youngest Power Ranger in history. But as his teammates prepared to rush into the depths of space to confront the looming evil, Justin could not make the same sacrifice. NASADA officials stood nearby as TJ’s words came across the speakers. Swallowing hard, Justin spoke into his headset. “He… he can’t go with you,” Justin quietly said, cautious of revealing his identity to those around him, “There’s reasons.”

TJ came back on the speaker. “Reasons?! What reasons?” Justin closed his eyes and thought hard of how to express his feelings. There was a pause before TJ’s voice returned. “Justin… tell him he has very good reasons. And that we’ll miss him.” Justin felt his eyes water, but he fought to hold them back. “He already knows,” Justin replied. As the countdown boomed overhead, Justin removed his headset. “I’ll miss you too.”


TEN YEARS LATER
The black warship of Dark Aver cruised past the sole moon of Earth. From his chamber, the feared Emperor gazed upon the blue planet in front of him. It astonished him how such a small world could have such an impact on the Universe. In this whole galaxy, only one planet sustained life. And from this world came the immeasurable abilities of the legendary Power Rangers. Dark Aver was impressed. “So,” he mused, “This is the planet that spawned the soldiers who dethroned Dark Specter.”

The shadows of the room seemed bright in comparison to Aver’s black skin. His long hair flowed behind him, elegant and proud. In the decade that had passed since Dark Specter’s death, a universe full of warlords had battled for power. It was Aver whom had stepped up and taken Specter’s former territory. After a fierce battle with a former Ranger, Aver had earned the title of “Dark Lord,” forever being christened “Dark Aver.” Yet, as universally feared as he was, Aver could not yet claim complete control of the universe. As long as the often-forgotten Earth was free, there would be a chance for more Rangers to emerge and defeat him, as his predecessor had been. But Aver had not gained his power through strength alone. He was most well known for his strategic maneuvering. Already, his plans were in motion. All chances of Earth resistance would soon topple and Dark Aver would have nothing more to fear. It was all so closely within his grasp. Soon, nothing would be able to stand in his way. Nothing.


* * *


SABLE CITY
Metallica blasted over the radio. In the apartment near the edge of town, the smell of rotting food reeked with little mercy. A militia of ants formally worked to scavenge the old plates of food on the floor. The sun shined in through the window, but did little more than spotlight particular messes. Behind the couch in the living room, the current resident of this trash pit began to stir. One would think that perhaps the mess could be explained by a full night of wild partying and out-of-control fun, but they would be wrong. Justin Stewart, apathetic college graduate, was not much for partying. These days, he wasn’t much for anything. And the only thing wild was his hair. Long and unkempt, Justin did little to improve his appearance on a daily basis.

Justin stumbled across the apartment to his bathroom where a cracked mirror allowed him to look over himself. If he cared about his look, he might have been disgusted at the sight. He felt his chin and eyed the growing facial hair which had been unattended to in at least two weeks. Justin had long ago lost his motivation for living. Not that he was suicidal or anything, but what motivation is there for living when your life peaked at age twelve?

The greatest possible accomplishment of Justin’s life had occurred and ended ten years ago. His job was done. So, he figured, what was the point of it all? Justin removed his shirt and prepared to shower. From behind him, a heavenly voice appeared, “It looks like you’ve seen better days, Mr. Stewart.” Justin turned around and was startled by the sudden appearance of a beautiful woman.

She looked to be in her late twenties and stood tall and proud. Her blond hair fell to her chest with both style and shine. Justin eyed her long legs and took note of her business attire. She was a woman of success. Who was she, Justin wondered. And what the hell was she doing here?

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she remarked. Justin smirked and looked around at his surroundings. “As you can see,” he noted, “I’m quite busy.” She smiled and nodded, “So I see. I must admit, I did expect former Ranger, like yourself, to be living a bit more sanitarily. Despite it all, I hope you will allow me a few moments of your time.” Justin leaned back against his sink and folded his arms. “Well, since you went through all the trouble of breaking and entering, I suppose I could hear you out,” he said, disguising his surprise in her knowledge of his former identity.

The woman smiled and offered Justin her hand. “My name is Cassandra Reynolds,” she revealed, “I’m the CEO of Rave Tech.” Justin nodded and shook her hand. “I know the place. You’re stationed here in the city.” Cassandra nodded, “I think I’m actually surprised that you know that.” Justin glared. “I may not be the neatest person in the world, but I’m not blind,” he remarked. Cassandra’s small smile remained unwavering as she nodded slightly and continued, “Then you must also know that we have dealings throughout the entire city. We work closely with the Mayor and Sable Academy in particular.” Justin looked at the imaginary watch on his arm. “If you have a point, Ms. Reynolds, please come to it quickly. It’s almost noon and I have some very important lounging to get to soon.”

Finally, Cassandra’s smile faded and she locked eyes with the surly man before her. “Mr. Stewart,” she hissed, “As amusing as your outdated angst is, I think it would be in your best interest to drop it for a moment and listen to what I have to say. I am trying to offer you what you’ve been searching years for.” Justin looked to her, slightly intrigued. “And what would that be?” he asked. Cassandra’s smile returned, “A reason to live.”


* * *


A mass of teenage students flooded the Academy courtyard once the lunch bell rang. After a long morning of lectures and work, a chance to sit and unwind was always appreciated. Allie Johnson sat at a table outside, wearing her designer sunglasses to block the bright September day. From her lunch bag, she removed a tray of fresh sushi that the maid had prepared earlier that day. Allie had expensive tastes. Everyone knew it. She was as proud of her upbringing as she was of her naturally blond hair. During football games, her golden locks seemed to set her apart from her fellow cheerleaders. She readjusted her shades and eyed her childhood friend, James Kennedy, while picking at her first California roll of the day.

James eyed the football soaring through the air at him and positioned his hands accordingly. He got it perfectly and stepped back to toss it back to his friends. With Fall tryouts coming in a few weeks, James was eager to finally make the team. After two years of rejection, he felt sure that this was his year. All his friends played and he was ready to join them. He looked over to the cafeteria tables and saw Allie watching him. She smiled and waved. James threw the football and motioned for a time-out.

Allie saw James jog up to her and he took a seat. “Hey,” he remarked, “What’s going on?” She shrugged, “Not much.” For a moment, they just sat and smiled at each other. The peacefulness was broken up when Allie’s friend, Natalie Nguyen, arrived. “Oh god, not again,” Natalie moaned, “You could cut the sexual tension here with a knife. Just do it already.” Allie turned beat red and James seemed to have a sudden fascination with the ground. Allie forced a weak laugh, “Real funny, Natalie.”

The three sat and continued their lunch. Together, they practically ruled the social regime of the school. Though the Academy only held a few hundred students, the small size only made it easier for a select group to control. James, Natalie, and Allie were three of about seven students whose names were known throughout the school.

As they ate and chatted about recent gossip, Natalie glanced up and frowned. “Oh no,” she muttered. Allie and James looked up to notice two students coming towards them. If Allie and her clique were the social elites of the school, these two students were the social rejects. Shawn Grayson and Rick Meyers covered themselves in reds and blacks, taking pride in their lack of popularity. While Shawn was quiet and more of a presence than a voice, Rick seemed to have studied Judd Nelson’s performance from “The Breakfast Club.” Shawn and Rick made their way through the courtyard towards the cafeteria.

Rick eyed Allie with a slick grin and made his way to her table. Allie tensed as she felt him approaching and tried to ignore it. James glared at Rick as he approached. “Keep walking, Meyers,” James spat. Rick shot James a smile and leaned on the table, facing Allie. “Hey, Barbie. How’s your food,” he mused, thick with fake kindness. Natalie sighed and glared. “Leave us alone, Rick,” she hissed. Rick glanced up at Natalie, but returned his sight to the uncomfortable Allie. “Must be awfully hard for you to be slumming it down here with us normal folks.”

Shawn watched from close by, folding his arms and sighing heavily. Finally, he spoke up. “Hey, Rick,” he said, “Cut it short today. I’m hungry.” Rick looked up to Shawn and reluctantly nodded. He quickly turned back to Allie and let his greasy black hair hang centimeters from her face. “Take care, Barbie. Don’t break a nail.” James’ fists clenched tightly. He would love to smear Rick’s face across the pavement, but he had promised the girls that he would let them deal with it.

Just as Rick proudly stood up to leave, the stern feminine presence of the Vice-Principle appeared. “Mr. Meyers, what are you doing?” she questioned. Rick stood tall and rolled his eyes. “Nothing, Miss Jacobs. I was just saying ’hi’. There’s no rule against that, is there?” Shawn flashed a half smile to his friend as the disagreeable VP looked over them. Finally she pointed to them all. “You five to the Principle’s office. Right now,” she declared. James and Allie’s jaws dropped as Natalie let out a gasp of disgust. Before any of them could argue, Miss Jacobs pointed away. “Now!!” she bellowed. With hesitation, the five students sadly walked off to the office.


* * *


Justin gazed out the tinted limousine window, reflecting over faded memories and old friends. Beside him, in the backseat, was Cassandra. She checked her cell for messages and then returned her attention to Justin. “Well, Mr. Stewart,” she said, “You clean up well.” Justin had showered before leaving. Though still unshaven, the clean clothes were indeed a sharp improvement for both sight and smell.

Justin ignored her. She smiled with amusement. “Lost the ability to speak?” she asked. Finally, he turned to her. “You still haven’t told me where we’re going. Or what you want with me,” he noted. Cassandra smiled and nodded. “I suppose I can begin explaining a few things.” She pulled out a folder from the seat pocket in front of her. “Are you aware of the Ranger project that took place in Mariner Bay a few years back?” she asked. Justin nodded, “At Lightspeed Rescue. Carter’s team. Good people.”

Cassandra pulled out a photo from the folder and handed it to Justin. It was a satellite photo of space. A large ship was the focus of the picture. “This photo was taken fifteen hours ago. By all definitions, it is a UFO. One we believe to be hostile,” Cassandra explained, “We’ve been informed of a new galactic terrorist name Dark Aver. It is believed that Earth is his next target.” Justin handed the photo back. “And you want the Lightspeed Rangers to look into it?” he asked. She shook her head, “When Lightspeed’s program was successful, some of the technology used was distributed to similar companies and projects. Rave Tech was one of the companies that acquired the technology. Since then, we’ve been creating our own Ranger devices. Morphers, Zords, weapons, the whole arsenal.”

Justin frowned, “You want me to be one of your Rangers? That’s what this is all about?” Cassandra opened her mouth to speak, but Justin’s hand came up and stopped her. “You’re wasting your time, Ms. Reynolds. I have no desire to be a Ranger again. Find someone else,” he said. Cassandra smiled and laughed to herself. “Mr. Stewart,” she remarked, “You misunderstand me. My employers have no desire to make you a Ranger. What we have in mind for you is far more important.”

TO BE CONTINUED...

[Dani]

Brilliant! I can't wait to see more! ^_^

[TreyX]

POWER RANGERS CRYSTAL
Theme Song: 1st verse of Linkin Park's "Breaking the Habit"

CHAPTER TWO: TRANSFORMATION
Outside the Principle’s office, the five students sat quietly. Rick picked at the hole in his jeans while Shawn sat peacefully with his eyes closed. Allie and Natalie were shaken up, having never been in this position before. James stayed calm, going over in his head what to say to the Principle. Allie leaned forward and turned to Rick and Shawn. “This is all your fault,” she spat, “We didn’t do anything.” Rick clutched his heart and pretended to cry, “I know! I just feel so distraught!” Allie rolled her eyes in disgust and sat back up against the wall.

From the hallway, a student passed by and glanced into the waiting room. He stopped and stepped into the doorway. “James, what happened?” he asked. James looked up to see his friend, Chris. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders, “Long story. I’ll explain later.” Chris nodded and looked over the five students. He waved to Allie and Natalie before continuing on his way.

The Principle’s door opened and a middle-aged, gray haired man stepped out. Principle Jordan looked over the five students. He motioned them to enter his office, “Okay. Let’s go.” The girls stood up and immediately tried to talk their way out of the situation. Principle Jordan raised his hands, hushing them. “Easy. Easy. We’ll get into it in a moment.” Defeated, the girls entered the office. Shawn and Rick entered without a word, followed by James.

* * *

On Dark Aver’s star cruiser, the warlord sat on his throne, contemplating the coming events. His fingers traced the edge of his wine glass. One of his alien officers stepped up. “My lord,” it said, “We are hovering above the planet’s atmosphere.” Aver nodded, “Good. Wait for our agent’s signal. Then, send our selected soldier to the ground.” The officer nodded and walked away. Aver took a sip from his glass and savored the taste. The waiting, the preparations… after all this time, it was all coming together.

* * *

Inside the Office, were five chairs facing Jordan’s desk. Rick looked around and noticed several men and women in suits hanging near the wall. He had visited this office more than a few times over the years and had never seen anyone else in it. He turned to Shawn who shook his head, motioning to ignore the new people and wait it out. They took their seats and Principle Jordan slowly took his. He eyed the five students carefully and placed a pair of reading glasses on as he sorted through various papers and files on his desk.

Natalie spoke up, “Principle Jordan, we didn’t do anything. We were just eating our lunch when Rick started harassing us.” Rick rolled his eyes, “Oh, please.” Jordan shushed them. “You five weren’t called here because of that. It was just a coincidence that you all were in the midst of yet another scuffle,” he explained. Shawn tilted his head and observed the situation carefully. It was a rare moment when he wasn’t fully aware of the situation at hand, and that both bothered and intrigued him.

Principle Jordan looked over their student files briefly. “You all have been attending Sable Academy for almost four years now, right?” he noted; more as a statement than a question. They all nodded. “In this time,” he continued, “you five have all been involved in a variety of activities, both legal and otherwise.” Jordan eyed Rick as he emphasized the last word. The principle eyed the five students. “Can anyone here tell me the purpose of Sable Academy?” he asked. After a pause, Allie quietly spoke up. “To prepare us for college and life as best as possible?” she asked, unsure of herself. Jordan smiled and nodded, “A good try. I’m sure you all remember the extensive testing you had to go through before being accepted here. As you know, Sable Academy is a private school with very strict guidelines for membership.” The five students dreadfully remembered the amount of testing they had gone through when applying. Jordan continued, “Now, I’m sure you’ve wondered why we would be so strict about the students we take in, and yet, we allow someone like Mr. Meyers, here, to attend.” Rick glared, but could not deny the logic of the question.

Principle Jordan sat back in his chair. “It is because we look for more than just academic smarts here. The purpose of this school is far more special than we’ve ever revealed. It is a testing ground, allowing us to observe the students and determine the best candidates for our ultimate goal.” Jordan suddenly sat up tall in his chair and eyed the students very seriously. “Before I continue,” he said, “I must have your word that whether you accept and reject our offer, what I am about to explain to you must never leave this room. Do you understand?” The five students were all deeply interested into where this was going and nodded in agreement.

Jordan looked them all in the eyes and a small smile came across his face. “Have you ever heard of Power Rangers?” he asked. Rick turned to Shawn in confusion. Shawn’s eyes glanced to Rick, and back to the Principle.

Jordan stood from his desk. “Sable City has always been weary of attack. This Academy was built to train and select a group of students that could step up and become Power Rangers, protecting the city from all threats.” There was silence as the students absorbed the information. James let out a small laugh, unable to restrain his baffled amazement.

The men and women in suits approached the five and handed them files. As they looked over the information, Jordan continued, “Our intelligence has revealed that the city will be attacked by an alien force in two hours. You five have been chosen to be activated as Power Rangers and confront this force.” James was the first to speak up. “Are you crazy?” he asked, “We don’t have the training to handle something like this.” Jordan shook his head, “On the contrary. You each have a variety of abilities, ranging from mental and physical capacities which make you the best candidates for the job.”

Shawn spoke up, “Assuming that’s all true, I think you need to rethink your combination of people. You can’t expect the five of us to actually work together successfully.” Rick listened to Shawn and nodded, “Uh, yeah. What he said. Expect with smaller words and more cursing.” Jordan stepped away from his desk and walked over to a woman who held a metal case. “It is true that the five of you are less than perfect as a team. Hopefully, in combat, you’ll learn how well you five can mesh together,” he noted.

Natalie stood from her chair. “Uh uh. This is too much. I can’t fight anything. I’m out.” Principle Jordan nodded, “I understand, Miss Nguyen. You are free to go. However, I should note that on the more selfish side of things, Rangers would be so busy with training, that petty things such as homework and class attendance would be often removed from their schedules.” That stopped Natalie in her track as the thought swirled in her head. “Really,” she asked, “Maybe trying it one time wouldn’t hurt.” She took her seat again.

Principle Jordan placed the metal case on his desk, “We’ve improved on the technology we were given and with a bit of help from Rave Tech, we’ve constructed what we believe to be the most powerful morphers ever designed.” Jordan opened the case, revealing five slender, shining devices. One at a time, Jordan handed them out to the five students. “These are your crystal morphers,” he explained, “There is a voice code on them, making you the only ones who can activate them. When in danger, hold them up and call out “Ranger Crystallize” before pressing the activation button which will morph you into Crystal Power Rangers.”

The five students examined the morphers and found that there were wristbands that allowed them to wear the devices. Principle Jordan gave them a moment to let the new information sink in before continuing on, “In time, you’ll be given a larger arsenal to use in battle. You will not be left alone when fighting either. The radio comlinks in your helmets are connected with our Command Station, which will monitor your activities and guide you along the way. However, we cannot lead you. It is up to your team leader, the designated Red Ranger, to keep you all together.” James looked up, “So, then, who’s the Red Ranger?” Allie touched his knee, “I think you’re the obvious choice, James.” The principle shook his head. “Actually, Allison, the Red Ranger of your team is Shawn.” Shawn’s head snapped up. “Me?” he asked. “Him?!” Natalie remarked in shock.

Principle Jordan walked over to Shawn. “You’re a natural leader, Shawn. You just need to learn to speak up. Over the years, you’ve proven yourself to be creative; quick on your feet. You can relate to people. You know how to speak to different personalities and get your point across,” the principle explained. Shawn shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I don’t know about this,” he said. Jordan placed his hand on Shawn’s shoulder. “Trust in yourself, lad,” he softly said, “And you will discover your strength.” Reluctantly, Shawn nodded.

The principle motioned towards the door. “If you’ll all exit the office, our representatives will lead you to the vehicles outside. They’ll take you to the drop zone, where the enemy is expected to arrive.” The five students hesitated. Noticing this, the principle glanced over them. “If you have any reservations,” he announced, “Now is the time to back out.” Shawn and James were the first to stand and accept the offer. Rick shrugged his shoulders. “Screw it,” he said as he got to his feet. The girls looked to one another and finally stood. The principle nodded, “Good luck.”

* * *

Justin eyed Cassandra carefully. She hadn’t elaborated anymore on her proposal, since telling him that he wasn’t expected to be a Ranger. She sat quietly, patiently waiting with her legs crossed. Justin looked through the folder that lay between them. After all these years, the best technology on Earth still paled in comparison to the devices he once used in the Power Chamber. “Funny,” he thought, “Ten years later and still a hundred behind.”

The limousine slowed to a stop and the driver’s voice came through an intercom. “Miss Reynolds, we’ve arrived,” the driver announced. Cassandra smiled politely. “Thank you, John,” she remarked. Turning to Justin she motioned for him to step out. “Shall we?” she asked. Justin frowned and stepped out of the car.

It had been a few years since he had been in this area of the city, but Justin recognized it perfectly. Downtown. This time of day, it was filled with men and women, walking to and from work, talking on cell phones, or eating meals at the expensive outdoor restaurants. Justin turned around, surveying the whole area. “What are we doing here?” he asked. Cassandra glanced up to the building rooftops and she pulled out her phone. “We’re going up,” she remarked. Justin turned and looked up to the building she had glanced at. It was only two stories high and had a fire escape ladder on the side. Justin put his hands in his pocket and wondered what could happen next. “You certainly know how to show a guy a good time,” he mused. Looking over, he noticed that she wasn’t listening. Cassandra was on her phone. He listened in, catching only the end. “We’ve arrived,” she explained before hanging up. Justin nodded at the phone, “What was that?” Cassandra placed the phone back in her purse. “My employer likes to be kept up to date,” she explained as they walked to the fire escape.

* * *

The five students sat quietly in the jeep as they were driven to an unknown destination. Each dealt with the recent revelations on their own, having plenty of questions and fears that they kept to themselves. Allie spoke up first, “Are we really about to fight some sort of space monsters?” James shrugged his shoulders, “I guess.” Natalie rubbed her arms. “The only fighting I’ve ever done is with my brothers,” she moaned. Rick frowned, “I don’t think this’ll be much different. Just because something’s alien doesn’t mean it’s stronger than us. Just stay focused. Barrel in when you see an opening and don’t let up.” For some reason, Rick’s confidence gave Natalie a feeling of security. She smiled at him. “Thanks,” she said softly. Rick looked at her and, seeming to realize how uncharacteristic his remark was, glared. “Whatever,” he scowled.

Allie looked over everyone. “Has any of us ever been trained to fight?” Shawn and James raised their hands. They seemed surprised to have something in common. James nodded to Shawn, who understood the unspoken question. “Judo. Black belt,” Shawn said, “With some Tai Kwan Do and wrestling. You?” James tilted his head, “Karate. Second degree. A little boxing.” They nodded to each other in respect.

The jeep came to a screeching halt, jerking the students around in the back. The gruff driver turned back to them, “This is it.” Shawn nodded and turned to the others. “Uh,” he stated, trying to fit into his leadership role, “Let’s, uh, let’s go.” The five stepped out of the jeep and looked around. Rick frowned, “Where are we?” The girls recognized it right away. “Downtown,” they both stated together. Shawn glanced around at his surroundings and noticed a shopping mall several blocks away. “Figures,” he muttered. James turned back to the driver, full of questions, but before he could ask them, the jeep pulled away and drove off. Allie threw her hands up into the air, “Great. Now what?” As if to answer her question, a large explosion shook the city street. Smoke and fire marked the presence of chaos not three blocks away. James stepped up, “Let’s go! People could be hurt.”

James and the girls began heading for the scene at a quick place. Shawn started to follow before he was pulled back by Rick. “Are you sure about this, man?” he asked. Shawn turned to his old friend. “People are going to die unless we do something, bro.” Rick frowned, “We may die if we do anything. I’m no hero.” Shawn made sure to look Rick in the eyes. “You’re a good person, Rick,” Shawn stated, “You may be a bit of a dick at times, but I’ve known you long enough to know the real you. This is happening really fast, but a huge responsibility has been dumped on our shoulders. Let’s prove to everyone that we’re not as worthless as they think we are.” Rick thought this over and slowly nodded. The two rushed to catch up with the others.

* * *

From the restaurant rooftop, Justin surveyed the damage. A block away, he spotted the shadowy presence of an alien monster. Cassandra stood next to Justin, carefully observing his reactions to the scene. He turned to her. “You knew this was going to happen,” he stated. She nodded, “Of course.” Justin eyed the bodies of several people who had been caught in the explosion. A flood of panicked people ran from the area, screaming and crying.
“Why didn’t you try to stop it?”
“It’s being taken care of, Mr. Stewart.”
Justin eyed Cassandra and then returned his sight to the scene of destruction. Coming down the street were five kids. He left out a sigh of frustration. It was like watching a memory from outside your own body. What Justin saw was a scene he had participated in many times. An evil monster threatened peace and humanity until five unidentified teenagers rushed in to save the day. Cassandra smiled at the sight of the five teens making their way through the crowd. Justin folded his arms. “So,” he said, “Those are the new Power Rangers.”

* * *

Once they were free of the crowd, the five teenagers stood a distance from the carnage, looking over the ruined buildings and rivers of smoke that flowed into the sky. Allie looked over the scattered bodies on the ground and felt her stomach crawl into her throat. From out of the cloak of fire, a monstrous creature stepped into sight. Scaly like a reptile, the monster stood like a man, eyeing the five kids with its beady eyes. Protruding from each shoulder was a sort of bio weapon that seemed to be the cause of the explosions. Each hand projected three clawed fingers. It was the type of sight often seen and mocked in comic books, but when faced in real life, brought a feeling of terror and wonder.

To the teenagers’ surprise, the monster spoke. “So,” it hissed with its beaked-shape mouth, “You must be the five I’ve been expecting.” They turned to each other and wondered how the creature had known of them. Shawn shook it off and stepped forward. “You’ve done enough damage for one day,” he shouted out, “Leave this city now. We won’t ask again.”

* * *

From the nearby rooftop, Justin rolled his eyes. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered. He turned to Cassandra, “You can’t really expect these kids to save the city. Please tell me you didn’t put something as powerful as a morpher in their hands.” Cassandra smiled, without looking to Justin. “Says the boy who was a Ranger at age twelve,” she quipped. Justin frowned and went back to watching the scene.

* * *

Shawn stood waiting for a response. The monster seemed to ponder this offer before stepping back. “Prove your authority,” it hissed. Sparks of light filled the street and became black suited soldiers. “Dark Soldiers,” the monster growled, “Attack!” The soldiers rushed for the five teens who scrambled into their first battle.

The chaos that followed was a blur for all involved. Rick rushed into the fight, tackling two soldiers at once and pounding them heavily. Shawn bellowed various suggestions. “Allie! Natalie! You two have the least amount of training. Stay together!” he shouted. James rushed to the girls’ side. “I’ll take care of them,” he said. Shawn was nailed in the cut and knocked to the ground. He recovered quickly and jumped back to his feet, kicking away several soldiers. He turned to James, “No! James, clear a path to the creature! We have to go after him. These drones are just distractions.” With twenty soldiers to defeat, the five teenagers did what they could, slowly making headway.

Rick grabbed one of the soldiers and slammed it against a nearby car door. And with that, the last of the twenty were battered and defeated. The same spark of light that had brought them to the ground, took them away and the soldiers disappeared. The monster watched and laughed. “You fight well,” it growled, “But you will be no match for me.”

The five regrouped and stood together. Shawn smiled. He wasn’t sure if he was suppose to be enjoying this or not, but he had to admit he was. Glancing over to Rick, it seemed like he had thrived on the good fight. Shawn looked back to the monster, “I hate to break it to you, but we’ve got a little trick up our sleeves,” The five all held out their arms, displaying their morpher. “Ready?” asked Shawn. “Ready!” the four shouted. In a quick motion, the five brought their morpher close to their faces. In unison they called out, “Rangers! Crystallize!!” With a press of a button, the five teenagers were covered in a bright light.

It was an amazing sensation that was difficult to describe. They suddenly felt covered in a warm light. A sense of peace and confidence filled them all. The warmth of the light seemed to wrap tightly around their bodies, silently promising to protect them from harm. Reality faded back into sight and the five were now clad in skintight armor. They were Power Rangers.

TO BE CONTINUED...

[TreyX]

CHAPTER THREE: MY LIFE, MY CURSE
Each Ranger was clad in a different color. All their boots, gloves, and belts were white. In the middle of their chest was a crystal symbol. The symbol’s side corners marked where the upper chest and shoulders were also white.

Almost by instinct, they dropped into a pose. Shawn stood center. “Red Crystal Ranger!” he shouted. Rick stepped up next, “Black Crystal Ranger!” James followed, “Blue Crystal Ranger!” Allie proudly stood tall, “Pink Crystal Ranger!” And finally, Natalie joined her team, “Yellow Crystal Ranger!”

The monster would have smiled if his beak allowed such movement. The bio weapons on his shoulders began charging themselves. The new Rangers took a moment to look over themselves. Lost in their own astonishment, they forgot the situation at hand. Rick flexed his biceps. “I’ve never felt such strength,” he remarked. James threw several punches. “We’re a lot faster, too!” he observed. As they looked over themselves, the monster fired an energy blast from his bio weapons. The blast hit the ground in front of the Rangers. The explosion knocked the five warriors off their feet.

Shawn scrambled to his feet and regained his focus. He noticed a black gun in a holster on his belt. He pulled it out and aimed at the monster. Pulling the trigger, he braced himself for any possible kick back, but was surprised to feel none. However, a shot of energy exploded from the tip of the gun, zipping down the street at the monster. The shot hit and the monster stumbled back. Shawn glanced to the others. “Are you all okay?” he asked. The rumble of a few groans were heard before the others confirmed their safety. James came up to Shawn’s side, “We have to find this things weakness.” Shawn nodded.

Rick stood tall and cracked his knuckles. “To hell with plans. Let’s just beat him to death,” he snarled. Rick broke out into a run and rushed the monster. He landed a hard blow in the monster’s chest and followed it with a barrage of attacks which forced the monster backwards. After a few seconds, the monster grabbed Rick’s fist in mid-punch and slashed the Black Ranger with his claws. Rick was thrown to the ground, feeling the sharp cuts that had nearly torn through his armor. Shawn rushed to his side and pulled him to safety. Shawn looked him over, “Are you okay?” Rick took a few breaths. “All right,” he finally got out, “I’m ready to listen to any plans.”

* * *

Justin rolled his eyes and turned to Cassandra. “This is a joke,” he stated. Cassandra raised her eyebrows to him, interested. Justin pointed to the five Rangers on the streets below. “The kids are pathetic. Why not just hand the city over to Dark Aver?” he scowled. Cassandra nodded, “What they need is someone to guide them.” Justin shrugged off the suggestion, “That’s what the Red Ranger’s for.” The elegant woman shook her head, “I don’t mean a leader. I mean a mentor.” Justin opened his mouth to continue his rant when her words finally made sense to him. He laughed and looked up to the sky in disbelief. “Oh my... you have got to kidding me.” Cassandra placed her hands behind her, “I rarely joke, Mr. Stewart.” Justin looked at the kids below. “This is what you dragged me out here for?” he asked, “This is what this is all about? You want me to mentor these kids? Train them?” Cassandra slowly nodded.

Justin run a hand through his hair and shook his head, laughing at the situation. He started walking towards the ladder. “You’ve got the wrong veteran, Ms. Reynolds,” he said, “Look up Tommy.” Cassandra turned to him. “If we had wanted Dr. Oliver, we would have gone to him,” she shouted so he could hear, “We came to you for a reason.” Justin stopped and faced her as she approached him. He rolled his eyes. “This should be good,” he muttered.

Cassandra stood tall, facing Justin, “This is what you’ve been waiting for. This is an opportunity to be someone important again. You’ve been a waste of life ever since the Turbo Rangers disbanded. I am offering you a chance to make a difference again. You can help protect the Earth by protecting this new generation of Rangers. Who better to train these kids than a person who’s been there before.” Justin stepped back, angrily. “Look, I appreciate the thought, but this is not a good idea. Don’t you understand? Look at what I’ve become? You’re dead on when you called me a waste of life. There’s more to that than not being a Ranger anymore. It shows the type of person I am. I don’t deserve the power. It was a fluke accident that I got it in the first place. A right place, right time situation. Even before I was a Ranger, I wallowed in self-pity. It was the people around me that kept me going. I will not go play teacher to some kids and pretend to be a hero.”

Cassandra stepped up to Justin and looked him in the eye. “If you can see all that about yourself,” she remarked, “Then, you can change your life. I told you that I had an offer for you and I do. And what I’m offering you is much more than a job.” Justin glared at her, “Then, what?” Cassandra smiled, “I’m offering you redemption.” Justin closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. Sounds off battle filled the air as the two stood there quietly. Justin opened his eyes and walked back to the edge of the roof where the fight could be seen from. Cassandra kept quiet, merely watching what would happen.

Justin felt a breeze of wind pass by him as he prepared himself. He flicked his left arm and in a blue flash, his old Turbo morpher appeared on his wrist. In his right hand, the ignition key sparked into existence. Justin thrust the morpher arm into the air. “Shift into Turbo!” he bellowed. Cassandra had seen video archives of Justin morphing as a child. Now, his voice was full of bass and strength that she had not expected. Justin locked the key into the morpher and turned it, activating the morphing process. He flexed his arms, shouting, “Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!!” A blue light consumed Justin’s body as he was transformed into the Blue Turbo Ranger.

In a flash, Justin leapt from the roof to the ground bellow. He landed in between the Crystal Rangers and the monster. Since his one time battle alongside the Space Rangers, Justin had only morphed twice. Once during Astronema’s invasion of Earth and once two years back during a drunken brawl outside a club. It felt good to be in uniform again. The power always had a danger of being addictive. It was one of the reasons that Rangers had to be carefully chosen by Zordon.

The five Crystal Rangers starred at the Blue Turbo Ranger in disbelief. To say the least, their afternoon had been filled with one surprise after another. This was just the latest. The monster was startled by the sudden appearance of a sixth Ranger. “Who are you?” the monster hissed. Justin stepped forward. “A fool,” he said before rushing the monster. Using his enhanced reflexes, Justin dashed behind the monster and grabbed him in a full nelson. “Shoot him!” Justin shouted to the young Rangers. The five grabbed the guns from their holsters and aimed at the monster who struggled with all his might.

The monster had been warned of being confronted by a squad of young Rangers, but it had not anticipated facing someone who knew how to use the power. The five Crystal Rangers fired at the creature and nailed him in the chest. The force knocked the monster off his feet, allowing Justin to use the momentum to twist and slam it into the ground, face first.

Justin flipped the monster onto his back and pulled out his Turbo blaster. He pushed the nozzle of the gun against the wounded chest of the creature. The monster shook off its daze in time to see and feel the gun pressed against him. “Wait!” it hissed, “Don’t! What do you want? I can deliver a message to Dark Aver for you.” Justin nodded, “Yeah. I’ve got a message.” He pulled the trigger and the shot splattered the chest of the monster across the street. Justin put his blaster away and stood over the dead monster. “Think he’ll understand it?” he asked the corpse.

Justin turned to the Crystal Rangers who watched in shock. Justin walked up to them. He pointed to the Red Ranger. “What’s your name,” he asked. The Red Ranger pointed to himself, “Me? Uh, Shawn.” Justin nodded, “Great. Stand up straight. And speak with confidence. You’re the leader. Act like it.” Shawn nodded, “Uh, yes sir.”

Rick stepped up, “Who the hell are you?” Justin turned to the Black Ranger and looked him over. “So, you’re the rebel without a cause, eh? That’s great. Just make sure to do your part.” With great difficulty, Rick resisted the urge to punch Justin in the face.

Justin placed his hands on his hips and addressed the group, “My name is Justin Stewart. I’m a former Ranger who’s been alerted to your recent activation. Basically, I’ve been asked to shape you kids into a real team with a fighting chance against this Dark Aver character.” With that, Justin crossed his arms and powered down. In a flash of blue, his Ranger gear disappeared and he stood before the group as merely Justin. “Don’t expect to see me morphed again,” he announced, “I’m not a Ranger anymore and this is your war. I won’t fight it for you. Consider the monster today a freebie. I’ll be here to help you all along the way, though.”

The five nodded and each began powering down. Justin sniffed and surveyed the damaged streets. He stretched and looked to the five uneasy teenagers. “So,” he said, “Who’s hungry?” As they all discussed places to eat and discuss the day’s adventure, Justin looked up to the rooftop, but saw no sign of Cassandra Reynolds. Justin assumed that she had exited shortly after he morphed. “No matter,” he thought, “She’s the CEO of Rave Tech. I’m sure I’ll see plenty more of her before this war’s over.”

* * *

Cassandra reapplied her makeup in the back of her limousine. The events of the day had gone well. She had been worried for a moment when Justin seemed ready to walk away, but with some quick thinking she had been able to convince him to help the new Rangers. “Well, that’s why they pay me the big money,” she thought to herself. She crossed her legs and pulled out her cell phone. Punching her speed dial, she waited for her employer to pick up. He did.

“Mission accomplished, my lord,” she stated. “Good,” came the voice of Dark Aver from the receiver, “You have done well, Cassandra.” The woman smiled with pride, “I live to serve, master.” The warlord laughed in delight. “The pieces are now in place. Soon, this world will be mine. And the legacy of the Power Rangers will be forever destroyed.” Cassandra smiled. She could hardly wait.

END OF STORY ONE
TO BE CONTINUED...

[TreyX]

New chapter up. This one deals mostly with group dynamics and slowly developing the lead characters.
POWER RANGERS CRYSTAL
Cast
Justin Stewart - Team Mentor
Shawn Grayson - Red Ranger
Rick Meyers - Black Ranger
James Kennedy - Blue Ranger
Allie Johnson - Pink Ranger
Natalie Nguyen - Yellow Ranger
Cassandra Reynolds - CEO of Rave Tech; designer of new Ranger technology
Dark Aver - intergalactic warlord; successor to Dark Spector
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER 4: TRAINING EXERCISE
Stepping out of the shower, Justin dried himself with the towel at hand and looked himself over in the mirror. Deep in the Command Station, located underneath the school, Justin was finally able to clean himself up. He was clean shaven and had cut his hair down to a much shorter length. Looking over himself, he had to admit that the change was certainly for the better.

It had been two weeks since Dark Aver’s first strike against the city. Since then, Justin had met with the Sable City officials to announce his intentions of training the new Rangers. It took a few days, but after Rave Tech confirmed their belief in his abilities, the city accepted Justin with open arms. The idea of a veteran Ranger teaching the new kids was certainly a luxury that the officials recognized.

Justin looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and sighed. He may have looked better, but he certainly didn’t feel any different. Justin understood his role in this game. He could train the kids and even make it look like he knew what he was doing, but deep down Justin knew in his heart that he was unworthy. As soon as his job was done, he would go back to his apartment and wait for an end to his miserable existence.

Justin splashed water on his face and stepped out into the training gym of the Station. It was large and quite obvious that the city had spared no expense. The kids had already arrived. Taking a seat, Justin decided to sit back and observe them for awhile. Every Ranger team had a different dynamic. To understand that dynamic and discover the role of each person in the team, would allow him to better guide these teenagers in their new duty.

Across the room, Allie attempted a set on the bench press machine while Shawn spotted her. Pushing herself hard, she strained to push the weight up one more time. Focusing her will, she just barely accomplished her goal. Shawn grabbed hold of the weight and placed it back on the stand. Laying still, Allie took a drink of water. She was breathing heavy and looked spent. Shawn stood over her. “I’ve got to admit,” he mused, “I’m impressed.” Allie laughed to herself and sat up. “Gyms and I go way back. You think cheerleading lacks athletics?” she asked. Shawn smiled and shook his head. “It’s not the athletics I think it lacks. It’s the intelligence,” he remarked. Allie rolled her eyes and used a nearby towel to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She was use to being stereotyped for her cheerleading. It use to rile her up, but she had long since calmed down and accepted that people would always make judgments without learning the facts. Allie frowned and looked across the room to Rick. Perhaps she was guilty of judging him in the same way.

Rick sat on the bleachers and lit a cigarette. Inhaling deeply, he surveyed the room. Still unsure about this whole ordeal, Rick had decided to ride it out as long as possible. His time in class had been greatly reduced in order to squeeze in training, so he was quite happy to play hero for now. James walked out of the locker room and looked up to Rick, frowning immediately. “Hey,” James called out, “If you’re trying to get in shape, maybe you should drop the smoking.” Rick breathed out a whiff of smoke and forced a smile. “I’ll make you a deal,” Rick said, “When you quit being a pussy, I’ll quit smoking.” James shot him the bird and stormed off.

Justin lowered his head and rubbed his eyes. This was not going to be easy. He thought about calling several former Rangers for advice, but the no-disclosure papers Justin had signed forbid it. The company was strict about keeping their projects and information in house. Finally, Justin stood up and approached the center of the room. Whistling loudly, he called the teens to his side. He looked over them. Shawn, Rick, James, and Allie were all present. Justin frowned, “Where’s Natalie?” The teens looked amongst themselves and shrugged. Justin sighed. This job just kept getting better. “I wonder if Zordon ever had this problem,” he muttered to himself.

Regaining his focus, Justin began the day’s training. “You did well in your debut battle. Throughout the fight, you showed that each one of you has potential to be a strong asset to the team. You kept your heads in a stressful situation and found a way to overcome. However, you all are far from perfect. There was no strong teamwork. Shawn’s commands as Red Ranger were constantly questioned and, sometimes, outright ignored. The girls were a constant liability in battle and without my assistance, I doubt the fight would have ended in victory,” he explained. Justin watched their reactions to his words. Allie was embarrassed by his comment on the girls. Rick’s eyes had glazed over, marking his boredom. Shawn and James stood stone faced, listening to every word. As he was about to continue, the door swung open and Natalie sauntered in, dressed up in her usual fashion. She removed her sunglasses and walked up to the group, daintily holding a cup of coffee. “Sorry I’m late,” she explained, “The line to Starbucks was just out the door. You know how it is.” Justin glared and looked her over. “What we’re doing here is just a bit more important than you coffee, Ms. Nguyen,” Justin stated. Natalie let out a sigh of annoyance. “Sor-ry,” he moaned. Justin looked at the floor for a moment. Then, in a sudden movement, he grabbed the coffee from Natalie’s hand and threw it across the room. It splattered against the wall. The whole group froze and tensed up. Rick burst out laughing, unable to hold back his delight. Justin’s head swung around to face Rick. “Shut up!!!” he snapped at the teen. A flash of anger flickered across Rick’s face, but he quieted.

Justin turned away from the group, trying to regain his composure. When he turned back to them, the five kids were looking over him with a mix of fear and confusion on their faces. “I don’t think you understand the position that you’re in,” Justin said, “This isn’t a game and it’s more than an excuse to cut class. There is a man above our heads that wants to destroy everything you’ve ever held dear. The fate of billions rest on your shoulders. Everyone you love. Everyone you hate. The people you ignore on the street. They’re all depending on you to do your best. But none of you are taking this seriously. You’re still concerned about your own personal feuds or maintaining your accustomed lifestyle. You’re quickly coming to a time when your lives will depend on each other. You will be hurt. You will bleed. And you will be expected to go on without question. I can help you survive this war. But you have to take it seriously or you’ve lost already. Think about it.”

Finished, Justin relaxed a bit. “Does anyone have any questions?” Allie raised her hand. Justin nodded to her. “What’s your story? Can you tell us anything about your days as a Power Ranger?” she asked. The whole group turned their attention to Justin, waiting on his answer. “No,” Justin replied, flatly. With that, he turned and exited the room, leaving them all to ponder his advice and question where their new mentor had come from.

Natalie took a seat a sighed. “That guy is such a jerk,” he scowled. Allie shrugged her shoulders, “He means well. But he is intense. I wonder where he came from.” James walked up to her and threw his arm about her shoulder. “We’ll find out sooner or later,” he said, sweetly eyeing the blond. Shawn folded his arms and looked back to where Justin had been. “He’s right, though. We’re really going to have to pull it together if we’re to have a chance against Dark Aver,” he stated. Allie smiled at Shawn. He was a far better person that she had initially assumed. She looked over to Rick who was picking his ears. Her opinion on him still hadn’t changed. She understood that his strength and ability in a fight had gotten him onto the team, but she questioned his character. Could he really turn out to be a valuable asset to the team? For all their sakes, she hoped so.

* * *

Cassandra Reynolds sat at her desk, high up in her office on the 30th floor of Rave Tech’s home office. It wasn’t even two in the afternoon and she had already had a full day. Being CEO of the company had increased her work by ten fold. There just weren’t enough hours in the day for everything she needed to get done.

Cassandra picked up her phone and hit speed dial. “John, I’m still waiting on the new specs,” she stated. He replied and she let out a sigh. “We have got to get these Zords up and running by the end of the week. I don’t care what it takes.” On the other line, John pleaded with her. Issues such as time and money came up. It was all things that Cassandra had heard before, and it hadn’t impressed her then either. “Let me put this in a way you can understand,” she chimed, “Finish the combination alterations by Friday, or I’ll kill you daughter.” Cassandra hung up the phone and sat back in her chair. She wondered if you could make good on her threat if it came to that. Could she? Would she? She smiled. Friday would be an interesting day.

There was a knock on the door. “I don’t have time for this! Come in!”” she growled in frustration. The door opened and Justin stepped into the office. “Busy?” he asked. Cassandra smiled and shook her head. “No! Not at all. How did you find me, Mr. Stewart?” she wondered with renewed spirit. “You said you were CEO of Rave Tech. There’s not many other places you could be on a weekday,” he noted, looking out at the city from her window. Cassandra threw her hands up in the air, playfully. “Guilty as charged. What can I do for you?” she asked. Justin turned to face her. “I assume it’s your company that’s creating all the new technology for the Crystal Rangers. I was wondering how far along you are,” he explained. Cassandra tilted her head, “Pretty far. The advance weaponry is ready when they are. Even the new Zords are up and running. We’re just working on the Megazord sequence at this point.”

Justin nodded, “You work fast.” Cassandra pushed her chair back and stood up. “You noticed. That’s why they pay me the big bucks,” she cooed. As she sat on her desk, Justin couldn’t help but note her short skirt. Cassandra eyed him with the look of a woman on the prowl. “The hair’s a big improvement from the last time, Mr. Stewart.” she noted. Justin flashed a half smile, “Enough with the ‘mister’. Call me Justin.” Cassandra nodded, “Whatever works for you.” Justin went back to looking out the window. “I’m sure there’s plenty more you can tell me. As the man training these kids, I’d like to know as much as possible. Would you care to discuss your projects in more detail. Say, over dinner?” he asked casually. Cassandra stood up. “I get off at 8... So to speak.” she said with a smile. Justin masked a smile and nodded, “I’ll pick you up in the lobby.” With that, they said their farewells and Justin left the office. Cassandra returned to her seat and pondered the affair. The idea of using Justin for her own enjoyment before destroying his whole world was quite enticing to her. “The game continues to unfold,” she mused before returning to work.

TO BE CONTINUED...

[BatRanger]

This is a great story. I wasn't the biggest fan of Justin, but this story makes him a complete bad ass. I look forward to more of it

[Faqa]

It is a mark of the lack of justice in the world that this story gets less reviews than shitty script fics or Power-wanking crap.

Well done. Justin , too.

[TreyX]

This is a great story. I wasn't the biggest fan of Justin, but this story makes him a complete bad ass. I look forward to more of it
It is a mark of the lack of justice in the world that this story gets less reviews than shitty script fics or Power-wanking crap.
Brilliant! I can't wait to see more! ^_^

Thank you all for the kind words. It is appreciated. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I hope that, as the story unfolds, you'll continued to be entertained.

As for Justin, I'm not a fan of his in the Turbo series, but the question of what happened to him has the potential to be a great story. I hope that people will enjoy the take I have on him.

[TreyX]

CHAPTER FIVE: THE NIGHT LIFE
Allie unlocked the front door and stepped into her home. “Sorry if it’s a bit of a mess. Rosa doesn’t come until Saturday,” she said to James who followed her in. Allie took off her shoes and called out to her parents, announcing her return. James shifted in place, nervously. He hated visiting with Allie’s parents. They were nice people, but James so desperately wanted to make a good impression. An elegant woman stepped into the room, cheerfully greeting her daughter. Mrs. Johnson turned to James after hugging her daughter. “My, James, it’s so good to see you again,” she said. James nodded, “Thank you, ma’am. You too.” Allie glanced to her mother, “We’re going to go study, mom.” The two teenagers headed to the dining room. Allie rolled her eyes, “Sorry about that. My mom can be such a pain.” James shook his head, “No, she’s great.” They sat down and spread their books out. After a long day of training in the Command Station, studying would actually be an enjoyable change of pace.

* * *

Rick kicked open the door and sauntered in. It had started raining several blocks ago, so the young teenager was soaking wet. Rick dropped his books on the floor and headed for his room. From out of the living room came an angry man in a wife beater. “Hey, where the hell have you been?” Rick’s dad asked. “School,” replied Rick coldly. His father spat to the ground, “Don’t feed me that crap. You were out with those loser friends of yours again, weren’t you? Shape up, boy.” Rick spun around to face his dad. “Get out my face, dad. You don’t know me!” he shouted. Rick’s dad slapped him across the face. “You think you’re tough kid? Huh?” asked Mr. Meyers. He slapped Rick down again. “Who’s tough now, Ricky? Eh? Come on, tough guy,” he shouted at the teenager, “You need to shape up and get your act together. They’re gonna throw you out of that school. Then, you’ll be a bum. You wanna be a bum?” Rick stood up, eyes filled with tears of rage. He turned away and walked off. “At least I made it to high school!” Rick shouted as he slammed the door to his room. Rick sat against the wall in his room and took deep breaths, lightly touching the large red mark on his face. Down the hall, he could still hear his father yelling at him, “Don’t you walk away from me. You ain’t nothing, kid. You hear me? You’re nothing!!!”

* * *

Deep in space, Dark Aver’s warship hovered above the Earth’s atmosphere. The warlord, himself, sat on his throne, patiently analyzing his plans for conquest. It had been several weeks since his initial attack on the city. As expected, it had drawn out a new team of Power Rangers. They were young and inexperienced. With time, that would change. And that’s exactly what Aver would give them. Time. Soon, he would have the opponents he needed. Only then, would his plan be able to succeed.

Aver’s commander walked into view. He was a lowly creature who, like most, cowered in the presence of Aver. Never the less, he was a brilliant strategist when it came to piloting starships. “Forgive my intrusion, master,” the commander said with a bow. Dark Aver nodded, “What is it you have for me, Commander?” The officer stood tall, “Everything is in place for phase 3.” Dark Aver smiled, “Excellent. The word is given. Send another soldier down.” The commander bowed again and exited the room, “Right away.” Dark Aver pondered a thought for a moment and called the commander back. “Bring me a glass of Eltar Wine, circa 27,184 GC,” Aver remarked. When the officer had left, the warlord waved his hand in the air, initiating a music program. The songs of Mozart came into earshot and Dark Aver leaned back in his throne, savoring the beauty. “It is truly a privilege to enjoy the finer things in life,” he mused with a smile.

* * *

The Sable City Power Plant could be heard humming at night. The amount of power it produced on a daily basis was amazing. With a full moon lighting the night sky, two security guards roamed the Plant’s grounds. They never had any real problems to worry about. There would be the occasional teenager, trying to vandalize the walls in protest, but that was the worst it ever got. By all rights, it was a simple job that allowed the two guards to breath easy and enjoy the quiet life.

As they made another walk around the fenced area, they looked up into the sky, noticing what appeared to be a shooting star. However, it seemed to be heading straight for them. As it got closer, the guards rushed to get out of the way. Just in time, the removed themselves from the area. The shooting star crashed into the ground they had just been standing on. A large, glowing crater was left behind. After a few moments, the guards regained their nerve and tip-toed towards the crater edge, wondering what they would find. As they finally reached the edge, a tentacle shot up and grabbed one of the guards. The next minute was full of confusion. The other guard attempted to shoot the tentacle, but missed. Another tentacle reached out and grabbed the remaining guard. They shouted for aid, but were soon crushed by the vice-like grip of the mysterious creature. They howled in agony as their spines were snapped in two and they soon lay motionless. The creature dropped their bodies to the ground and pulled itself out of the crater. It was nothing more than a giant eyeball with tentacles to crawl on. The creature crawled towards the plant, intent on completing it’s mission.

* * *

Cassandra and Justin burst into laughter. More than a little tipsy, Cassandra continued with her story, “… so, there I am. Completely unaware that I’m mooning the whole crowd. And Lacy pokes me on stage and whispers, ‘Nice buns’.” The two burst into laughter again. It wasn’t really that funny a story, but after a great evening, the two were just having a blast with one another. Sitting in the most expensive restaurant in town, the two were able to relax and enjoy themselves. Justin took another bite of his steak and savored the taste. It had been more than a few years since he had tasted such high quality food. Cassandra took another sip of white wine and smiled at the man across the table. “So, what about you? Do you have any embarrassing childhood stories?” she asked. Justin smiled and nodded his head, “Plenty. And if you ever hear any of them, I’ll have to kill you. They die with me.” She overdramatically pouted, “That’s no fun.” Justin shrugged, “Them’s the breaks.”

Cassandra emptied the remains of the wine bottle into her glass and waved to the waiter for more. “You were the youngest Power Ranger in history. I have to wonder what that was like,” Cassandra remarked. Justin frowned, “Not much to tell. I got to work with some of the greatest heroes the world has ever seen. I did my time and knew when to walk away. I went to High School, college, and that was about it.” Cassandra put her arms on the table and looked at Justin intently. “Must have been hard to detach from that type of experience,” she mused. Justin looked down at his plate and then away from the table. “I was fine,” he said distantly.

The sound of an explosion echoed throughout the city, followed closely by a shockwave. The restaurant shook and the sound of glass breaking rang into the air. Cassandra and Justin looked to the direction the explosion had come from. Justin looked out a window, squinting to see the source. “What’s out there?” he asked. Cassandra had already pulled out her phone and dialed Rave Tech. “The Power Plant,” she replied swiftly. Justin backed away from the window and looked to his date. “I think I better go call the Rangers,” he stated before rushing out of the building.

* * *

James had finished studying with Allie about an hour ago. He had been driving with his friend, Chris, when the explosion caused them to pull over. Chris stood on top of the truck and did his best to see what had happened. James looked up to him. “See anything?” he asked. Chris shook his head, “Nothing. But it looks like there’s smoke coming from the Power Plant.” James squinted, “That’s not good.” Chris shrugged his shoulders. “Probably just an isolated accident. They’ve got to have tons of security around that place for this type of thing,” Chris pondered. He looked down to James who had received a phone call. James nodded and confirmed that he would soon be there. When he hung up, Chris hopped off of the truck. “What was that?” he asked. James shook his head, “Nothing big. Look, I’ve got to run and take care of something. Why don’t you drive home. I’ll pick up the truck in the morning.” Chris frowned, “Are you sure?” James nodded, “Yeah. You go on. I’ll see you later.” Chris waved goodbye as James broke off into a sprint, running down the road to an unknown location. Chris tilted his head, “That was odd.”

* * *

Within ten minutes, the five teenagers had arrived at the designated spot. Justin was waiting for them. “What’s the deal?” Allie asked. Justin pointed to the Power Plant. “We’ve got another situation that requires your attention,” he explained. Rick smiled and cracked his knuckles, “Good. I’m in the mood to hurt something.” Natalie looked at him with disgust, “Neanderthal.” Shawn rolled his eyes, “Oh goody. You learned a new word.” It was late at night and tempers were beginning to flare. “Hey!!!” shouted Justin, “Pull it together. It’s time for you five to shape up and work like a team. The Power Plant is a volatile location for a fight. The danger of radiation is everywhere, so watch out for each other. Your costumes should protect you, but make sure they don’t get torn open. I’ll be at the Command Station, listening over the radio. Good luck.” The five pulled themselves together and nodded. Justin sighed. “Time to see if any of this training is working,” he muttered.

TO BE CONTINUED...

[TreyX]

CHAPTER SIX: SEQUENCE INITIATED
With that, the five teenagers broke into a sprint towards the Plant, three blocks away. Natalie, the most out of shape, was the first to start griping. “Y’know, I heard that other Ranger teams got things like bikes and cars and robots. Why are we the ones who have to run everywhere?” she moaned. No one answered. The run became an unspoken competition between James and Shawn. They raced hard, eager to outdo the other.

* * *

The five arrived at the Power Plant and walked over the steel mesh fence that had been knocked down during the explosion. The Plant itself was in shambles. There were small fires everywhere and the main building was missing a wall. Shawn did his best to imitate Justin’s tough attitude. “Okay, guys,” he started, “Let’s get to work.” In a quick motion, the five brought their morpher close to their faces. United, they cried out, “Rangers! Crystallize!!” Hitting the center button, the morphers were activated and the five teenagers were transformed into the Crystal Power Rangers. James flexed in his blue armor. “A man could get use to this,” he remarked. Shawn stepped forward, “Keep your eyes open. There’s a monster down here somewhere. We stand a better chance of finding it if we split up. James, go with the girls and check the perimeter. Rick and I will venture into the buildings, themselves.” The four other Rangers nodded and quickly split up. With that, they went their separate ways.

Shawn and Rick walked towards the smoldering building in front of them. Rick kept his fists tightly closed as they continued onward, ready for anything. Slowly, they entered the area and began searching various rooms for evidence of a new monster. Rick walked past a mirror and stopped. He couldn’t help but look over himself for a moment. In his Black Ranger gear, Rick thought he looked pretty good. He smiled to himself, “If you could only see me now, dad.”

Shawn walked into a room and squinted, trying to see into the darkness. The electricity was out, making the search that much slower. “I could really use a flashlight,” the Red Ranger muttered to himself. From inside his helmet, he received a response. “You’ve got voice activated night vision. Just call for it,” Justin answered. Shawn had forgotten that Justin was listening. Shawn cleared his throat. “Night Vision,” he stated clearly. His visor shifted colors and suddenly, he could see perfectly. “Wow!” Shawn gasped, “What else have you guys put into these suits?” He heard Justin chuckle. “All in good time,” was his response.

After a few minutes of searching, Shawn and Rick regrouped in what was left of the lobby. “Any luck,” Rick asked. Shawn shook his head. “Maybe it’s gone,” suggested Rick. With that, the light sound of squishing was heard. The two Rangers turned to face a dark hallway. The sound grew louder and before long, the giant eyeball stepped into view. The sight startled the two before they moved into attack position. Before they could act, the pupil of the eyeball began glowing brightly. A thick laser beam blazed from the eye, straight at the Rangers. The blast knocked both of them backwards, crashing into the wall, which felt apart around them.

* * *

Outside, the other three Rangers walked the grounds. Besides putting out a few fires, they had not come across anything of interest. Natalie yawned, “Well, this is a big waste of time.” Allie ignored her and tried to keep up with James’ pace. She was still thinking of Justin’s comment about the girls being liabilities last time. The Pink Ranger was determined to step up her game. Allie promised herself that she would learn to stand without the boys’ help.

James looked up ahead and noticed two lumps on the ground. “Over there!” he stated before rushing towards the objects. Allie and Natalie followed. They came up to the crater. It was empty now. James knelt down at the two bodies that lay on the ground nearby. Allie peered into the crater and then looked up into the night sky. “Whatever it is, it must have been sent directly from Dark Aver’s ship,” she theorized. James closed the wide eyes of the corpses and stood back up. “We should report this to the others,” he said. The girls nodded.

As they turned back to head for the buildings, multiple flashes of light appeared in the area and a squad of Dark Soldiers materialized. James immediately fell into defense mode and stood back to back with the girls. “Great,” the Blue Ranger spat, “Just what we need.” The Dark Soldiers rushed them and the Rangers rushed into battle. James rushed into the thickest group of soldiers and started throwing wild punches. He was determined to thin the numbers quickly, and it worked, for the most part.

Allie and Natalie stayed together, doing their best to combat the Soldiers. Allie attempted to use her recent combat training, but she was too slow and unsure of herself. Natalie had already pulled out her blaster and was firing at the Soldiers coming at her. Allie swiftly followed suit and before long, they had defeated most of their enemies.

James was grabbed from behind and thrown against a large rock. A Soldier rushed him and attempted to stab the Blue Ranger in the chest. James’ threw his hand out and grabbed the Soldier’s arm, halting it’s downward motion. The two fighters battled in a test of strength for a moment before James dropped backwards, using the Soldier’s own strength against him. James flipped the Soldier onto his back and proceeded to punch him in the face. With the last of the Soldiers defeated, the three Rangers regrouped and doubled back to the building Shawn and Rick had entered.

* * *

Rick, buried under rubble, pushed with all his might to free himself. After a little effort, he was finally able to free himself. He looked around the room. The creature had fled. Next to him, Shawn was working to free himself. Rick leaned over and began helping the Red Ranger to remove the wood and metal. Once they were both safe, they sat for a moment and allowed themselves a breath.

Shawn looked over to Rick. “You okay? Anything broken?” he asked. Rick shook his head, “Naw. I’m fine.” With that, they stood up and stretched. “We better find the others. That monster couldn’t have gotten far,” Shawn said. Rick nodded and they headed outside. They had only taken a few steps when they ran into the other three Rangers. James looked them over, “You guys look terrible.” Natalie smirked under her helmet, “Nothing new there.” It was true that Shawn and Rick’s armor was covered in dust. Never the less, this was no time to worry about appearances. The Red Ranger brushed off some dirt on his shoulders. “We saw the creature,” he noted. Allie placed her hands on her hips and looked around. “Where did it go?” she asked. Shawn shrugged his shoulders and the group looked for a possible path the monster could have taken.

Natalie pointed out to the distance. “Look!” she shouted. The others turned to see the creature moving away from the Plant. Allie squinted, “Okay. First: eww. Second: It’s holding something in one of its tentacles.” The Rangers strained to identify the object which appeared to glow green. “Plutonium,” James muttered, “That freak stole some plutonium.” Shawn placed his hand on the side of his helmet. “Did you guys hear that?” he asked. Justin’s voice came in response, “Yes. Stop him at all cost. We don’t want to find out what he wants with it.” The Rangers broke into a run and raced after the creature, desperate to halt it.

As they rushed for the monster, they were horrified to realize that they were too late. The creature came to a stop and paused for a moment before a bright light lifted it into the air. It raised up into the sky. The Crystal Rangers reached the spot and looked upwards, but all they could make out with a starry night. “Damn it!” Rick spat in frustration. Suddenly, a low hum was heard above. They looked up just in time to see a slew of lights flash on. A giant metal object was overhead and coming down fast. “Scatter!!!” shouted Shawn and the five dove out of the way.

The object landed with a thunderous crash. It was ten stories high and a block long. Armored from front to back, its weapons were proudly displayed on all sides. It rolled on treads and began making its way towards the heart of the city. The Rangers watched with amazement, having never seen anything like it before. With a feeling of hopelessness, Natalie spoke what the others were thinking. “Now what?”

* * *

In the Command Station, dozens of people scattered around the main room, shouting and scrambling for information. Justin stared at the monitor, eyeing the metal monstrosity that was heading for downtown. Principle Jordan stepped up to his side. Justin turned to him. “What is that think?” he asked. Jordan pulled out a file folder and handed it to him. “We only have a few details that we’ve gotten from… out of town sources. Its a war tank. Dark Aver’s been known to use them for ground assaults. Its likely the creature that attacked the Plant is piloting it.” Justin thought about this and let out a sigh. “It used the plutonium to power the tank,” he moaned, putting it together. Composing himself, Justin turned back to Jordan, “Get Rave Tech on the phone. We need the Zords. Now.”

* * *

From the desk in her office, Cassandra juggled multiple phone lines, trying to settle various things at once. “How far along are they, John? Its not a hard question,” she scowled over the speaker phone. A nervous employee replied with little confidence. “Huh. The individual aspects seem to be, uh, working fine,” John tried to explain, “And we just finished activating the combination sequence into the programming, but the energy cells are not fully developed. We don’t know how long it will stay activated in the field.” Cassandra listened and ran through a couple of scenarios in her head. “Send them out immediately,” she ordered. John gulped, “But ma’am, I’m not so sure that’s a…” Cassandra slammed her fist on the table. “Do it NOW!!!” she roared. Disconnecting the call, she stood from her desk and looked out the window. In the distance, she could see the War Tank moving forward. The CEO was quite interested to see how this battle would end up.

* * *

The Crystal Rangers stood in position, awaiting further orders. Everyone was quiet and worried about the city. Even Rick. After what seemed like forever, Justin finally came back on over the radio. “Rangers, can you hear me?” he asked. Shawn acknowledged and the team waited for the word. “We’re about to give you kids another piece of weaponry,” Justin explained, “Your zords are on the way. Five different vehicles. One for each of you. When you arrive, jump towards your specific zord. The system should lock onto you and pull you directly into the cockpit. From there, I’ll direct you further.”

The Rangers waited in anticipation and before long, five large vehicles made their way from the Industrial section of town. Each were color coded and relatively similar in design. A tank, a truck, two cars, and a jeep. The stood at two stories high and were the size of a house. The initial sight was breathtaking. Allie looked up at her car zord and smiled to herself. “Now I know where all my tax dollars go,” she joked. When they got close enough, the five jumped towards their zords and were, as told, pulled into them.

Shawn sat in his seat and took a moment to look over the whole system. It was full of buttons and switches that he knew nothing about. There was one wide monitor in front of him and a flight stick in front of him, similar to those used by fighter pilots. Justin contacted Shawn. “Place your hand on the panel on the panel in front of you. Once you’re online, use the controls in front of you to move the Zord. We’ll be monitoring your progress from the Station,” Justin explained. Shawn looked at the system in front of him and saw a large scanning panel to the right of him. He placed his hand on it and the panel glowed. Multiple lights turned on in the cockpit and his monitor was activated. As the other Rangers logged in, small screens of them appeared on the side of Shawn’s monitor, allowing him to see his teammates clearly.

Once the five Zords were up and running, Shawn tested the communication link. “Rangers, sound off,” he ordered.
“Black Ranger activated.”
“Blue Ranger ready.”
“Pink Ranger ready.”
“Uh, Yellow Ranger here.”
Shawn looked over his controls and tried to get accustomed to them quickly. He would not have time to do so when the battle started up. Luckily, the Zords were able to move at a much quicker speed than the War Tank. Within minutes, the Crystal Rangers would catch up with the Tank and the battle would begin. As they got closer, Shawn realized that most of the switches and buttons had been labeled by the engineers. However, there was a large lever which was unmarked. Shawn wondered what it was for, but decided that was a question for later.

Rick and James were the first to reach the Tank. Shawn saw their approach and the assault began. “Fire when ready, guys,” Shawn shouted. The Black Jeep and Blue Truck fired various projectiles. The explosions upon impact produced a cloud of smoke that concealed the War Tank from sight. The girls sped up and blazed into the smoke, eager to continue the assault.

The War Tank continued onward, ignoring the Zords’ attacks. As it moved forward, a building in it’s path was destroyed. “Try to minimize damage to the city,” Justin called out from the radio. Shawn plowed forward and locked on to the tank with his targeting system. Pulling the trigger, he fired multiple plasma bursts into the back of the War Tank, with little effect. Shawn sighed, letting his mind race for new ideas. “This isn’t working,” he finally admitted, “It’s too big.”

Over the radio link, Shawn could hear voices talking in the background. Finally, Justin came back. “Okay. We’re going to try something. The five Zords need to be near each other. When you get into position, pull the lever to your left side,” he ordered. Quickly, the five vehicles regrouped. With great anticipation, they each pulled the levers in their cockpits and waited to see what would happen. There was a series of beeps before a robotic voice came on overhead. “Megazord Sequence has been initiated,” it stated.

From inside, Allie could feel the Zord shaking. Things were moving around, but she couldn’t tell what was happening. From the outside, it could be seen that the Zords were changing shape, shifting and reforming. The cars’ backsides flipped up to form feet and legs. Shawn’s tank zord lifted into the air and the reformed cars locked into place. The blue and black zords also rose into the air and formed arms. Together, the five Zords had united to form the Crystal Megazord.

Shawn felt his cockpit rising higher and as the head of the Megazord emerged, Shawn finally came up through the floor into a wide room. He stepped out of his chair and stood on a platform. Behind him were five control systems. It occurred to him that the wide screens in front of him were the eyes of the Zord. The eyes glowed and the Megazord hummed to life. “Megazord activated,” called out the robotic voice. Justin’s voice came through the Red Ranger helmet. “Shawn,” he started, “The Megazord is locked into Mimic Mode. Sensors will view your movements and the Megazord will copy them.” Shawn rolled his eyes, “Oh, great. So its all on me?”

Shawn ran in place and soon felt the Megazord move forward. The giant robot rushed towards the War Tank. Shawn reached out grabbed the Tank in his hands. He planted his feet and tried to stop its movements. Lifting his right hand, he curled it into a fist and swung hard. The Megazord pounded on the Tank.

Suddenly, Justin shouted into Shawn’s ears. “Stop!! Stop!!!” he cried. Shawn froze, “What? What did I do?” Justin came back swiftly, “That thing is powered by plutonium. Its nuclear! If you hit the wrong thing, you could take out the whole city.” Shawn felt his heart start beating faster. “Well, then what do I do?” he whined. “We’re working on it,” Justin said, “Just keep it from moving.” The Megazord continued to hold onto the Tank.

Shawn looked around, feeling immensely helpless. “Rangers,” he said, “Got any ideas?” Allie thought hard, watching from her cockpit in the left foot. “I’m thinking, but I’ve got nothing,” she admitted. Shawn’s eyes darted all over the Tank, trying to guess where the plutonium power core would be on it. As he analyzed the machine, he noticed a window near the center. “The cockpit,” he whispered. If he could take out the pilot, they would be free. But the window was on the other side of the machine. Shawn only needed one hand to hold onto the Tank, but to reach the window he would have to let go. The Red Ranger felt himself sweating inside his helmet as he weighed his options. Then, an idea struck him.

Shawn held out free hand. Holding his fingers together and flat, the Megazord followed suit. Shawn leaned back and then, with all his might, plunged his hand straight forward. When the Megazord mimicked the move, the Zord’s fingers tore through the back of the Tank and out the other side, destroying the cockpit from behind.

James, who was inside the right arm, felt like he was about to have a heart attack. As his zord remained inside the Tank, he could hear and feel small internal explosions of the Tank as it shut down. Over the radio, the sounds of celebration and excitement were heard from his fellow Rangers. They had faced a giant threat, saved the city, and done it on their own. Breathing a sigh of relief, the Blue Ranger sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. “That’s one way to spend a night,” he murmured.

TO BE CONTINUED...

[TreyX]

New chapter is up. After last chapter's zord battle, this episode deals with the civilian lives and thoughts of the Rangers. Its called character development. Sue me. To those reading this not-so-lil' fic of mine, thank you for your interest and I hope you enjoy the coming chapters. Suggestions and critiques are always welcome. Otherwise, kick back and enjoy the new chapter.

POWER RANGERS CRYSTAL
Cast
Justin Stewart - Team Mentor
Shawn Grayson - Red Ranger
Rick Meyers - Black Ranger
James Kennedy - Blue Ranger
Allie Johnson - Pink Ranger
Natalie Nguyen - Yellow Ranger
Cassandra Reynolds - CEO of Rave Tech; designer of new Ranger technology
Dark Aver - intergalactic warlord; successor to Dark Spector
-------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER SEVEN: A DAY IN THE LIFE
The alarm clicked on, beginning a barrage of noise. Awaking from her slumber, Allie stretched and let out a yawn. Heading straight for the bathroom, she proceeded to shower and prepare for a day at school. After the recent battle with the War Tank, the Command Station was busy trying to research the remains of the Tank. In the mean time, the five Crystal Rangers would resume their normal lives, which Allie was thrilled to do. She had found herself really enjoying the challenge of being a Power Ranger, but she missed running around with her friends and cheerleading.

When she was all cleaned up and had a small breakfast in her, she grabbed her backpack and headed off for school. Living only four blocks from school, Allie had the option of walking to school every day and she liked it. As she approached the courtyard of Sable Academy, she recognized her group of friends in their usual spot, waiting for the morning bell to ring.

Allie waved and walked up to them. “Hey,” she said cheerfully. She could see that Natalie was already there. Casey, the most vocal of the group was the first to smile back. “Allie, honey,” she chimed, “Where have you been?” Allie shrugged, “Here and there. Natalie and I have been busy on a new project.” Casey smirked with a pseudo smile, “At least Natalie takes the time to remember her friends.” The remark threw Allie off her balance for a moment. She remembered all the times that Natalie had been late for training. It occurred to Allie that she had been making time to stay in the social circle. If she hadn’t been so surprised by the revelation, Allie would have applauded Natalie right there and then.

However, Allie didn’t make it to the top of the social circle by being completely sweet all the time. Putting on her best “queen bee” face, Allie looked over Casey with distain. “Maybe I’d be around more often too, if you were worth hanging out with,” Allie sneered with a smile of her own. The other girls watching ate up the verbal confrontation, eager to spread the gossip of it throughout the coming day. Casey rolled her eyes, “Whatever.” With that, the conflict faded and the girls went about tearing into everyone who passed by. Yet, somehow, Allie just wasn’t as into it as she use to be.

The bell rang and the flock of students waiting outside entered the Academy. Casey turned to Allie. “Oh, and by the way, I’m having a party this Friday. Why don’t you come and bring James,” she mentioned. Allie nodded, reluctantly, “Okay. I, uh, think I’ll be free.” Walking down the hall with her friends, Allie noticed Shawn passing by. He glanced over and noticed her. “Hey, Allie!” he shouted. She stopped as he came up to her. They leaned into each other. “I’m suppose to tell you that you’re scheduled for simulation training Thursday morning,” he whispered. She nodded, “Thanks.” Casey watched carefully and smiled. “So, that’s where you’ve been,” she mused. Shawn prepared to walk away when he noticed Natalie as well. He waved, “Hey, Nat.” She threw him a look of disgust. “Loser,” she spat. Shawn looked a little confused. “Okay,” he said before turning around and walking off to class. Allie sighed. Being a Ranger was great, but the effects it had on her personal life were beginning to take its toll.

* * *

Deep in the underground gym of the Command Station, James and Rick continued their individual training regimes that Justin had assigned to them earlier that week. While Rick worked on free weights, James continued to jog laps around the facility. They had been in the same room for two hours and not a single word had been spoken between them.

When he was finished, James took a seat and grabbed a bottle of water. Exhausted and breathing heavily, he watched Rick work out. Working his triceps, Rick’s form was flawless. He had obviously spent some time training in the past. James thought about the team and how they needed to pull together. “Well,” James muttered, “Here goes nothing.” Standing up, he walked over to the weight area and took a seat near Rick.

“What’s going on?” James asked. Rick glanced over to him and then turned away again. “Nothing,” he finally replied. Rick looked to the wall. “This is going well,” he thought. Rick finished his last set and took a seat to rest. “You did great out in the field the other week,” James mentioned, desperately looking for any topic. Finally, Rick turned to him. “What are you doing?” he asked. James looked confused. “We’re not friends. Why are you talking to me?” Rick questioned. James’ first instinct was to walk away, but he forced himself to stay seated. “Look,” James started, “We’re suppose to work together. We have to trust each other. Shouldn’t we at least try to get along. At least on a professional level?” Rick shrugged, “I dunno. I guess.” James smiled. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

The two sat quietly for a moment. “So,” Rick said, “What’s the story with you and Barb… uh, Allie.” James smiled and looked at his shoes, “Nothing. We’re just friends.” Rick stood up and grabbed a towel to wipe off his sweat. “But you wish you were more, right?” he asked. James shifted in place and titled his head, “Yeah. She’s great. Really nice. Really pretty. She just... I… I just can’t seem to ask her out. I get too nervous and then I bail. Pretty lame, right?” Rick nodded, “Yeah, but it happens. She’s just a girl. Ask her. What’s the worst that could happen?” James thought about it. “I will. Thanks.” he said. Rick looked him over and frowned, “Well, don’t get all girly on me, Romeo.” With that, Rick walked out of the room. James watched him leave and shook his head. “I just can’t figure that guy out,” he said.

* * *

Isolated in her office, high up in the looming headquarters of Rave Tech, Cassandra Reynolds continued examining and filling a pile of paper work. The battle between the Megazord and the War Tank had caused a great deal of damage to city property. Property that Rave Tech would have to pay to repair. Not to mention repairing the damage done to the Zords as well. All in all, Cassandra could see the annual budget plummeting fast.

Weary and in need of sleep, Cassandra rubbed her eyes and tried to continue focusing on the computer monitor before her. As she cross-referenced data, she was interrupted by a knock on her door. “Come in,” she said, eager for any interruption. An office boy entered, timidly. In his hands was a long, narrow box wrapped with a bow. “I apologize for the interruption Ms. Reynolds, but this just came for you,” the boy meekly explained. Intrigued, Cassandra motioned for him to place the box on her desk. When he did, she took it in hand and looked for a card. There was none. “It was just here when I came in,” the boy spoke, “I don’t know who brought it in. If you want I… uh… could…” The boy trailed off as he noticed she wasn’t listening. Without a word, he excused himself and left her to her thoughts.

Unwrapping the bow, Cassandra opened the box and was startled to see a long stem rose inside. A small white card was also included. She picked it up and looked it over. It was short and to the point: “Had fun the other night. See you soon. -J” Amused, Cassandra held the rose to her nose and breathed in. He was getting attached. And, much to her bitterness, she wasn’t sure she couldn’t say the same.

* * *

The lunch bell rang, and like a herd of cattle, the student body of Sable Academy moved outside to eat. Out near the shade, Allie noticed her friends sitting together at a table. She started to make her way over to them when she noticed James and Chris throwing the football around. Allie waved. “Hey James,” she greeted with a smile. James, ball in hand, noticed her and seemed to tense up. “Ok,” he thought to himself, “Just go over there and ask her. Will you go out with me? That’s all. That’s easy. Six words. Will you go out with me? Piece of cake.”

As Allie continued on her way, James walked to her side. “Uh, hey, Allie,” he stuttered. She turned to him, noticing that he seemed a little off today. “What’s up?” she asked. James shifted in place and seemed to look at everything but her. He shrugged, “Uh, nothing much. Uh, you know. Just hanging with Chris.” Allie nodded and pointed to the ball, “Tossing the football?” James nodded, “Uh, yeah. Footballs rule.” Allie nodded, unsure of how to respond. There was a moment of awkward silence before she finally motioned to her friends. “Well, I’m going to go eat,” she said. James nodded, “Cool. I’ll, uh, see you at training.” Allie smiled and waved goodbye, “Have a great day.” James waved goodbye until she was away. Frustratingly, he smacked himself in the head. “Footballs rule?” he moaned, “Smooth.”

Coming up to her friends, Allie took a seat and started unpacking her lunch. Casey leaned in to her, “So, what’s the scoop with you and James? Is something finally going to happen?” Allie gave her a bewildered look, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Natalie rolled her eyes, “Please, Allie. You didn’t even try to hide your crush back in middle school.” Giving a shrug, Allie frowned, “Yeah, but that was then. I accepted that he just doesn’t feel that way about me. It’s cool. Life moves on.”

Casey looked over Allie carefully. “And what exactly have you moved on to?” she asked. Allie gave her a confused look. “What do you mean?” she asked. With a grin, Casey looked up, “I guess we’re about to find out.” Allie turned around and saw Shawn coming up with Rick by his side. Rick nodded, “What up, Barbie… uh… Allie?” Allie looked around her, bewildered that he was actually speaking to her. “Uh, nothing,” she finally replied. Shawn pointed to an area off to the side of the school, “Rick and I are going to kick back over near the gym for a bit. When you’re finished eating, do you or Natalie want to come?” Acting as if she had been slapped in the face, Natalie gasped in disgust. “Uh, no,” she spat, “Freaks.” Allie looked to all her friends who starred her down. Swallowing hard, she turned back to the boys and shook her head regrettably, “Sorry.”

Rick rolled his eyes and turned away. “Whatever,” he muttered. Shawn kept looking at Allie for another moment before turning away. “It’s cool,” he said with a forced smile. They walked away and Allie felt immensely dirty. Less than a month ago, she would have loved to see both of them get run down by a monster truck. Now, she understood them better.

Allie watched them leave, which did not go unnoticed by Casey. “Well, well,” she mused, “Little miss princess has decided to throw away her chances with James to go swim with the rats of the school.” Allie turned to her, “What?” Casey smiled proudly, “Don’t worry, hon. If its losers you want, I’m sure we can dig you up a nice little band geek. You’d look so cute together.” Allie looked to Natalie for support, but she was obviously torn between her loyalties to her friend and maintaining her own image. Having had enough, Allie finally stood up, “Hey, you can cut the crap right now. How dare you try and tell me who I can and can’t hang out with. They may not be the coolest guys on Earth, but at least they tried to be nice to me, which is more than I can say for me so-called friends.” With that, Allie gathered her things and walked off. With every step, she felt her heart pondering. But, considering she had just committed social suicide, she actually felt pretty good. With that, she made her way over to gym.

* * *

Rick and Shawn leaned against the wall of the gym, enjoying the sun’s warmth. “I told you they wouldn’t go for it,” Rick stated. Shawn frowned, “It was worth a shot.” As they relaxed, one of their own friends stepped up. “Hey, I saw you two talking to those prep chicks up there. What the hell? Are you two going soft?” he demanded. Rick raised his hand up to the boy, “Shut up.” The boy scurried off and the two returned to enjoying their lunch period.

Much to their mutual surprise, Allie stepped up to them. “Room for one more?” she asked. Rick looked her up and down, like he was staring at a ghost. Shawn smiled and nodded at the spot next to him. “Be our guest,” he replied. As she leaned against the wall, she thought over the situation. Here she was, hanging out with a pair of outsiders. It wasn’t what she was use to, but at least it was real. She didn’t have to put on an act. She could be herself. For that, Allie felt a sense of peace that she never knew was missing. Rick look over at her and laughed to himself. Maybe there was hope for this team yet.

* * *

From his ship, hovering high above the Earth, Dark Aver walked down a corridor and entered the arsenal chamber. Inside, various alien beings scurried around, trying to prepare the ammunition and equipment that had been requested for the eventual invasion of Earth. When Dark Aver stepped foot into the room, everyone stopped dead in their tracks. The poor creatures shivered in fear as the dark lord slowly walked into the room.
He came up to the creature in charge of the preparations. The creature, a small beast with green scales, bowed before Aver. “You honor us with your presence, my lord,” it hissed. Aver lowered his eyes to the creature and glared, “You are behind schedule.” The creature felt a shiver down its spine as it began trying to explain himself, “My deepest apologies, Emperor. You have made a large request. I give you my vow that I will speed things up a swiftly as possible. The loss of the War Tank was…” “Was expected from the start. We are feeding the Rangers easy opponents for a reason. Do not again try to presume you understand my methods. I want this arsenal fully prepared in three months,” Dark Aver snarled. The creature shifted uncomfortably, “Sire, I just don’t know if we can…” Before it could finish the sentence, Aver reached out and grabbed the alien’s head with his hand. Squeezing, Aver crushed the creature’s skull and the internal fluids flowed out onto the floor. The warlord looked at his hand and gave his wrist a flick to remove the various chunks of brain.

With that, Dark Aver stepped up to the nearest creature. “I want this arsenal fully prepared in three months,” he stated. The creature bowed, “I will have it for you in two.” Aver nodded and walked away. There was a time for class and a time for action. Nothing would stand in Dark Aver’s way. In three months, he would have the Rangers he desired. He would have the battle he craved. And when it was all said and done, he would have Earth. Then, the entire universe would be his.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Next Time: Chapter 8 - Self Worth; The Crystal Rangers step into battle again, but come to a new stumbling block when one Ranger questions their spot on the team.

[Dani]

More!!! I want to see more! I can't stop reading! MORE!!!

[TreyX]

CHAPTER EIGHT: SELF WORTH
Saturday. The greatest day of the week. It didn’t have the looming threat of Monday that Sunday comes with. It was a day without school and without cares. Saturday was a good day. Or, at least, its suppose to be. Out in the Sable City Park, Chris tuned his guitar and began tweaking the notes of a song he had recently written. In the past month, he had a lot more free time than usual. Though his music was getting the benefits of that time, he missed hanging out with James. The two use to be pretty inseparable, but lately, he seemed to be much busier and less attentive. Never the less, Chris could only take it as it comes and keep doing his own thing in the meantime.

He glanced down and noticed a crumbled up newspaper from last week. A photo of the robot battle was on the front page. Chris shook his head, still unable to comprehend the concept of Power Rangers living in Sable City. He never would have guessed it. Since their debut, the news had covered them extensively, constantly replaying video footage and trying to analyze it from every angle. Chris laughed to himself. “Maybe that’s where James has been,” he joked, “Maybe he’s a Power Ranger.” He smiled at the notion and started playing the guitar until the thought developed a bit more in his head. Chris frowned and put down his guitar. His eyes darted back and forth, going over memories in his head. James had run off the night the Plant had exploded. Could it be? Chris narrowed his eyes skeptically. “No way,” he muttered.

* * *

Rick stormed towards the Command Station entrance, with Shawn at his side. “This is total crap,” Rick spat. Shawn tried to slow him down. “Relax. It’s one afternoon. You can handle it,” Shawn pleaded. Rick stopped and glared at Shawn, “Of all the people to partner me with for training today…” Shawn raised his hands, “Hey! I don’t make the schedule. But from the looks of it, the men upstairs made the right choice. You’ve got to learn to work with her.” Rick frowned. They stepped up to the entrance of the training room and slid a keycard through the scanner. The door chimed and opened. Rick looked in and saw Natalie reapplying her makeup. “This sucks,” he muttered. Shawn patted him on the back and turned to leave. “Have fun,” he quipped.

Rick walked in and put his things down against the wall. The sooner he got started, the sooner he could leave. Trying to avoid the prissy Yellow Ranger, Rick kept his head down and walked by her. She stepped in his way, bringing him to a halt. She looked up to him and pointed at her face. “Does this look like a beauty mark or a zit?” she asked. Rick looked at her with disgust. He leaned down and stared her in the eye. “I hate you,” he bluntly stated before sidestepping her and walking to the weights.

* * *

Shawn walked off the grounds when he came across Allie. Surprised, he smiled. “What are you doing here?” he asked. She tilted her head, “Zord Simulation Training. I just finished.” Shawn nodded, “Yeah, I’ve gone through a few of those sessions too.” Allie pointed over to some shops across the street. “I was going to meet James,” she mentioned, “Do you want to come?” He thought about it for a moment and then nodded, “Sure. Thanks.”

The two walked together across the courtyard toward the small strip of quaint stores and restaurants. Shawn looked to her, “So, how’s life without the bitch squad?” Allie sighed, “I had to quit cheerleading yesterday.” He frowned, “What?! Why?” She shrugged her shoulders, “It wasn’t worth the hassle. I’ve basically been blacklisted. Its okay though. I hadn’t really been able to practice much since becoming a Ranger. Its probably for the best.” Shawn noticed the sadness in her voice and felt for her. She would have denied it, but he could tell that she loved cheering. He placed his hand on her back and rubbed her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said. She smiled at him and nodded, “Thanks.”

* * *

Inside a small coffee shop across the street, James sat at a table for two, lost in thought. Almost like a mantra, he sat focused and repeated the same phrase over and over. “Allie, I like you. Would you like to go out? Allie, I like you. Would you like to go out?” he muttered to himself. This was it, he decided. There would be no more running away. He would finally be able to just flat out ask her, no matter the consequences. James sighed and nodded. “She’s going to hate me,” he stated, “She’s going to slap me. Hate me. And never speak to me again.” James raised his hand, “More coffee! Black!!”

Trying to build up his courage, James glanced out the window and saw her coming. His heart began pounding faster. Swallowing became tougher. Then, he saw Shawn. He was following her this way. “Oh no,” he muttered. James looked around and grabbed a pair of chairs from a different table. Adding them to his table, he made the two seats into four. Neither would know that he had planned this to be a personal meeting. James leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, doing his best to appear casual and cool.

The two entered and James pretended to suddenly notice. “Oh! Hey, Allie! Shawn. What’s going on?” he asked cheerfully. Allie smiled, “Hi! I ran into Shawn as he was leaving the Command Station. You don’t mind, do you?” James shook his head, scoffing at the idea of him minding. “Are you kidding,” he asked, “The more the merrier.” The three sat together and began chatting. James could hardly focus on anything as he looked to Allie. He had been so close. “I was really going to ask this time, too,” he thought to himself.

* * *

Justin walked down the hallway of the Command Station, heading for the training facility. He checked the schedule to see who he would be working with today. He saw the two names and groaned. “This should be fun,” he whispered sarcastically. As he came up to the door, his cell phone rang. Digging it out of his pocket, he flipped it open. “Justin here,” he stated. A woman came on, speaking in an overly thick southern accent, “Is this the really real blue Turbo Ranger?” Justin closed his eyes and chuckled quietly. “Hello, Cassandra,” he replied, “What can I do for you?” Cassandra, returning to her normal tone of voice, continued, “I was wondering if you’re free tomorrow night.” Justin nodded, “Sure. But I’ve got to train the kids right now. Give me a call later, okay?” Cassandra agreed casually. “More training, huh? Who with?” she asked. Justin sighed, “Rick and Natalie.” On the other side, he could hear the Rave Tech CEO let out a laugh. “Good luck,” she remarked before hanging up. Justin put his phone away and opened the door to the room.

Inside, Rick and Natalie were already yelling at each other. The reason for it was long gone and was only an excuse for them to start up anyway. Justin closed his eyes and braced himself. “This is not going to be pretty,” he groaned. With that, he walked into the room. “HEY!!!” he roared, “Knock it off!” Immediately, the two teenagers shut up, startled by the arrival of their instructor. Justin smiled on the inside. “Lucky for me,” he thought, “When it comes to teenagers, they listen to whoever has the bigger bark.”

Justin stood them next to each other and looked over a clipboard which stated the activities of the day. “Okay,” he started, “You two are going through the obstacle course today. If you want to get out of it, you’ll have to work together. Its impossible to escape alone.” Rick and Natalie started to protest, but with a single glare, Justin shut them up. He was getting good at this ‘teacher’ thing. “Now, why don’t you both get some water and then we’ll…” Justin started, but was cut off when the Command Station shook violently. He brought his hand up, motioning for the teens to remain quiet. Justin looked up to the ceiling and listened carefully. There was a muffled crash and the former Ranger slowly walked forward, trying to pinpoint its location.

There was another crash. This time, it was much closer. The Station’s alarm sounded and emergency lights everywhere started flashing. Justin turned to the two nervous teens. “We better get out of here until we know what’s going on,” he decided. The three rushed for the door and pulled it open. In front of them was a tall stranger in a brown cloak. He lifted his pale white hand up and raised it to the three. There was a high pitched squeal and suddenly, the three Rangers were thrown backwards. Justin was the first to stand and rushed towards the hooded creature. He leapt into the air and swung a kick, but the creature swiftly moved out of range. Landing on his feet, Justin followed up with a barrage of punches, striking quickly, but precisely. Despite it all, the creature was dodging every attack with ease. Dropping down, Justin swung his foot around in a sweep kick motion. The creature hopped into the air and hovered. Justin tried to see the face of his opponent, but the shadow of the hood was too dark to penetrate. The creature looked down, “We can continue this dance all day, but then the bomb would not be disarmed.” Angrily, Justin slowly stood. “Where is it?” he demanded. The creature pointed down the hall, “I have installed it into the system hard drive. Rest assured, it has the power to take out this facility as well as the Academy above us.” Justin looked into the training room. Natalie and Rick were slowly getting to their feet. Forced to make a choice, he glared at the creature before turning and rushing for the computer room.

With Justin long gone, the creature turned his attention to Rick and Natalie. Still hovering, he slowly entered the room. “Hello, Rangers. My name is Naa’seth. I am here to help you,” the creature stated. Rick finally made it to his feet, still woozy from the odd blast that had knocked him down. Natalie got to her knees and looked up. “Help us?” she asked, “What do you mean?” Naa’seth looked to her, “Fear, Yellow Ranger. I am here to help you conquer fear; by giving it to you in very large quantities.”

Naa’seth raised his arms out of his cloak and a white light began to emanate from him. The brightness forced Rick and Natalie to shield their eyes until the light finally died down. When Rick looked, he was shocked at the sight in front of him. Standing over him was the intimidating presence of his father. “Look at you,” Rick’s dad sneered, “Still trying to hide from the world. I told you, boy. You’re nothing. You’ll always be nothing.”

Rick backed away, unable to speak. He toughened himself up. “This isn’t real,” he whispered to himself, “It can’t be.” Mr. Meyers walked towards Rick. “You’re a pathetic waste of life, Ricky. Just floating through school until you get to prison. No friends. No strength. No hope,” he scowled. Rick shook his head, “You’re… you’re wrong. I am something.” With that, Rick held up his arm and revealed his morpher. “I’ll show you what I am,” he said. “Ranger! Crystallize!!” Rick shouted. In a flash of light, he was transformed into the Black Crystal Ranger. Standing ready for battle, Rick smiled, “How do you like me now, ‘dad’?”

* * *

From the small coffee shop, the other Rangers had heard the thunderous crashes that had been Naa’seth’s arrival to Earth. Shawn, James, and Allie rushed back to the grounds. As they came up to the entrance of the Command Station, a legion of Dark Soldiers appeared. They swarmed the three teenagers and began to attack. Shawn and James began fighting off as many as they could. “We can’t hold out forever,” James shouted over the noises of battle. Shawn nodded and he back fisted a Soldier in the face. “Let’s morph and finish this quick!” Shawn called out. The three teenagers got to each other’s backs and raised their morphers. “Rangers!! Crystallize!!!” they cried. In an instant, they were covered in their Ranger armor.

Shawn flipped into the air and threw a swinging kick which knocked down several of the Dark Soldiers. He landed and immediately jumped into a back flip that kicked away another two Soldiers. As he continued to fight, Shawn was amazed at how well he was doing. All the training was really paying off.

Allie pulled out her gun and started firing away at the Soldiers approaching her. From behind, a Soldier came up and grabbed her. She struggled, but his grip was too tight. The Pink Ranger swung her leg behind her and between the legs of the Soldier. The impact jarred him into releasing her. Spinning around, she finished him off with a punch to the face. Finally, Allie felt like she could hold her own.

The Blue Ranger picked a Soldier up overhead and threw him into several others. Once they were down, he pounced onto them and slammed his fist into their faces, causing them to release an alien squeal of pain. James stood back up and cracked his knuckles, eager to continue. He thought to go protect Allie, but to his surprise, she actually seemed to be doing okay on her own.

As the battle waged on, more and more Dark Soldiers arrived. For every one that was defeated, three more seemed to take his place. Allie pointed to the entrance of the Station. “They’re moving inside,” she shouted to the others. Noticing that the boys were too busy with their own struggles, Allie raced inside to take care of the situation herself.

Shawn flipped a Soldier onto his back and stomped on his neck, ending the fight. The Red Ranger looked up in time to see Allie rushing off on her own. “Allie, wait!” he called out, but she was already gone. Shawn turned to James, “Let’s go!” The Blue Ranger looked up and nodded. Together, they headed inside to join their teammate.

Inside the facility, they rushed down the long hallway. The two Rangers came up to a fork in the road. They looked down each one, unsure of which way the Pink Ranger had chosen. “What should we do?” James asked. Inside his helmet, Shawn frowned, “Tough call. We really need to stick together, but…” The Red Ranger looked down both halls and thought to himself for a moment. Finally, he turned to James. “You go right. I’ll go left. One of us will find her,” he commanded. With a nod, the two Rangers ran off in different directions.

* * *

The Black Ranger swung at his father. Mister Meyers easy moved out of the way and laughed hard. “All that power and you can’t even touch me. Is it a wonder why I’m ashamed of you?” Rick’s dad mocked. Angrily, the Black Ranger charged after his father and ran right through him, touching nothing. Stopping in his tracks, Rick turned back around. “Impossible,” he muttered. Again, Mr. Meyers broke out into laughter, “What’s the matter, boy? You too stupid to figure it out?” Rick’s rage ignited. “Shut up!!” he roared.

Mr. Meyers rushed up and slapped his son down. The Black Ranger was amazed at the force of the blow as he slammed against the ground. “Now you listen to me, boy,” his father viciously said, “You can dress yourself up as differently as you want, but you’ll always be worthless.” Rick stood up and glared. “You’re wrong,” the Ranger said with confidence. His father smiled, “Am I?”

Before Rick even realize what was happening, his father rushed up and threw him against the wall. “They’ll never accept you,” he hissed at his son, “Sooner or late, they’ll reject you. They’ll find someone better and toss you out like the trash you are.” Rick shook his head, “No.” His father continued, “Then, you’ll have nothing. Everything you value will be stripped away because you don’t deserve it. You’ll be nothing. You are nothing. It’s just a matter of time.” Snapping, Rick couldn’t take any more. “NO!!!” he screeched with all his strength.

* * *

Cautiously, the Blue Ranger rushed down the hallway, looking for any sign of Allie. As he came around a corner, he crashed into Justin. The two fall to the ground and looked to each other. Justin looked perplexed, “What are you doing here?” James shrugged, “Uh, saving you?” Justin stood up and dusted himself off. “Swell,” he said, giving James a hand. Without a moment to waste, Justin continued heading for the computer room and grabbed James to follow him. “C’mon,” he called out to the Blue Ranger, “We’ve got a bomb to stop.”

The two rushed down the corridor and came up to the room. Justin pulled out his keycard and swiped it in the scanner. The door swung open and the two entered the room. It was much larger than anything they had expected. Hanging from the ceiling were monitors that showed the entire Station. On every wall, giant computers wired together stood majestically. James looked around, “So, which computer has the bomb?” Justin sighed, “It can never just be easy.”

* * *

At break neck speed, Shawn rushed down the hallway. A Dark Soldier stood in his way, but the Red Ranger refused to slow down. With a quick clothesline, he dropped the Soldier and continued without pause. If there were enemies in this area, he figured he must be close to Allie. Continuing onward, Shawn finally caught up with the Pink Ranger who had stopped to catch her breath. He came up to her side. Seeing him, she tried to explain herself, “I… I saw… they’re all in this area. Like they’re trying to guard something.” Shawn looked around and tried to think of where they were. It quickly donned on him and he turned to Allie, “The training facility is right up ahead. Rick and Natalie… they must be going after the other Rangers.” Inside her helmet, Allie’s eyes grew wide, fearing for the safety of her friends. With renewed strength, she stood tall. “We’ve got to help them,” she stated. Shawn nodded, “Let’s go.”

* * *

In the training room, Natalie struggled with her own vision. Standing before her was an image of herself, looking down on her. Natalie tried to fight back, but her strength was weakening with each passing second. She couldn’t explain it, but with every insult that was hurled at her, she seemed more and more faint. Natalie backed against the wall and shook her head, wanting the experience to stop.

Mercilessly, the wicked image of herself stepped forward. “Look at you. Little poor girl trying to be bigger than she is. It won’t work. No matter what you do to hide, they’ll see through you. They’ll know the truth. You don’t belong with them. Casey sees it. Allie sees it. They all do. Why bother trying to fit in? I’m sure they make fun of you behind your back. You’re a joke to them. A pity project,” the cruel vision of herself said. Natalie covered her ears and shook her head harder, “Go away. Its not real. Its not true. They do accept me. They do like me. They won’t leave me. They can’t. ‘Cause if they do. Then… then, I’ll really be… alone.” Natalie dropped to her knees as the tears began to flow.

Across the room, the Black Ranger had snapped. With the strength that comes from true fury, Rick tore right through his father and headed to the center of the room. Looking from side to side, he spotted Natalie on the ground. No doubt, she was experiencing her own fears. As he turned to her, Naa’seth came forward. “Well done, Black Ranger, but you’ve gone far enough,” the creature hissed.

At that moment, Shawn and Allie rushed into the room. “Back off!” Shawn shouted. Naa’seth turned to face the new arrivals and when he did, Rick broke into a run and headed for Natalie. Angered, Naa’seth moved toward Shawn and Allie. “You two were not invited,” he growled. The two Rangers got ready for battle. In a flash, Naa’seth lunged at them and his arm extended swiftly towards them. His hand opened up to reveal the sharp blades on the end of his fingers. The clawed hand raced towards Allie. Like a deer caught in the headlights, she froze in a mix of shock and terror.

With the claws less than a foot from her face, Shawn’s grabbed the hand and stopped it from touching the Pink Ranger. Allie looked to Shawn with amazement. He struggled to match the strength of Naa’seth. In a smooth motion, he raised his free arm and chopped off Naa’seth’s hand. The creature howled in agony.

Meanwhile, Rick rushed to Natalie’s side and grabbed hold of her. “Snap out of it,” he shouted, but she was lost in her own mind. Lightly, he slapped her in the face. She blinked and looked at the Black Ranger. “Rick?” she asked. He nodded, “Are you okay?” Hesitantly, she nodded. He helped her to her feet, but she fell down again. “I’m too weak,” she revealed. Rick kneeled by her side and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Its okay,” he said, “I’ll protect you.”

* * *

Justin tore open computer after computer, frantically searching for the bomb. James helped where he could, but was unsure of what to look for. Justin finally stopped and put his hands on his hips. “This is getting us nowhere,” he sighed. For a moment, he let his emotions get the best of him. He closed his eyes. “Even now, I’m a failure,” he whispered. James lifted his head, “What?” Justin looked to him, “Nothing.”

Digging into his pocket, Justin pulled out his cell phone and dialed Cassandra. James sat down and waited. Looking around, he noticed a monitor that was viewing the training facility. He could see the other four Rangers facing off against the new creature. James located Allie on the screen and was pleased to see that she appeared safe.

Justin paced around the room, while on his cell. “… I need your help here. Where would a bomb be?” he asked. On the other end, Cassandra came on, “Justin, there can’t be a bomb in there. We have security systems linked to both the Station and Rave Tech. If anyone had tampered with the computers, we would know.” Justin looked around the room and his face fell. “It was a trick,” he muttered, “God, I’m a fool.”

* * *
Shawn jumped at Naa’seth and dragged him to the floor. The two exchanged blows before the creature threw him off. Naa’seth stood and smiled. “You’re stronger than the others,” he hissed. Shawn shrugged, “I’m the Red Ranger.” With that, he dove for Naa’seth, but the creature faded away and Shawn crashed to the floor.

Across the room, the Black Ranger carried Natalie in his arms and brought her over the others. “She’s really weak,” he explained to Shawn. Allie rushed over to her, “When I came in, I saw energy flowing from you two into that creature.” Rick glared and nodded, “He was feeding off our fear. Bastard.” Shawn patted Rick on the back, “You did good, man.” The Black Ranger nodded. “I’ll take Natalie to the medic,” he said and walked off.

Shawn watched him leave and frowned. Something in Rick’s voice was different. It was distant. Shawn powered down and Allie followed suit. She came up and touched his arm. “Thank you,” she said. Shawn turned to her, puzzled. “For what?” he asked. “You saved me,” she explained. He shook his head, “No sweat. We’re a team.” Allie stepped in closer and shook her head, “Not just from the claws. The past month, you had faith in me. You stuck by me. This last week has been so hard. You’re the only one who talks to me like a normal person.” Shawn looked at her and slowly shook his head, “I’m nothing special.” She smiled and nodded, “Yes. You are.” Leaning up, Allie placed her hand on Shawn’s cheek and kissed him.

* * *

From the computer room, James watched the monitor and felt a void in his chest. He couldn’t peel his eyes away from the image of Shawn and Allie. His face fell and he felt more defeated than ever. Justin walked over to him, unaware of the situation. “Sorry to drag you on this goose chase,” he said, “How was the battle? Are you hurt?” After a long pause, James nodded, “Yeah.”

* * *

Outside, Rick leaned against a wall and looked up at the sun. Shawn came out of the Station and walked up to him. “What’s up?” he asked. Rick shook his head, “Just thinking.” Shawn put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “What about?” he asked. Rick lowered his head, “It’s too much.” Shawn looked at him, perplexed.

“What do you mean?”
“I don’t have the strength to do this anymore.”
“Are you kidding? You’re practically stronger than all of us combined.”
“No. He was right. I am nothing. I can’t even get along with anyone on the team.”

Shawn turned to him with stronger concern, “I told you not to worry about that, man. Give it time.” Rick shook his head, “I don’t belong here. I don’t deserve it.” Now, he looked up and faced Shawn. “You’re a guy who deserves the power,” Rick continued, “You and the others. You’re good people. Me… I’m the kind of guy the Rangers have to defeat. I’m at the bottom of the ladder; always getting stepped on, and dirtied.” Shawn squeezed Rick’s arm, “I don’t buy into that crap. You can’t listen to people who talk to you like that. Kids, your father, nobody. You’re a good man, Rick Meyers. I know it. Give yourself a chance.” Rick looked to Shawn with tears in his eyes. The two paused. “I… I can’t,” choked Rick. Without looking down, he placed an object in Shawn’s hand. As his friend looked down to see the item, Rick slowly backed away.

Shawn looked down at Rick’s morpher in his hand. He glanced up and saw Rick turn away. Shawn took a step forward. “Rick!!” he called out, but his friend wouldn’t turn back. Shawn stood in silence, not knowing what to say or do. All he could do was stand and watch Rick walk away.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Next time: Chapter 9 - Four out of Five; the Crystal Rangers deal with the departure of Rick from the team. Can anyone convince their comrad to return to the battle?

[TreyX]

POWER RANGERS CRYSTAL
Cast
Justin Stewart - Team Mentor
Shawn Grayson - Red Ranger
Rick Meyers - former Black Ranger
James Kennedy - Blue Ranger
Allie Johnson - Pink Ranger
Natalie Nguyen - Yellow Ranger
Principle Jordan - Head of the Ranger program
Cassandra Reynolds - CEO of Rave Tech; designer of new Ranger technology
Chris Philips - friend of James
Dark Aver - intergalactic warlord; successor to Dark Spector
Naa'seth - Fear Demon; General and Spy for Dark Aver
------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER NINE: FOUR OUT OF FIVE
Shawn sat outside on a park bench, watching the sun set over the horizon. Lost in thought, he hardly noticed when Allie stepped up behind him. She walked around to him and sat down. Not a word passed between them. Shawn continued to gaze out at the sky. Allie placed her hand on his knee and looked into his eyes. He still didn’t look at her. “You okay?” she asked. “Its my fault,” he said. She tilted her head, “How?” Shawn looked down to the ground and his brow furrowed. “I should have stopped him. I should have said something else. Something better. Explained it correctly. Convinced him to stay,” he muttered. Allie shook her head, “You did everything you could. He has to walk his own path. No one can do it for him.” Shawn turned his head and looked at her. He frowned, “I have no right to be the Red Ranger.” Allie smiled warmly and placed her hand on his cheek. “Even now, you continue to show why you’re the only choice for Red Ranger,” she said.

With that, Allie leaned in and kissed him. For the moment, Shawn lost himself in her and forgot his troubles. Never the less, it was merely escapism. It didn’t change anything. The fact remained that Rick had walked away from the team. And without a Black Ranger, the team was severely wounded. Shawn pulled away from Allie and looked her in the eyes. “I’m going to get him back,” he stated. She looked to him. “How?” she asked. Shawn frowned, “I don’t know yet, but I’m going to. I won’t give up on him.”

* * *

Justin pummeled the punching bag relentlessly. All his pent up anger and frustrations gave him seemingly unlimited stamina. He pounded away at the bag, hurling silent insults at himself over and over again, rebuking himself for every mistake made in the past. Sweat dripped off his face to the ground below, marking his swift exhaustion, but he refused to stop. He couldn’t stop. There was so much to do before the end. Despite his uselessness, Justin told himself that he had to prepare the team. He had to get them ready for their fight.

Cassandra entered from a door behind him and walked up to him, graceful in her high heels. As she came up to him, she ran her hands up his back until they moved over his shoulders and locked together at his chest. She held him tightly as he stopped punching. She smiled and lightly ran her nose up his neck. He pulled away, “Stop it.” She frowned. “You don’t like?” she asked with a soft pout. Justin walked over to his towel and used it to dry himself. “This isn’t the time,” he explained. Cassandra smiled and folded her arms. “What’s the problem? Repairs to the Station are almost done, the Zords are fixed and completed, analysis on the War Tank is coming in, and from the sound of it, you just lost the most unstable member of your team,” she mused, “It may have been a little rough getting here, but at the end of the week, I say you’re doing pretty well.” Justin looked at her and shook his head. “Rick shouldn’t have left. I felt like I was making progress with him. If I had just had a little more time. Maybe if I had been more attentive…” he started. Cassandra stepped over to him and held his hand. “Look, being a corporate head, I’ve learned a few things about teamwork. It doesn’t always work out. You’ve got to learn when and who to let go. You can’t feel bad about it. It comes down to what’s best for everybody. And since Rick didn’t seem to get along with anybody on the team except Shawn, it’s probably for the best. Now, you can find someone who fits the team’s chemistry a bit more,” she suggested.

Justin took a seat and sighed, shaking his head. “Is it me?” he asked, “Why does every team I work with leave? It’s all happening again. First, Tommy and his team left me. Then, TJ and the others left the entire planet. Now, Rick. Who’s next? You?” Cassandra kneeled down to him and smiled, “Hey. I’m not going anywhere. Believe me, in some form or fashion, I’ll be here until the end.” Jabbing him in the shoulder, she jokingly added, "Whether you like it or not." Justin looked to her and frowned, “I hope so.” She placed her hand on his shoulder, “Why don’t you get dressed up and take me to dinner.” He smiled and nodded. “That sounds nice.”

* * *

Saturday night was always busy for the local arcade. In the back area, a row of batting cages were set up. James put on a helmet and stepped in with a bat. Outside, Chris leaned forward onto the steel mesh fence and watched his friend. “Shawn?!” he asked, unable to believe what he was just told, “Allie Johnson and Shawn Grayson? Bull! No way.” James nodded and gripped the bat tighter. “Its true. I saw it with my own eyes,” he stated. The first ball shot out of the machine and James swung, hitting it across the cage. Chris shook his head, dumbfounded. “Who would have thought?” he muttered. James sighed and waited impatiently for the next ball. “I don’t get it. I’m the one who’s been by her side for years. We’ve studied together, partied together… I drove her home the first night she got drunk. Remember?” James asked. Chris nodded, “Yeah. What’s she see in him?” Inside the cage, he shook his head, “I don’t know. For a year, he’s stood around while his friend insulted her. He thinks he’s so cool, walking around and talking with her for a month… getting to know her. He thinks that just because he wears red, he gets to have everything he wants.” Chris nodded, “Yeah… what do you mean he wears red?” James looked to him and shifted his eyes for a moment, “Well, uh… you know… he wears red… shirts. What’s that about?” Chris smiled and agreed.

Chris shrugged his shoulders, “Give it time, man. Every chick’s gotta go through a rebel phase. When she’s gotten it out of her system, she’ll come around.” James stepped away from the plate and walked over to Chris. He was sadder than his friend had ever seen him. And with good cause. For years, Chris had watched as James pined over Allie, never having the courage to express his feelings to her. He always tried to play it off. James looked to his friend and frowned, “Its my fault for not speaking up. She made her choice. I guess she’ll just never see me as anything more than a brother.” Chris felt for his friend and the two stood there silently.

* * *

In the dead of night, Cassandra stepped out of the bedroom and tied her robe together. She looked back into the room and saw Justin still sleeping in bed. It had been nice, she thought. Her only regret was doing so in his apartment instead of hers. Sidestepping the trash laying on his floor, she made her way to the couch in the living room and sat down. In a few hours, she would have to go to work for the day. Stretching, she looked for her various articles of clothing that were laying around the room. As she picked up her bra, she noticed a book buried in the corner. She picked it up and looked it over. It was a journal. In preparing for her assignment, she had seen plenty of videos of Justin in action and read up on his history, but none of that allowed her a look into his thoughts. Intrigued, she sat back down and turned to the first page.

‘March 12, 1997. Today was awesome. We turned on the robot Rangers today. Watching my robot self go to school was funny. Maybe he can do my homework from now on.’ Cass flipped through the book a bit more and came across an entry from a few months later. ‘May 3, 1997. My dad may get transferred out of Angel Grove. This stinks! I love it here. What happens if we leave? I love being a Ranger. I don’t want to give that up.’

After that, there was only another week of entries. She flipped through the rest of the journal and found it blank. Cassandra frowned. It seemed like his life really did end the day his Ranger career was over. Tossing the book back onto the floor, she leaned back on the couch and sighed. Justin was an enigma. Cassandra just didn’t know what to make of him. Maybe that was for the best, though. Maybe it would make it easier on her in the end.

Outside the apartment, crickets chirped and a creature hid in the shadows, looking into the window of Justin’s apartment. Naa’seth, perched on a branch, eyed Cassandra through his dark hood and was quite interested in this development. He reached out and outlined her with his finger. “Tell me, Ms. Reynolds,” he hissed, “What do you fear?”

* * *

In the late morning, Sable City welcomed a crisp, new Wednesday. School was in session, but Rick hadn’t been able to bring himself to go today. He walked up and down neighborhood streets, dwelling on various thoughts and feelings. Rick had forgotten how slow life seemed without a morpher. Walking down the middle of the street, he scolded himself for not being able to move past the whole Ranger thing. What did he care?

“It’s not so easy to walk away from, is it?” came a familiar voice. Rick turned around and looked at Shawn who was walking towards him. Rick looked him up and down. “What are you doing here?” he asked. Shawn smirked, “You think you’re the only one who can skip school?” Rick shrugged and the two walked together. “You know why I’m here, don’t you?” asked Shawn. Rick sighed and nodded. “You gotta come back,” his friend started, “We need you.” Rick scoffed and shook his head, “You don’t need me. Just go get someone else to play Black Ranger. Hell, I’m sure Justin will jump at the opportunity.” Shawn turned to face him, “You can’t be replaced so easily. Rick, you give the team an edge we otherwise don’t have. But, if not for us, do it for yourself. You don’t have to spend your life with your father. You’re exactly who you make yourself to be. How many times have I listened to you talk about how you’ll be stuck in the same place for the rest of your life? Use this chance to be something else.”

Rick looked at Shawn and listened to every word. At the very least, he owed his longtime friend that. When he finished, Rick smiled and looked around, “It sounds real good on paper, Shawn, but it doesn’t change the facts. This isn’t some magical story where we beat the bad guys without a scratch and everyone’s troubles are automatically fixed. Things aren’t so clean cut in real life. You don’t want me to be there when push comes to shove. It’ll be just like throwing gas on the fire. Everyone will get burned. I can’t do that. People like me stay down in life for a reason. I can’t handle the responsibility you’re offering. It’s just not for trash like me.”

Shawn stepped up and looked him in the eyes, “If you really believe that, then you’re a loser. And I’ve hung out with you long enough to know you’re not, so what else is the deal here?” Rick shook his head, “I just told you.” “Then, stop feeling sorry for yourself and show people what you’re capable of!!” Shawn shouted.

At that, there was an explosion miles away. The two teenagers turned to see what it was and were shocked to see a new War Tank making its way into the city. As it rolled forward, a low rumble could be heard around town. Shawn narrowed his eyes, “Oh no.” He started to head for the Command Station when he turned back to face Rick. “Come with me,” he pleaded, “We can go together.” Rick looked to the Tank and then his friend. Reluctantly, he shook his head. “I can’t” he muttered. Shawn looked at him and didn’t say a word. He turned away and ran off, leaving Rick alone in the middle of the street to ponder his decision.

* * *

Within ten minutes, the four Rangers had gathered together in the Command Station. Principle Jordan was there, briefing them swiftly on the situation. He continued, “… it seems to be moving towards Rave Tech. You must stop it at all cost.” The team nodded. “Your Zords are stored in a chamber connected to the Station, use them right away.” Shawn stepped forward, “Let’s do it, guys.” Raising their morphers, the four teenagers shouted, “Rangers! Crystallize!!” In a flash, the Crystal Rangers were in full gear, ready for another battle.

As they rushed for the Zord Chamber, Justin entered the debriefing room. “What the status?” he asked. Jordan sat in his chair and rubbed his eyes, “The new Tank is heading for Rave Tech.” Justin shook his head, “Dark Aver sure chose the perfect time to attack. Its like he knows exactly when to go for us. Can the Rangers beat that thing with only the four of them?” Jordan didn’t have an answer. They sat in silence for a moment, before Jordan motioned for him to leave, “You should go to the communications room and guide them along the way.” Justin nodded and left, hoping that Cassandra wasn't working today.

* * *

Inside their Zords, the four Rangers guided the large vehicles out of the Chamber, up to the ground. Once on the streets, the Zords headed straight toward downtown, hoping to cut off the War Tank before it reached its suspected target. The Red Ranger guided his Zord, trying to avoid running into any buildings along the way. The hours spent in the simulator had really paid off. “Stay focused, Rangers,” Shawn said, “With just four of us, this won’t be easy.” Allie came up, “We can do it. Just tell us what to do, Shawn.” James frowned and nodded, “Yeah, Shawn. You’re the man.”

Reaching their destination, the Rangers made it just in time to come up to the War Tank. Around them, TV news Choppers flew around the scene, filming the action. Shawn switched on his targeting system and aimed for the Tank. Locking onto its frontal assault weapons, Shawn fired and was able to destroy at least the front gun of the Tank. However, it made little difference as the looming death machine trekked onward. The four Zords surrounded the Tank and fired with everything they had. Despite it all, it continued on, ignoring the Rangers’ assault. “This isn’t working!” Natalie called out. “We need the Megazord!” shouted James. Shawn swore under his breath, “Damn it. Come on, Rick.”

* * *

Justin watched the battle on the Command Station’s monitor. Wearing a headset, he gave any suggestions he could think of to the team. “Keep at, kids,” he said, unable to think of any true strategy. As the battle grew more and more futile, the Rangers seemed to grow more and more desperate. Their concentration was shaking. Justin removed his headset and lowered his head. No matter how he stretched his brain, he couldn’t think of a solution. Had Dark Aver finally succeeded?

Jordan stepped into the room. “How is everything?” he asked. Justin scoffed and motioned to the monitor. “It’s just a matter of time before the Tank reaches Rave Tech,” he spat bitterly, “You better have the building evacuated.” Jordan watched the battle for a moment. He nodded, “They need a fifth Ranger.” Justin threw his hands up in the air, “No! Really?! What a brilliant concept!! No wonder the city put you in charge of this project!” Jordan turned to him, “Cut the crap, Stewart. We have to work fast.” Justin folded his arms, “And what exactly did you have in mind?” Jordan held up the Black Ranger morpher, “Go help them. You’re a former Ranger. You can get in there and finish this with the Crystal Rangers.”

Justin eyed the morpher and a look of disgust flashed before his eyes. “No!” he shouted swatting Jordan’s arm done. Justin backed away, furiously, “I warned you the day I got here that I would not morph. My days as a Ranger are over.” Jordan stepped up, “Oh, get over yourself, Justin! I don’t care what’s happened in your past. The fate of the city is at stake. You have the abilities. Go use them!” The door to the room swung open. Justin and Jordan looked to it. In stepped a lone teenager. “Let me go help,” he said. Getting over his shock, Principle Jordan smiled and nodded, handing him the morpher.

* * *

On the battlefield that was downtown, the Rangers continued to circle the Tank, hoping to find an outward weakness that they could exploit. Shawn looked at his ammunition supply and it was quickly fading. “If anyone has an idea, now would be the time to speak up,” the Red Ranger called out. As he expected, no one replied.

As all hope seemed lost, the Rangers were shocked to see the Black Jeep Zord drove into the scene. “Maybe the Black Ranger could give you guys a hand,” came a voice of the radio link. Allie smiled widely, “I don’t believe it!” Neither could anyone else on the team as the Black Zord barreled ahead in full force.

* * *

Outside the Command Station, Rick stepped up to the entrance. After a long debate in his head, he had finally made his decision. Shawn was right. He had to stand up and do the right thing. Rick prepared to enter the Station when he looked up to the battlefield. His jaw dropped as he watched the Black Zord join the battle. He stared at it for a long while, unable to fathom the sight. Rick couldn’t believe it. Lowering his head, he scolded himself. Of course they found someone else! Did he really think they would wait around forever? Rick backed away and walked from the site. It was stupid to think that they would just be waiting for him to come back. He had been right to leave. Whoever his replacement was, Rick was sure they would do a better job than he ever could.

* * *

“Chris?! Is that you,” the Blue Ranger asked in disbelief. “You know it,” came the reply. Inside the Black Zord, Chris sat in the cockpit, clad in the Black Ranger armor. “I figured you guys could use a little help,” he said with a smile. The whole experience was exhilarating to him. “But… what? How? Who?” James stated, unable to form a complete sentence. The new Black Ranger switched off his targeting computer and maneuvered around the scene. “We’ll discuss it later. How about we form that giant robot thing already?” he asked.

Shawn adjusted to the situation as swiftly as possible and nodded, “Good idea. Do you know how?” Chris nodded, “I’ve got that Justin guy coaching me through the headset. Let’s do it.” The five Zords moved close to one another. Pulling the Megazord levers on their sides, the series of beeps blared and cogs whirled. “Megazord sequence has been initiated,” called out the robotic voice. The five vehicle Zords shifted shapes and linked together, forming the Crystal Megazord. “Megazord activated!” the voice announced.

The Red Ranger cockpit moved up to the head of the Megazord. To his surprise, the other four Rangers also rose up and arrived in the Megazord cockpit. Shawn turned to face his teammates, “You guys are here to?!” Justin came on through the radio, “Rave Tech finally finished the Megazord program. The five of you will work together on this one.” Shawn smiled and cracked his knuckles, “Any suggestions on where to hit or should I just punch right through this thing again?”

“Rave Tech has found a weakness deep in the front of the War Tank, but you’ll need the sword to reach it,” explained Justin. With that, the Blue Ranger went to work at his computer station, “The sword’s in the Pink Ranger’s storage unit. I’ll get it.” Working the blue arm of the Megazord, James had the robot reach into it’s pink leg and pull out a large sword. Chris looked to James in amazement, “How did you know about that?” The Blue Ranger shrugged, “Hours on the simulator, buddy.” Allie smiled and shook her head, amused at Chris’ excitement. He seemed so young and new. Then again, did she have any right to start feeling like a veteran?

On Shawn’s computer screen, Justin sent the War Tank analysis which pinpointed the weak spot. “We need to get in front of the Tank,” he shouted to the others. Working together, they moved the Megazord to jump in front of the Tank and block it’s path. Shawn turned to James, “I’m putting this one in your hands. Literally. Use the sword to pierce the armor right under the front gun.” James nodded and started working his controls.

The Megazord raised the sword and stabbed the Tank down the front center. The Tank shook violently and then shut off. Shawn pointed out to the Tank’s cockpit. “Don’t forget about the pilot,” he shouted. Chris jumped at his controls, “I’m on it!” Using the black arm of the Megazord, he swung at the Tank’s pilot and smashed the Tank’s cockpit with a fierce punch.

The girls cheered and James flashed the Black Ranger a thumbs up, “Nice work, buddy.” Chris shrugged his shoulders, “Aw, it was nothing.” Shawn glanced back to the others, over his shoulder. With a sigh, he looked out and frowned. He had really hoped Rick would show up. “I guess he really doesn’t have it in him,” the Red Ranger sadly whispered.

* * *

From her office window, Cassandra sipped a glass of champagne. “Well, that was exhilarating,” she mused. The appearance of the Black Ranger was unexpected. Had Rick returned? Cassandra glanced downward and smiled. The game continued to twist and turn. She loved it.

“I’m so pleased you’re amused, Cassandra,” came a voice behind her. Cassandra’s eyes went wide and she turned around to see Dark Aver sitting in her office. He eyed her with a strong look and a slight smile. It was a presence that screamed confidence and it always unnerved her. Gracefully, Cassandra bowed to the warlord, “What a surprise! How can I serve you, my lord?” From out of the shadows, Naa’seth entered the scene. “Certain information has reached our great master, girl,” the creature hissed. The strong CEO put on her best poker face, trying to mask her nervousness. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“You’ve been sleeping with the enemy,” Dark Aver stated. Cassandra’s eyes went wide for a split second before regaining her look of confidence. “Have I?” she asked, coolly sitting at her desk. Dark Aver raised his hand to Naa’seth, who stepped forward. An image appeared in the middle of the room of Cassandra from the night before, sitting in Justin’s living room.

Her heart beat faster and she cleared her throat. “What I do on my free time is of no concern,” she stated. Dark Aver smiled at her, “It becomes my concern if it puts my plan into jeopardy.” Cassandra shook her head, “You have nothing to worry about. I feel nothing for him. He’s pathetic. I’ve just been using him.” Dark Aver looked at her, unwavering. “Call in your secretary,” he stated. Confused by the request, Cassandra paused for a moment, then complied.

A young man stepped in. “Yes, Ms. Reynolds?” he asked. Dark Aver motioned at the man behind him without looking, “Come.” The man stepped up to Dark Aver. Keeping his eyes locked on Cassandra, Dark Aver thrust his hand into the man’s chest. There was a low rumbling and the man squeaked in agony. Blood soon flowed from his eyes and mouth. From every orifice, blood soon flowed and the man collapsed on the floor, smoking. Cassandra stared down and looked back to the warlord.

Dark Aver stood up and gave her a stern look. “Liquefying the insides of a human is a quick and easy task for me,” he stated coldly, “If your… relationship… interferes with my plans, I will devout years to your punishment at my hands.” Cassandra nodded quickly, too scared to speak. With that, the dark lord turned away and left the room. Naa’seth stayed in place, watching the frightened CEO. From under his dark hood, Cassandra could almost swear she detected a smile from the cloaked creature. Then, he too stepped into the shadows and disappeared.

Letting out a sigh of both relief and frustration, Cassandra allowed herself to relax. She picked up her phone and dialed an inner-office number. “John,” she started, “I’ve got something in my office for you to clean up. Thanks.” She hung up the phone and sat in her chair. This was an unexpected danger that she had hoped to avoid. “That damn Naa’seth,” she muttered. Damage control would have to be quick if she was to regain favor in Dark Aver’s eyes. She knew just where to start, too.

* * *

Back at the Command Station, the team celebrated their victory. It had been touch and go for awhile, but with a stroke of luck, they had come out victorious once again. James high-fived Chris, still amazed that his friend had shown up. “How did this happen?” he asked. Chris shrugged, “No offense, bro, but you’re not the best secret keeper. I put two and two together. Then, today I followed you to this place. I didn’t expect to be doing anything other than calling you out on it, but when there was only four of you out there, I stepped up and did what I could.” James nodded with a large smile, “That’s so cool! Thanks a lot!”

Allie and Natalie stepped up to Chris. “Yeah, you really saved us out there, Chris. Thanks,” Allie said. Chris nodded with a smile. “But where was the original guy? Who was the first Black Ranger?” Chris asked. James rolled his eyes, “Rick Meyers.” Chris looked surprised and laughed, “No wonder. Of course a guy like that is going to flake on you.” The comment stung Shawn who hid a frown. Shaking it off, he sighed and stepped up to Chris. He offered his hand. “You really came through. Thank you,” he said. Chris looked at him and shook his hand, still unsure of what to make of Shawn.

Allie stepped back from the scene and found a place to sit down and rest for a moment. James noticed and walked over to her. “You okay?” he asked. She nodded and feigned a smile, “Yeah. It’s just been a long week. I’m exhausted, both physically and mentally.” James nodded and rubbed her back. She continued, “I feel like I could use a vacation.” James lowered his head and looked at her with a sad smile. “You should go relax tonight,” he said softly, “Take Shawn and go somewhere nice. Go have fun.” She looked to him and a sweet smile grew on her face. “That does sound nice,” she admitted. Leaning over to him, she gave him a tender hug, “Thanks, James. You’re always looking out for me… the brother I never had.” With that, she stood up and walked over to Shawn. James watched her and looked down, hiding his pain. “I know. Just take care of yourself.”

TO BE CONTINUED...

Next Time: Chapter 10 - Rookie.
Chris begins training to catch up with the team. At school, Rick distances himself from Shawn and soon finds himself in a deadly situation. Meanwhile, Cassandra begins her plan to get back in Dark Aver's good graces.

[TreyX]

POWER RANGERS CRYSTAL
Cast
Justin Stewart - Team Mentor
Shawn Grayson - Red Ranger
Chris Philips - Black Ranger
James Kennedy - Blue Ranger
Allie Johnson - Pink Ranger
Natalie Nguyen - Yellow Ranger
Principle Jordan - Head of the Ranger program
Cassandra Reynolds - CEO of Rave Tech; designer of new Ranger technology
Rick Meyers - former Black Ranger; friend of Shawn
Dark Aver - intergalactic warlord; successor to Dark Spector
Naa'seth - Fear Demon; General and Spy for Dark Aver
------------------------------------------------------------------


CHAPTER TEN: ROOKIE
“Good evening and welcome to the nightly news. I’m Craig Stern. The Power Rangers have once again made the news, saving downtown Sable City yesterday from another assault by an alien force. Unlike the previous robot battle, the damage to city property was very limited. Additionally, Sable City Academy has made a donation to the city for repairs, and even upgrades, to the buildings that were damaged…”

“So, this thing… this Tank… rolls into the city. I guess he’s looking for a parking space or something. (laughter) Then, the Power Rangers show up. (cheers) But there’s only four of them. Four. Yeah, the black one showed up later. Now, you’ve got to wonder what he was doing that was more important than getting there on time. (laughter) What? Did he run out of gas or something? (laughter) You’ve got to wonder what type of gas mileage those Zord things get. Maybe two inches a gallon. (laughter) Gas prices. Too tough for even the Power Rangers to handle. (laughter, cheers) ”

“Now, I.. Uh… I think you’re wrong, Debra. The Rangers are clearly working with an agenda. I think there’s more to it than they’re saying and I think the public has a right to know. What is it that they’re really after? I mean, come on. How many people do you know that would just risk their lives without some sort of compensation. There’s more to this than we know and until the truth is revealed, I don’t think we can trust them.”

“What do you think of the Power Rangers?”
“Dudes are bad as hell. Y’know? They be lookin out for us, know what I’m saying?”
“I think they do the city a great favor. Thank you, Power Rangers!”
“I hope the guys are cute under those helmets. Oh my god, I would totally date a Power Ranger.”

“Mayor, what do you think of the Power Rangers?”
“ I think they have truly stepped up and protected this city. If I knew how, I would personally thank them from the bottom of my heart.”
“ Is there any truth that they are connected to the city and this office?”
“ No. No. No comment.”

* * *

It had been a little over two months since the Crystal Rangers had been activated. Since then, the news and talks shows made them a common topic of discussion. Overall, the people loved them. They were instant celebrities. The people felt safe knowing that the Power Rangers were watching over their city. The focus on them was bound to happen. Concealing their true identities made them all the more interesting.

In the week since Chris had joined the team, he felt a bit bombarded by the realization that the world was talking about him when they mentioned the Rangers. It was a bit jarring for a High School student who had only wanted to kick back and play guitar. However, Chris knew that things had changed and he was fine with that. He had requested and accepted the duty and burden of being the new Black Ranger.

The rest of the team had over a month and a half more training than him. Chris was well aware that his inexperience could put everyone in danger during the next battle. For that, he had dedicated all of his free time to catching up with the others. Even now, while everyone else was at lunch, Chris sat in the Simulator and practiced controlling his Zord.

The controls were fairly basic and it was just a lesson of learning confidence, patience, and focus. Slowly, but surely, the controls were becoming second nature. It was very similar to a video game. The big difference was that if he screwed up outside the simulator, there would be no extra lives for him.

From the monitor room, Justin watched the results of Chris’ training and was fairly impressed. The teenager had really jumped into the fire and given it his all. He was open and ready to learn. Justin had been sad to see Rick go, but he had to admit that Chris was a much better student. In the end, the team might indeed be better off with the new Black Ranger.

After another ten minutes, Justin flicked on a microphone. “That’s enough for now, Chris,” he stated, “Go clean up and get some rest.” Hearing him over the speakers, Chris looked up and nodded. As he left the room, he felt the previous week of training catch up to him. He slapped himself lightly and shook it off. There would be time to rest when he was up to par. Gathering his stuff and heading out of the Station, Chris couldn’t help but smile to himself. When this war was all said and done, it would give him plenty of song writing material for years to come.

* * *

As Justin looked over the results of today’s training, he rubbed his eyes and let out a sigh of frustration. This is what his life had come to. Annoyed, he tossed the papers down and leaned back in a chair. He didn’t feel like he was mentoring anybody lately. All the training was weight room and simulator related. There didn’t seem to be anything for him to do. Under different circumstances, if he was a different person, he would be out there with the Rangers, fighting Dark Aver’s forces and bringing peace to the world. But that time had passed in Justin’s life. Long passed.

Swearing under his breath, Justin stood up and prepared to exit the room. As he made his way to the door, Principle Jordan stepped in. Justin walked right past him without a word. “Justin?” the Principle asked. Without looking back, Justin waved him away. “Whatever it is, wait until tomorrow,” he stated, heading out of the Station.

Walking outside, Justin looked up at the clear blue sky above him. Much to his disappointment, he just couldn’t seem to enjoy the beauty when he knew what was waiting somewhere above the skies. Up there, Dark Aver was plotting his next move. Justin narrowed his eyes. The Rangers would have to be ready for the next battle. Somehow, Aver seemed to know exactly where or when to strike. Perhaps he was watching them all some way. In the coming days, Justin decided that he would have to look into it.

His phone rang and Justin dug it out of his pocket. Flicking it open, he held it to his face. “Hello?” he asked. “Good afternoon, handsome,” came Cassandra’s voice. Justin smiled and continued walking. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” he questioned. “I was wondering what your plans for tonight are,” she mused. He shrugged, “Pretty busy. First, I’ve got a few hours of deep brooding to cram in. Then, Wheel of Fortune.” Cassandra let out a cute little laugh. “Wheel of Fortune?” she asked. Justin smiled and confirmed, “Its an exhilarating show.” As much as he hated to admit it, Justin always felt better when talking to Cassandra. He liked her. A lot. She was strong and confident. In a lot of ways, he needed that right now. “Well, I’d hate to upset that wonderful night, but I have a counter offer if you’re interested,” she remarked. Justin walked up to his motorcycle and seated himself. “I don’t know. Vanna’s pretty tough competition,” he joked. “How does dinner at my place sound?” she asked. Justin nodded, “Sounds very nice. What time?” There was a pause as she seemed to look through her day planner. “Uh,” she started, “How about 7:30?” “Sounds perfect,” he replied. Saying their goodbyes, Justin hung up and revved his bike. Despite everything else that was going wrong in his life, at least one thing seemed to be going well.

* * *

Cassandra hung up the phone and bit her thumb, losing herself in deep thought. Tonight would be risky. She had to pull everything off just right. Already, she was feeling guilty about her plans. Cassandra knew that Justin liked her. But that was his mistake. One that she would finally capitalize on. If she could take him out, it would certainly please Dark Aver.

As she thought over the situation, Naa’seth emerged from the shadows. His sudden appearance startled the CEO, but she quickly recovered. She looked him over with a sneer. “Did anyone ever tell you how creepy that is?” she spat. The cloaked creature hovered over to her desk. His pale white hand reached out at her. “You’re planning something,” he hissed. She smiled triumphantly, “Just a little gift for the master.” Naa’seth leaned in across the desk. “You best watch yourself, woman. I’m watching you.” Mockingly, Cassandra shivered, “Ooo! I’m shaking with fear.” Naa’seth hissed and nodded, “One day… you will. And I will enjoy it to the fullest.” With that, the creature backed away to the shadows and disappeared again. His presence was always an annoyance, but it put pressure on her. Tonight had to go perfect.

* * *

The afternoon bell rang at Sable Academy. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. At 3:30 in the afternoon, it marked the end of school for the day. With haste, the student body rushed from class to their lockers and then out into the world for an afternoon of fun. Allie walked outside with Natalie by her side. The sun beamed down and she put on her shades.

Allie turned to her friend. “What are you doing today?” she asked. Natalie shrugged, “I’ve got a paper due next week. I’ll probably work on that.” Allie smiled and shook her head, “We save the city week after week, but we’ve still got homework. What a jip.” The girls continued to walk from the school. “You going out with Shawn tonight?” Natalie asked. Allie shrugged her shoulders, “No plans yet. He seems kind of out of it since Rick left the team.” Natalie lowered her head and nodded. After a pause, she looked up to Allie. “How is he?” she asked. Allie gave her a look, “Rick? From what I’ve heard, he’s kind of withdrawn. Depressed. Angry. Basically, he’s back to his old self.” Natalie sighed, “Oh.” Allie stopped and eyed her friend, “What do you care? You hate Rick.” Natalie avoided her look. “Well,” she started, “The day he quit… he saved me. I’m… I was… grateful.” Allie gave her a peculiar smile and shook her head in disbelief. “Natalie Nguyen,” she muttered, “Who would have guessed.” Natalie frowned, “What does that mean?” Allie smiled and shrugged, “I dunno.”

* * *

On the opposite side of the school, Rick Meyers began walking home, alone and silent. Shawn came up behind him. “Hey, Rick,” he called out. Rick didn’t bother to turn around. He continued walking as Shawn came up to his side. “I got some free time this afternoon,” Shawn started, “You want to do something?” Rick shook his head, “No.” Shawn stayed quiet and the two walked along. “You want to go see a movie this weekend?” he tried asking. Rick stopped, frowning bitterly. “No. Take a hint.” Frustrated, Shawn threw his arms up. “What’s the deal here? Are you going to shut me out completely, now?” Rick pointed back towards the school. “You have your world, Shawn. And its not mine anymore. Go stay with yours, and I’ll stay with mine,” he growled. Growing more upset, Shawn grabbed his shoulder, “That’s a pretty crappy attitude you’ve got there.” Rick jerked away from him and frowned, “Its just the way things are.” Shawn sighed and put his hands on his hips, “You’re an idiot.” Rick nodded, “Then, we’re all in agreement.” Shawn opened his mouth to argue, but closed it quickly. He stood his ground as Rick walked away from him. Lowering his head, Shawn closed his eyes and shook his head. He just didn’t know how to get through to him.

* * *

In the warship high above Sable City, Dark Aver walked into the bridge and took a seat. The crewmen inside went to work, immediately doubling their efforts. No one wanted to draw attention to themselves. Dark Aver lifted his hand and, quickly, a glass of wine was brought to him. He tasted the flavor as only a man of his class could, savoring every drop.

Naa’seth entered the room and came to Dark Aver’s side. “Master,” he started, “everything is proceeding as you have instructed, but I question Cassandra Reynolds’ motives.” Aver smiled to himself, “Cassandra is completely loyal to me, Naa’seth. She is of no concern. All that matters is the next stage of my plan.” The creature humbly bowed, “How may this lowly wretch be of service, my lord?” The war lord grinned viciously, “Your time will come. Given another month or two, the Rangers will be exactly how I want them. Heroes. Gods among their people. But now, it is time to begin slowly showing our strength.” With that, Dark Aver paused and took another sip of wine. Naa’seth waited for more information. “Is there any way I may help,” the creature asked. Aver frowned, “Of course not. You are a worm. It is time to summon forth my army’s general. Leading our soldiers into battle, he will prepare the Rangers for their deaths.”

With that, Dark Aver rose dramatically and the hooded demon cowered in fear. Aver looked down at Naa’seth. “For now, wait here,” the dark lord stated, “I have an offer to make.” Without further explanation, Aver left the bridge and went about his way. Naa’seth watched him leave, wondering what the cruel Emperor could have planned.

* * *

Inside the battle simulator, Shawn torn into various opponents. Having fought nonstop for almost an hour, his holographic enemies were beginning to gain the upper hand. The difficulty was set to ‘high,’ forcing the Red Ranger to push himself harder than his current training schedule required.

Allie stepped into the room and saw him going at it in the simulator. The Station was all but empty this late in the afternoon. She took a seat and watched him. He was especially aggressive tonight. With a frown, she stepped up to the control panel and ended the sequence. The enemies disappeared and Shawn noticed her for the first time. Walking over, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. “What’s wrong?” he asked. She looked to him, “Going a bit strong there, don't you think?” He shrugged and grabbed a water bottle from the floor. “I’d offer to join you,” she started, “But I just now moved up to ‘medium’ difficulty. Pushing yourself a little hard, aren’t you?” Shawn glanced at her and took a drink. “I have to get better,” he explained. Allie walked over to him and rubbed his arm. “Why?” she asked, “What’s the rush?” Shawn sighed and started pacing. “I’m the Red Ranger,” he stated, “I’m suppose to be the strongest. The best. And with Rick gone, we’ve lost our best heavy hitter.” Allie tried to stop his movement. “Then, we’ll all pick up the pace. You don’t have to carry the burden alone,” she offered. Shawn looked to her and grazed her cheek with his finger. “Sooner or later, it’s going to be us versus Dark Aver,” he stated, “And I’m going to be ready when it happens.”

* * *

Justin knocked on the door and waited for an answer. It was five minutes passed the agreed upon time and he scolded himself for being late. Dressed nicely in slacks and a button down shirt, Justin felt very out of place. It had been a long time since he had a reason to dress this way. He examined the outside area and marveled at how clean and expensive everything looked. Justin mentally rebuked himself for letting her see his place when it was so dirty.

Cassandra opened the door and greeted him with a smile. He was taken aback for a moment when he saw her dressed in an elegant gown that truly did her justice. Stepping into the actual house, Justin realized that the outside was nothing compared to the inside. Everything looked rare and expensive. “Rave Tech’s paychecks have been good to you,” he half joked as he looked around at the paintings and furniture that decorated her home. “Did you have trouble finding the place?” she asked. He shook his head, unable to look away from the decor. “No. I just looked for the biggest house in town and rode toward it,” he muttered. She motioned to the couch, “Take a seat. I’ll get some drinks.” She walked to the kitchen, leaving him to stare at the fine, white couch that she had pointed to. He questioned whether he should sit on something so clean. Hesitantly, he sat down and patiently awaited Cassandra’s return.

In the kitchen, Cassandra stood at the counter. Two glasses were filled with red wine. Between the glasses was a vial. She held it up and frowned. Now that the moment had come, she found it tougher to go through with the act. She shook the vial and watched the liquid inside swirl around. Putting on her best game face, she bit her tongue and poured the vial into Justin’s glass. She breathed deeply and picked up the glasses.

Reentering the living room, she put on a sweet smile and handed Justin his glass. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said. He titled his head, “Its okay. You’re worth the wait.” The comment stung her conscience, but she smiled and sat down beside him. Justin took a big drink and looked at the glass. “Huh,” he commented, “Its sweet.” Cassandra nodded, “Yeah. Bittersweet.”

* * *

Night had already overshadowed the city when Rick made his way to the front door. Everyday, he tried to put off his return home for as long as possible. Standing at the door, he prepared himself for his father and unlocked the door. Entering, he tiptoed in didn’t hear the TV blaring as usual. For a brief moment, Rick relaxed and thought he would be able to go to his room without an incident.

“You think you can just sneak it and out whenever you want,” came an all too familiar voice. Rick lowered his head in defeat. “No dad,” he muttered. Sitting in his chair, Mr. Meyers eyed his son angrily. “I thought I told you to stop running around with those damn friends of yours.” Rick turned to him, “I wasn’t. I don’t hang out with anybody anymore. I’m a total recluse. Happy?” His father slowly stood up and grabbed his belt. “I don’t like your tone, young man,” he snarled. Rick’s eyes glanced to the floor and he saw the empty bottles laying at his father’s feet.

Trying to put on his toughest face, Rick backed away from his approaching father. “You good for nothing piece of trash,” his father growled, “That’s all you’ve ever been. That’s all you’ll ever be.” Rick fought back tears as he shook his head, “No. I wasn’t always nothing. For awhile, I was somebody. I was special.”

“And you can be again,” came a voice. Startled, both Rick and his father turned to face a dark figure stepping out of the hallway. Rick looked him over with fear and confusion. “Who are you?” he demanded. The figure smiled, “I am Dark Aver, boy. The very person you once sought to defeat.” Rick went pale and stepped back, “Dark Aver… what… what are you doing here?” The dark lord smiled and stepped into the room. “I want to make you an offer, Rick Meyers.” Rick’s father stepped up, “Who the hell is this pansy ass?” Keeping his eyes on Rick, Aver glared. “This does not concern you, old man,” he warned. Angrily, Mr. Meyers pointed to Aver, “Get out of my house!!”

In a flash, Dark Aver rushed up in front of Mr. Meyers. The middle-aged man’s eyes went wide for a moment. Aver reached out and grabbed his chest with a single hand. Swiftly and without mercy, Rick’s father burst into searing, hot flames. The old man let out a few seconds of agonizing screams until his vocal cords were burned away. Within ten seconds, he was reduced to a charred black skeleton.

Rick took a step forward, unable to process what had just happened. “Dad!” he shouted. Aver turned to him. “That is how one deals with people of his ilk, Rick.” Angrily, Rick gritted his teeth and glared. “I offer you power, boy,” Aver began, “The Rangers never accepted you. Now, you can prove to them what a mistake that was. Join me and I shall grant you strength beyond your wildest dreams. None will ever bring you to your knees again.” Rick locked his eyes on Aver. “You just want me because I know all the inner workings of the Rangers and the Command Station.” Dark Aver smiled and nodded, “That is mostly true. I also believe you have a darkness in you that would be beneficial to me plans.”

Rick stood tall and walked over to Aver. “You can give me real power?” he asked. Dark Aver smiled wide and nodded. Rick shrugged his shoulders, “Well, I guess there’s only one real answer to that offer.” Rick looked Aver in the eyes and spat in his face. “Go to hell!!” Rick shouted and punched Aver square in the jaw. The dark lord stood his ground and hardly moved from the blow. Rick clutched his hand and dropped to his knees, roaring in pain. As soon as his fist had made contact, it seemed to burn like fire.

Aver looked down at the teenager and glared. “You made your choice, Rick Meyers,” he stated, “And like most of the choices made in your life, it was a poor one.” Aver raised his hand at Rick, “But with this choice, you will be suffer the consequences and I will send a warning to the Crystal Rangers.” Rick looked up at Aver and his eyes went wide with fear. From outside, neighbors were startled to see the entire house burst into flames. Consumed by fire, the old house burned away everything that was in it. Thus was the punishment of disrespecting Dark Aver.

* * *

Back in his own apartment, Justin had recently returned from dinner with Cassandra. The evening had been wonderful. Had they not both had a busy day planned for tomorrow, he would have spent the night. Justin went over to his couch and moved a pizza box and dirty clothes out of the way so that he could sit down. He was feeling light headed and blamed it on exhaustion.

Turning on the TV, he caught some news report about a local fire, but Justin couldn’t concentrate. “I just need to get some sleep,” he muttered. Standing back up, he almost fell over. The amount of dizziness he was feeling was odd. Using the walls for support, he made it over to his bedroom and stumbled onto the bed. He was having trouble seeing and used his hand to feel out the phone on his bedside table.

Grabbing it he tried to dial the Command Station, but his strength was quickly fading and he soon dropped the phone. Going numb, Justin tried to sit up, but found it to be too difficult a struggle. “What’s… wrong with me,” he mumbled falling onto the floor. With that, Justin lost all consciousness and laid motionless.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Next Time: Chapter 11 - Driving Force
The Crystal Rangers are forced to deal with one tragedy after another. With Justin dying in a coma, the Rangers have lost their mentor and former teammate to Dark Aver's forces. Meanwhile, a battle rages within the mind of Justin Stewart as he is forced to confront his past and greatest fears.

[Dani]

NOOO!!! Rick!! Oh man. Oh MAN. These chapters just keep on getting more and more intense!! I can't believe how compelling this story is. Damn you, TreyX! Gah!

[BatRanger]

wow this story continues to impress me

[Dani]

Fellow readers of Crystal! I shall nominate this fanfic for fanfic of the month! Please join me.

[Krypt]

Holy Lord, quality fan fiction TreyX. Don't keep us waiting too long. :023:

[TreyX]

Thanks for all the kind words. I've rounded the halfway point of the series, storyline-wise, and now things start coming to a head. Hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters! And, as always, thanks for reading!

[TreyX]

POWER RANGERS CRYSTAL
Cast
Justin Stewart - Team Mentor
Shawn Grayson - Red Ranger
Chris Philips - Black Ranger
James Kennedy - Blue Ranger
Allie Johnson - Pink Ranger
Natalie Nguyen - Yellow Ranger
Principle Jordan - Head of the Ranger program
Cassandra Reynolds - CEO of Rave Tech; designer of new Ranger technology
Dark Aver - intergalactic warlord; successor to Dark Spector
Naa'seth - Fear Demon; General and Spy for Dark Aver
------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER ELEVEN: DRIVING FORCE
The morning started early for the Crystal Rangers. Receiving frantic calls from the Command Station, the five teenagers had rushed from their homes before dawn to discover what had happened. The revelation of the previous night’s events were startling to all. When Justin had not answered several calls from the Station, an officer had gone to check on him. He found Justin laying on the ground, unconscious. Now, the former Turbo Ranger was hooked up to multiple machines in the Medic Center of the Station. The results were not good. A vicious poison had entered his bloodstream and was slowly killing him. By noon tomorrow, he would be dead.

To make a bad situation worse, the Rangers were told about the fire at the Meyers residence. Two charred bodies were found inside the ruins. One adult. One teenager. Not only that, but from the current analysis of the situation, eye witnesses claimed to see a man with black skin leaving the scene shortly after the fire started. Immediately, the Rangers knew that Dark Aver had been the source of the events. The Dark Lord himself had personally come down to the city to take out the former Black Ranger, Rick.

All five teenagers were at a loss for words as Principle Jordan explained the situation. During the briefing, Shawn lowered his head and made no movement or sound. The others comforted each other and shed tears for their fallen comrades. Shawn kept to himself and dealt with the pain alone. Allie held Natalie close and looked over to Shawn. She still didn’t know him well enough to read his emotions. He masked himself from the outside world, but she knew he had to be shattered. Rick had been his best friend for years. Even now, Allie knew she would have to try and reach him. If she couldn’t, he would grow farther apart from the team, closing himself off completely.

Shawn stepped up to Jordan. “Is there no chance for Justin?” he asked. Jordan sighed and shook his head, “We don’t know. Our doctors are trying everything they can, but they don’t even know where to start. This poison is so different from anything found on this planet. It spreads quickly and mutates rapidly. At this point, there doesn’t seem to be any chance of isolating it before tomorrow afternoon. I’m sorry. The best we can do is make him as comfortable as possible.” Shawn nodded, remaining emotionless and stepped away.

Allie walked over to him. “Why don’t we get you some fresh air,” she offered. He looked to her and, for a moment, she could almost see through his defenses and witness the pain he was suffering. Her heart reached out to him, but he pulled away. “No,” he replied, “I’m going to… I have to go.” Allie grabbed his hand, “Go where?” Shawn’s eyes shifted, desperately trying to think and hold himself together all at once. “I… it’s… I don’t know. Away,” he was able to get out. She released her grip and he left the room.

She watched him leave and stood there, staring out at nothing. Now, more than ever, she felt helpless. All the power in the world, and it did her no good. She could feel tears swelling in her eyes. Dark Aver had struck a blow to them that would be irreparable. From the other side of the room, James watched Allie and felt for her. As much as she had reached out to Shawn, she too needed comfort and the Red Ranger had completely ignored her. James, already distraught over the recent events, felt even worse. Dark Aver’s actions were having a destructive ripple effect already. At a time when the team should pull together stronger than ever, they were unraveling. James lowered his head, realizing for the first time that they may not win this war.

Excusing herself from the room, Natalie stepped out of the room. “I should call my parents and let them know that I’ll be out for awhile,” she had explained. Entering the hallway, she wandered down the corridor until she came up to an empty room. Stepping in, she closed the door and turned off all the lights. Crawling over to the corner, she finally broke down. Natalie let herself go and sobbed openly. She had hated Rick for years, but ever since he saved her life, something had changed. It was as if she could understand him clearer. And what she saw was someone in her same position. She felt a connection. Now, she would never know where that could have gone.

* * *

Deep in his mind’s eye, Justin lay shrouded in darkness. For others, it would have been an alarming experience, but for him, it was a moment of peace. There was no war. No shame. No past. No future. No pain. After ten years of misery and torment, Justin found peace. Funny that it had to be in death. As if he was floating in nothingness, he lay there and allowed the darkness to grow blacker still. He could feel it surrounding him. Soon, it would consume him and the little consciousness he had left would be put to rest. Forever.

“Justin,” called an unfamiliar voice. He ignored it, hoping it would fade away. But it didn’t. Again, it called out. This time, breaking through the darkness and disturbing his peace. Again the voice called his name and Justin felt ground beneath his spirit’s body. “No,” he moaned, “Please. Haven’t I done enough? Can’t I finally just rest? Please?”

The darkness was penetrated by light and scenery came into shape. Reluctantly, Justin opened his eyes and could feel blades of grass rubbing up against his body. With the little strength he had, he forced himself to sit up. He looked around and noticed that he was now on a hill top. A tree stood beside him provided shade from the afternoon sun. As his strength came back, Justin stood and looked around. There was a city at the bottom of the hill. He frowned, recognizing the scenery all too well. It haunted his nightmares on a daily basis. “Angel Grove,” he muttered. He stepped forward, surveying the city as well as he could from the hill top. It had been almost ten years since he had laid eyes on the town. Nothing had changed. From the school to the Youth Center, to his old neighborhood, everything was the same.

“How did I get here?” he asked, trying to recall his last memories. They were a blur. He had been at Cassandra’s for dinner. After returning home, his memories blacked out. “Someone brought me here,” he figured, “But why?”

Out in the distance, the sounds of battle faded in. Justin looked out to see the source, but his vision was blocked by buildings. On instinct, he rushed for the battle, hoping to find answers. Running down the hill to the empty street, he turned a corner and stopped dead in his tracks. Despite seeing the action clearly, his mind couldn’t process the reality of the situation. Justin’s jaw dropped and he shook his head, unable to accept the sight.

“Tommy, watch out!!” shouted a heavenly Australian voice. In the middle of a park, Tommy Oliver and Katharine Hillard, worked up a sweat, battling a squad of Piranhatrons. The scene was straight from 1997. Both were in their late teens, garbed in their cliché red and pink civilian outfits. Both fascinated and horrified, Justin stood back and watched his former teammates battle back the incompetent forces of the space pirate, Divatox. As he realized that what he was watching was real, Justin rolled his eyes and touched his temples. “Oh, don’t tell me this is some sort of time travel gimmick,” he moaned.

Tommy spun around, long hair flowing in the wind, as he landed a high spinning heel kick to another Piranhatron. Looking at the battle with experienced eyes, Justin was more impressed than ever with Tommy’s abilities. However, it was obvious that Kat’s skills were lacking at best. Of course, when mere high school students can beat back intergalactic threats between classes, the villains can’t be too difficult. Marveling at the sight, Justin couldn’t get over how goofy the Piranhatrons now looked. As a child, their faces terrified him. Amazing what a few years of live can do to perception.

When they had finished the battle, the enemies dissipated and the two teens regrouped. “We should get back before anyone notices we’re missing,” Tommy suggested. Kat nodded and wrapped her hands around his arm. “Good idea,” she said. Before leaving, Tommy looked back at the ground and furrowed his brow. “I’m just glad Justin wasn’t here to get in our way,” he spat, frustrated. Kat reached up and caressed his cheek. “He’s not that bad,” he replied. Tommy shook his head, “What was Zordon thinking? There were plenty of qualified people available to take Rocky’s spot. Jason, Billy, Zack… I feel like we’ve just been unnecessarily handicapped, you know?” Kat frowned and nodded, “I know. But we have to believe that Zordon knows best. Just be patient.” Tommy looked to her and slowly nodded, “I know. I’m trying. I am.” With that, the two rushed away from the park, returning to their normal lives.

Every word had stung Justin hard. He looked to his far right. Standing in the street was a small twelve year old Justin. He had come to help in the fight. Arriving late, he missed the battle, but caught every word. It had hurt. Bad. Justin stepped back from the scene and recoiled from the memory. He had hidden his sadness through cheer and joy, but from that day forth, Justin had always felt self-conscious about his spot on the team. When the Turbo powers had been bestowed upon him, it was the happiest moment of his life, but in one swift moment, his teammates had shattered it for him. And coming from his idol, the words stung even worse.

Unable to bare witness any further, Justin turned away a ran back to the hill. He could see the darkness that awaited him and he welcomed it. All he had ever wanted to do was help. And he couldn’t even do that right. Soon, it would be over, he thought. Reaching the darkness, he stopped and held himself up for the consuming silence that surely awaited. He just wanted peace. From the day he left the Rangers, to the day that Cassandra Reynolds had confronted him in his apartment… he just wanted to find the peace that would fill the void in his heart. Perhaps now, he could finally welcome death and be shamed no more.

* * *

Outside the Command Station, Shawn sat on a nearby bench and looked out at the sunrise. Rick… Justin… he would begin mourning if he could figure out who to start with. His head was filled with regrets, unspoken words, and precious memories long faded. From behind, James walked up. Shawn had hardly heard him approach. He sat down beside him and the two remained silent. Having never really been friends, they had no true idea what to say or how to interact. James looked to him, “Are you okay?” Shawn laughed to himself over the question. The answer was obvious, but it was a basic opening for conversation. Shawn looked to him and then lowered his eyes. Again, they sat in silence.

“The last time I saw him, I yelled at him. I called him an idiot,” Shawn whispered. James shrugged his shoulders, “Sometimes he was.” Shawn shook his head, “No. He did the best he could with what he had been given. All the years I had knew him and I always stuck by him. And at the end, I gave up on him. I turned my back on him when he needed me the most.” James scoffed and turned to him, “In all the time that I knew Rick Meyers, nobody could stand to be around him. You were the only one who formed some sort of connection with him. The guy had problems. I understand that. But you did everything you could. You went above and beyond to help him. When he left the team, you were the only one who made an effort to bring him back. Rick had his own life to lead, and no one could change that. You have nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, you should be proud. Because you were the one good thing in that kid’s life.” Shawn looked at James and listened. He nodded and looked down at the ground. “When the time comes,” Shawn started, “I’m the one who kills Dark Aver.” James didn’t answer, but nodded and stood up.

As he stepped away, James turned back. “You’re not the only one in pain,” he noted, “There’s a beautiful girl in there that’s as broken up about this as anyone else. I think she could really use some comfort from someone she cares about.” Shawn lifted his head and turned back to James. The two stared each other in the eyes for a long moment. “You love her,” Shawn remarked, just then realizing the truth. James frowned and shrugged, “How could you not?” With that, James turned away and reentered the Command Station. Shawn remained seated, filled with even more thoughts to ponder as the morning sun rose overhead.

* * *

Standing in darkness, Justin awaited the calmness of death, but it would not come. Much to his dismay, he slowly felt more and more uneasy. He was not alone. Looking around, he tried to see the other person, but the darkness was too thick. “Running away again, Justin?” came a soft, feminine voice. From out of the black, stepped Kat. Her blond hair flowed with an unknown wind. She seemed to look down on him and stepped closer with full confidence. “Although,” she noted, “After ten years, I guess you’ve gotten pretty good at it.” Justin shook his head, “You’re wrong. I don’t run. I just tried to deal with things as best as I could.” Kat laughed and took her time, enjoying the comment. She looked him over with a smirk, “You didn’t deal. You ran. Poor little boy. You became a Ranger so that you wouldn’t have to deal with your mother’s death. You dropped out of life so that you wouldn’t have to deal with not being a Ranger. And now you’ve accepted death so that you won’t have to face the coming dangers.”

Kat glared. “You’re pathetic,” she sneered, “And to make it worse, you’re selfish. So desperate to accommodate yourself, that you ignore the obvious truth.” Justin narrowed his eyes, “What do you mean?” Kat ignored him and walked around him in a circle. “You’ve always liked older women, haven’t you?” she commented, “I use to notice you staring at me from time to time. Was I your first crush?” Justin could feel his face grow red. He frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. “It doesn’t really matter, now. I suppose it’s some sort of desire for a mother figure. A textbook Freudian complex.” Kat broke away from her circle and started back into the darkness. Justin stepped forward. “What does all that mean?” he called out. Her reply seemed to echo throughout the black. “The answer is right in front of you. Just look her in the eyes,” Kat’s voice replied, look after she had faded from sight.

Justin stood there, helpless. “I don’t understand,” he whispered. “That’s what I said when you came to us that night,” came a new voice. Justin stiffened and turned around. Tommy stood there with his arms folded, glaring angrily. “If you had opened your eyes for a split second, you would have seen the reaction we gave you when you told us that you were the new Blue Ranger. Or maybe you did notice. Maybe you just ignored it and hoped to prove yourself along the way. Guess that never really worked out, huh?” mused Tommy. Justin gritted his teeth. “I did my best,” he growled, “I was only a kid. All I ever wanted to do was help… to be useful.” Tommy laughed, “And useful you were. But to which side? Five years I was a Ranger. Five. I’d been through hell and back. Rita, Zedd, the Machine Empire… none of them could stop us. But you? You succeeded where others failed. Three months was all we could stand of you. We gladly gave up the power and ran out of town to escape you. And if you ask me, it was worth it.” Justin stepped back and shook his head, “That’s not true. You’re not real.” Tommy shrugged, “I had hoped TJ’s team would have better luck with you, but by the end, you ran them off the planet. Way to Go.” Justin placed his hands over his ears and closed his eyes, trying to shut out the words, but they seemed to penetrate his very mind. As Tommy stepped back into the shadows, he laughed. “Then again, I’m not the one who should be talking to you,” Tommy mused as he faded from sight.

Justin looked up and around, wondering what that had meant. “I think he was talking about me,” came a voice. Justin looked behind him and stared back at a startling sight. Standing before him was the Blue Turbo Ranger. The Ranger took slow steps forward, approaching Justin. “You didn’t think you’d get through this without facing me, did you?” the Turbo Ranger questioned. Justin glared, “You’re not me.” The Ranger let out a laugh and nodded, “Right you are, kiddo. I’m not you. I’m not even the Blue Turbo Ranger.” As he spoke, the Ranger unclipped the locks on the side of his helmet, and pulled it off, revealing his identity to Justin. The face was one he had not seen in many years. The sight threw him off as he stepped back, wide-eyed. Rocky lowered the helmet in his hands. “But I should have been,” he growled.

Justin didn’t know what to say. “I… Rocky… I was just trying to help,” he tried to explain. Rocky’s face flickered with rage. “By stealing my life?” he yelled. Justin shook his head, “No. You… you were hurt. You never came back.” Rocky put his hands on his hips and looked disgusted, “And how embarrassing was it to be replaced by a child!” Justin held back tears as he tried to explain, “I didn’t mean to…” Rocky pointed at him, accusingly, “You took what was mine. Those powers were made for me. They should have been mine.” Justin, defeated, lowered his head, unable to face him, “I’m… I’m sorry.” Rocky rushed up and grabbed him by the shirt. “You were never fit to be the Blue Turbo Ranger,” he snarled, “It could have been me. It SHOULD have been me.” Helpless, Justin tried to regain his composure, “But I…” Rocky glared viciously, “YOU should have stayed a depressed little kid, sitting in his room, crying for his dead mommy.” With that, Justin snapped. “NOO!!! Shut up!!!” he screamed, pushing Rocky away. As the former Zeo Ranger stumbled to regain his footing, Justin rushed up and tackled him to the ground. Justin’s rage fueled his actions as he repeatedly punched Justin in the face, over and over again. The splatter of blood did nothing to slow him down.

* * *

Still sitting on the bench, Shawn had finally been able to work through a few of his thoughts and questions. There was still plenty to think about, but at least he felt a sense of stability again. Coming near the premises, Shawn noticed an extravagant looking woman. She walked up to him. “Can I help you?” he asked. She looked tired; as if she hadn’t slept at all the previous night. “My name is Cassandra Reynolds,” she spoke, “I built your Ranger technology.” The revelation surprised Shawn and he stood up. Out of her pocket, she pulled out a vial. “I know of Mr. Stewart’s condition. Give this to him,” she explained. Shawn took the vial from her and looked it over. “An antidote?” he asked. She thought of his question and frowned slightly. “It’s really up to him,” she replied. Skeptical, Shawn eyed her carefully. She looked at him and sighed, “You haven’t much time.” Understanding, Shawn turned from her and ran into the Station. Torn by her feelings, Cassandra wasn’t sure whether she felt better or worse.

* * *

Justin stood over Rocky’s body and felt his bloody fist shaking at his side. From out of the darkness, a voice echoed, “Well, I think we got a little bit closer to the answer of our question.” Justin barely recognized this new voice. It was his. “Question?” he asked. “Who is Justin Stewart?” came the voice.

“What do you mean?”
“Well, YOU’RE certainly not Justin Stewart. You’re a mask he wears to hide himself from the world.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Poor, young man; constantly moaning about how useless he is, yet still finds two hours in every day to keep himself in top physical condition. Hmm. Interesting. I think its time we met the real Justin Stewart.”

Quizzical, Justin looked around, still unable to track a source for the voice. “What do you mean?” he asked. “He means me,” came a reply nearby. Justin turned around and saw a figure emerge from the darkness. “No… not you,” Justin muttered. Standing before him was his twelve year old self. “Me. Justin Stewart,” little Justin remarked. Justin glared and shook. “What is this? Some sort of hell before I die?” he spat. His little self smiled innocently and tilted his head. “Think of this as… judgment,” he mused. Confused, Justin stood straight. “For what?” he asked. Angrily, little Justin pointed at him, “You hate me!” Surprised, Justin stepped back. “Hate you?! But… you’re me,” he said. Little Justin waved his hands in the air, emphasizing his point. “Nothing is ever enough. You’re never satisfied with yourself. You hate yourself. So much that you have a death wish,” the child mocked. Justin turned away from him. “I won’t listen to this anymore,” he stated, wanting this all to end. But right in front of him was his younger self. The child stepped forward, still angry, “You ruined my life!!” Justin stood his ground, determined to defend himself. “No!” he shouted, “I did what I thought was best. It may not have always been right, but I tried. If I could turn back the clock, there are plenty of things I would do differently, but I accept what has happened. I hid from the world because I didn’t want to be hurt again. I didn’t want to screw things up. I just wanted to live in peace. I wanted to live in safety. I just… I wanted to live. I… I want to live.”

Even as he spoke the words, he was surprised to find that he meant them. Justin stood there, dwelling on the thoughts. Standing before him, the child smiled sweetly and nodded, “And so you shall.” With that the little boy stepped up to Justin and touched him on the left wrist. There was a blue light that swirled to white. Before he could ask what had happened, the darkness turned into a blinding light and Justin shielded his eyes.

* * *

On the bed in the Medical Area, Justin’s eyes fluttered open. As his sight focused more clearly, the shapes of the medical center took form. Standing over him were the excited faces of the Crystal Rangers. There was a loud commotion for a brief moment as Justin stirred from his sleep.

“He’s awake!”
“I don’t believe it!”
“It’s a miracle!”
“Thank God!”

Justin forced himself to sit up. A doctor came up and tried to lay him back down. “Easy, Mr. Stewart,” the doctor cautioned, “Don’t strain yourself.” Justin shook his head, “Its okay. I feel fine.” Principle Jordan stepped up, amazed. “I can’t believe it worked,” he gasped, “I thought you were as good as dead.” Justin rolled his neck, stretching it. “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he muttered.

Looking over the Crystal Rangers faces, he noted a sizable amount of sadness. “Hey,” he said, “Relax. I’m okay. Cheer up.” Allie shook her head, “Its not that, Mr. Stewart. Its… something else.” Justin frowned and focused on the young, teenage blond. “Its Rick…” she started, “Dark Aver killed him last night.” Justin’s eyes went wide as the information sunk in. He looked around the room, trying to grasp the situation. Finally, he looked to Shawn. “We’ll get him for this,” he said, unsure of what else to say.

With that, the doctors ushered everyone out of the room, demanding that Justin get some rest. Once everyone had left, Justin sat on the bed and look at his left wrist. He flicked it and the Eltar technology that normally veiled the Turbo morpher from sight, revealed the decade old device. Justin ran his fingers over the morpher and felt a change. The power within the morpher had been altered somehow. He didn’t understand how or what it meant, but for now, he kept it to himself.

* * *

As the Crystal Rangers began leaving the Station for the day, they all said their goodbyes. Shawn, quietly left the group, still dazed and shook up from the past twenty-four hours. Allie watched him leave, but didn’t try to stop or join him. He didn't need her.

Chris put his arm over Natalie and comforted her from an emotional morning. “Hey, James,” he called out, “I’m going to take Nat home. I think she’s had enough for one day.” James nodded and watched his friend take the Yellow Ranger out. Her face was covered in dried tears.

Only Allie and James were left. Lost in thought, the Pink Ranger leaned against the wall and lowered her head. Hesitantly, James approached her. He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Do you want me to take you home?” he asked. She shook her head. He took his hand away and stood there. After a moment, he tried again, “Is there anything I can do?” She looked up to him. The pain on her face broke his heart, but he stood his ground, not wanting to break any boundaries. “Its just all so much,” she said; her voice breaking, “I try to be there for him, but he won’t let me. I just… I think I need to rest.” She stepped up and buried herself in James’ chest, feeling safe in the arms of the man she would call her brother. She began to silently weep and he held her tightly, wanting desperately to help her. As her legs wavered, the two teenagers sunk to the floor and James continued to hold her. “Shh. Shh.” he whispered, “Its okay. I’m here for you. As long as you need me, I’ll be here. I promise.”

* * *

Shawn had ignored school for the day. There were far too many larger subjects to deal with. Originally, he had just meant to walk around town for a little while, but he found himself standing in front of the remains of the Meyers residence. There was police tape surrounding the border. Shawn looked over the ashes and burned wood, still able to point out which room was which. Little was left. Dark Aver had done his job well.

Shawn lowered his head. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, Rick,” he whispered, “I really tried.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. “But I won’t let your death go unpunished. I will make Aver pay for this,” Shawn vowed. He pulled out a picture and laid it on the ground in front of the ashes. “I’m going to become strong. I’ll fight Dark Aver and I’ll kill him. I promise you, Rick, I’ll kill him for this,” he vowed. Shawn looked up at the sky, thinking of the warship that floated somewhere overhead. “Aver, my name is Shawn Grayson. I’m the Red Ranger. And you’re life is mine.” With that, Shawn walked away. Leaving behind the small picture, taken years ago of two boys with their whole lives in front of them. It had been taken during a time of innocence; a time long gone. Rick Meyers and Shawn Grayson. Friends forever. Even in death.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Next Time: Chapter 12 - Battle Ready
Trying to bounce back from the recent events, the Crystal Rangers reenter battle. Cassandra's feelings tear her apart while Justin attempts to full meaning of his death dream.

[Dani]

. . . you made me cry.

[Apollo]

Very good, I was wondering what you was going to do with the near death experience and you wrote it perfectly.

[BatRanger]

very well written chapter. I see you are going to break up Shawn and Allie or is that just my assumption or are you not going to tell me and make guess. :)

[Dani]

don't even try to guess. you never know WHAT this guy is going to do. it's freaking amazing.

[BatRanger]

don't even try to guess. you never know WHAT this guy is going to do. it's freaking amazing.

you do have a point there

[TreyX]

Glad you guys are enjoying it so far. The odd relationship of Shawn and Allie will continue until the very end of the series, in one form or another. Its a matter of two people trying to figure themselves and each other out at the same time. Now that I've hit the mid-point of the series, everything's starting to setup for the finale.

Thanks for the kind comments. They are always good for motivation when I'm sitting at my desk, trying to write. I hope I continue to put out chapters that you all enjoy.

[TreyX]

POWER RANGERS CRYSTAL
Cast
Justin Stewart - Team Mentor
Shawn Grayson - Red Ranger
Chris Philips - Black Ranger
James Kennedy - Blue Ranger
Allie Johnson - Pink Ranger
Natalie Nguyen - Yellow Ranger
Principle Jordan - Head of the Ranger program
Cassandra Reynolds - CEO of Rave Tech; designer of new Ranger technology
Dark Aver - intergalactic warlord; successor to Dark Spector
Naa'seth - Fear Demon; General and Spy for Dark Aver
------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER TWELVE: BATTLE READY
“That’s it! Stay strong! Keep it up! Pick up the pace, guys!” shouted Justin from the observation room. Deep in the Command Station, the five teenage Rangers were in the middle of the battle simulator, training for future attacks. In the week since Rick’s death, the team had really pushed themselves hard. Now, more than ever, it appeared that they understood what was at stake. This wasn’t a game that they would all walk away from at the end. Justin had seen vast improvements in the past week. Everyone was getting stronger and faster. Even Natalie.

Principle Jordan walked up behind Justin and watched the monitor for a moment. “They’re really getting better,” he noted. The former Ranger nodded and continued watching. Only yesterday had the medics given him a clean bill of health. All traces of the poison in his body were gone. Finally back on his feet, Justin felt a renewed sense of self that he had been missing for years. Never the less, the source of the poison was still an unanswered question. But even that would be taken care of soon enough. Justin’s eyes locked on Shawn’s performance. He was quickly becoming the strongest member of the team. Rick’s death had become his torch, driving him to plow past his limits.

Down in the simulator, Shawn continued to attack three holographic Dark Soldiers. It had gotten to the point that he was surprised he ever had trouble with them. They were easy prey. Shawn was beginning to desire a bigger challenge. He needed a target; something to focus his pent up feelings on.

Across the room, Allie watched Shawn in the corner of her eye. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t figure him out. His leadership skills were as strong as ever. Throughout a battle, he took command and maneuvered the Rangers into the best possible position for attack. He kept them all together and on the same page. But, the rest of the time, Shawn stayed to himself and closed off.

It was obvious to the team that he was progressing faster than the rest, but she was determined to close the gap. In the recent week, Allie had devoted all her free time to training and hardening herself for the coming battles. During group training, she could see surprise on the faces of James and Chris as she proved to be catching up with them in terms of strength and skill. She felt a sense of resentment towards Shawn for not opening up to her. The feelings drove her desire to surpass him in skill. Before long, she would be the second toughest member of the team. And after that, she would overtake the Red Ranger.

A Dark Soldier came up behind her and she noticed it at the last minute. Before she could turn to face it, James came up and suplexed it to the ground. Getting back to his feet, the Blue Ranger smiled at her. “Are you okay?” he asked. Allie frowned. “I can take care of myself,” she replied before jumping into a new fight. Letting out a sigh of frustration, James shook his head as he watched her fight off more enemies. She had changed so rapidly in the past week. Natalie had more or less remained the same since becoming a Ranger and comparing her to Allie was startling to him. They had once been so similar, but now, Allie was capturing a sense of independence and strength. It was so different from his perception of her. However, it didn’t change his feelings for her and he promised to stay by her side for as long as he could, no matter how she viewed him.

* * *

As the Rangers finished their training for the day, Justin excused himself and stepped into an empty room to rest and think. In the past week, he had felt so many inner changes and he tried to be true to them. The dream he had experienced while in the coma had greatly altered his idea of himself and his past. His misery and self-loathing had greatly diminished in the past week as he tried to rebuild a sort of life for himself. Part of that included cleaning up his act. Part of that included becoming more involved with the Rangers. And part of that meant figuring out his relationship with Cassandra. She was a beautiful, intelligent woman and he felt things for her that had never been returned before.

Justin pulled out his cell phone and paused before dialing her number. Finally, he did and he waited for a response. “Hello?” came her strong, yet sweet voice. “Cassandra? It’s Justin,” he remarked. She greeted him and they exchanged quick pleasantries. Justin sat up. “Are you busy tonight?” he asked. “No. What did you have in mind?” she replied. “How about dinner tonight at my place?” he suggested. Justin could almost see her smile on the other line. “Sounds great,” she said. He gave her a time to meet and then they hung up. By nightfall, Justin figured he would have plenty of time to understand his feelings and how best to proceed with Cassandra Reynolds.

* * *

Cassandra hung up her phone and sat in her office leather chair. She was pleased that Justin had fully recovered from the poison, but even those feelings of joy bothered her. Her loyalty was to Dark Aver. It had been for years. He had placed her in the position of Rave Tech CEO to better serve his plans. All the power and wealth that she had amassed was because of the dark lord. Cassandra knew herself. She knew that she was selfish, desiring the finer things in life. When it all came down to it, she was out for herself.

However, Justin had shaken things up too much. He had genuine feelings for her and, at first, it had been amusing. Now, she questioned whether she was actually returning those feelings. He was a strong man and had proved to be both noble and wise. Under different circumstances, she would explore the situation to the fullest with no second thoughts, but Dark Aver was so close to implementing his plan. There could be no room for error. But she still felt drawn to the former Ranger. Hiding the truth from him was becoming more and more uncomfortable. To her disgust, she was actually feeling something that resembled guilt. Against her better judgment, Cassandra walked over to the window in her office and made a difficult decision. “Tonight,” she said to herself, “I’ll tell him tonight.”

* * *

Crouching in the shadows of the warship’s bridge, Naa’seth hissed angrily. Dark Aver was so close to executing his plan. If it all succeeded, the cloaked creature would be greatly rewarded by the warlord. Because of this, he had a vested interest in seeing the plan unravel without problem. Cassandra Reynolds was showing signs of becoming a problem and that alarmed the fear demon.

Dark Aver sat proudly on the throne in the bridge. Soft melodies from distant galaxies played overhead. Aver took in each note and savored the art and beauty that went into it all. Naa’seth approached cautiously. “My lord,” he started, “I cannot help but worry about Cassandra’s future involvement in your plans.” Aver smirked to himself and snapped his fingers at a lowly soldier who rushed to find him a glass of wine. “You needn’t worry yourself about Ms. Reynolds, Naa’seth,” the dark lord mused, “We are far past the point of no return. Even if she dared to betray me, too many things are in motion. My time is fast approaching. Soon, this planet will be mine and I will control all of existence.”

Aver stood from his chair and stepped forward, viewing an image of the Earth. “And now, the next phase of my plan shall begin. My general is almost here. When he arrives, he will lead our forces into battle and provide the last push that the Rangers need to become worthy opponents,” he explained. Naa’seth bowed, “Very good, master. I am sure that he will be as great as you have told. Should I prepare a squad of Dark Soldiers to accompany him to Earth?” Aver shook his head, “Once again, you prove why I am the one in charge. He will not strike immediately. First, I will allow him to observe his enemies in action. Then, he will understand what they are capable of.” Naa’seth nodded, “An excellent strategy, great one.”

Dark Aver looked down and seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. He turned to the hooded creature. “I want a new strike on the city initiated in an hour,” he ordered, “Make sure the soldiers’ actions are less destructive in the beginning. I want the Earth’s news casters to arrive in time.” Naa’seth bowed again and excused himself. “Thy will be done,” he stated before exiting the room. Aver took his seat and leaned his head back, savoring the fullness of his plot. “True genius must be savored,” he thought.

* * *

In the backseat of Shawn’s car, he and Allie kissed each other. They groped one another aggressively, releasing pent up energy and feelings. Much like on the battlefield, they battled for the dominant position. Unspoken, they competed in a way that took all feeling out of the acts. Finally, they separated, breathing hard and staring at each other silently. A few weeks ago, each act was slow and gentle, expressing a connection that seemed long forgotten.

Allie adjusted her bra and slumped back in the seat. “This isn’t going to end well, is it?” she whispered. Shawn ran his hands through his hair and sighed. “Us? Probably not,” he replied. Allie rubbed her arms and lowered her head. “Then, what’s the point of continuing?” she asked. Looking out the window, Shawn pondered the question. “A chance to feel. Even if it is fake,” he suggested. He looked to her, “Do you want to stop?” Allie thought about that for a moment and shook her head. “Logic screams I should, but I don’t want to. Does that make sense?” she asked, feeling rather naked at the moment. Shawn nodded, “There’s no guarantee that we’ll walk away from this in the end. With that type of risk, it makes sense to want what’s available. Even if its not real.” Allie brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them. “Every girl’s dream,” she muttered.

Both of their phones rang simultaneously. Picking them up, they answered. It was the Command Station. “A new situation has arisen. Arrive at the Station for debriefing in ten minutes,” Jordan ordered before hanging up. The two teenagers looked to each other and nodded. Shifting up to the front seat, they headed for duty, suddenly eager for a fight.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the five teenagers stood together, being filled in on the situation. Behind them, Justin leaned against the wall, listening closely. Jordan placed two satellite photos on the table between him and the Rangers. “These were taken thirty minutes ago. Two pods were ejected from Dark Aver’s warship. They should land at different points in the city within the hour,” he explained, “A multiple strike on the city was inevitable, sooner or later. You five must decide whether to split up or face one monster at a time.” The teens look to each other and discussed the different possibilities. Shawn stepped up, “Safety of the team has to be first priority. We go together. We watch each other’s backs. We come home safe.” The other four agreed to this logic and the decision was made.

Justin came up at this point. “While you take care of the first monster, I’ll keep an eye on the second.” The Rangers nodded. Chris smiled, “Thanks.” Justin shrugged, “No need. You guys are the ones doing all the work.” As the teens began exiting the room, Shawn stopped and turned back to Justin. “Be careful,” he said. Justin smiled and nodded, “You too.” When they were gone, Jordan turned to Justin. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?” he asked. Justin frowned, “I can handle it.” Jordan sighed and wiped the sweat from his brow, “I hope so.” As Justin left, he couldn’t help but think, “Me too.”

* * *

When the five teenagers arrived on the scene, the first monster had already landed. It tore through a strip of retail stores will glee. Oozing puss from it's hard orange skin, the creature tore through brick walls like they were nothing. Shawn turned to the group. “We better morph and get started,” he said, “It won’t be long before the TV camera crews are here and we can’t risk anyone catching our transformations on tape.” The team nodded and raised their morphers up. “Rangers!! Crystallize!!!” they shouted in unison. In a flash of light, the five Crystal Rangers were in full gear, prepared for battle.

The Rangers rushed up to the front of the stores and blocked the creature’s exits. The Red Ranger pulled out his blaster and fired multiple bursts into the store, causing a flurry of dust and smoke to rise. The monster emerged from hiding, coughing. Immediately, the Pink Ranger attacked the monster with a jump kick to the back of its neck. The creature howled and took a swipe at her. The Blue Ranger pulled her back to safety. The Black and Yellow Ranger came from different sides, striking at the monster with all their might. Grabbing the Yellow Ranger by the throat, the monster threw her into Chris, eliminating both of them from the battle for the time being. Shawn leapt into battle and avoided the monster’s attacks with relative ease. All the training had paid off immensely.

The TV news crews began arriving and filming the battle. Reporters did their best to describe the situation to viewers across the city. Meanwhile, the Rangers continued their assault on the creature, striking at every possible weak spot they could think of. Shawn turned to the group. “Pull back!” he ordered and they all jumped backwards. “Aim for the chest,” he commanded, pulling out his blaster again. The five followed suit and locked on their target. Shawn narrowed his eyes. “Fire!!” he bellowed. The Crystal Rangers pulled the triggers and unleashed a storm of energy blasts at the monster’s chest.

The blasts knocked it back and it stumbled into the wall of a store. “Did it work?” Natalie asked. James stepped forward and waited for the smoke to dissipate. When it did, his view of the creature became clear and he frowned. “Not even a scratch,” he moaned. Shawn swore under his breath and stepped back. “We don’t have anything strong enough to damage this thing.”

* * *

Across town, the other monster began it’s own rampage of terror, smashing through cars and anything else it could find. On a nearby rooftop, Justin stood and watched the scene. The people below scattered quickly, screaming. The former Ranger frowned and wished there was something more he could do until the others arrived. Justin restrained himself and accepted the situation. Unless things escalated past property damage, he would remain in place. This was the Crystal Rangers’ battle. Not his.

* * *

Shawn stepped back from the noises of battle and radioed the Station from his helmet. “We’re in trouble,” he explained to Jordan. The principle thought over the situation and finally replied. “I had hoped to ease you into further training before revealing these, but we’ll have to activate your Crystal Weapons,” Jordan announced. Shawn’s eyes went wide for a moment, “You choose NOW to mention these?!” Jordan ignored him and continued, “Squeeze your belt buckle and a burst of energy will appear in front of you, forming your specialty weapon.” Shawn nodded, “I’ll give it a try.”

Jumping back into the battle, the Red Ranger relayed the new information to the team. They stood together and did as ordered. Squeezing their buckles, they felt and heard a hum of energy. Radiant light appeared before them. Shawn grabbed hold of the light and a long, red sword came into form. He held and examined it with great interest. It felt light as a feather, but was obviously very sharp and quite dangerous. Allie held out a bow and noticed that when she pulled back the string, an energy bolt would form for her to fire. Chris held a double bladed staff and twirled it around with great ease. James held a pair of upgraded hand blasters. Finally, Natalie noticed a small crossbow on each arm.

Shawn pointed his sword at the creature. “Okay, Rangers. Time for round two!” he shouted. With that, the five once again raced into battle, eager to try out their new weapons. The Red Ranger swung his sword and watched it slash right through the creature’s arm. The amount of power the blade had surprised Shawn at first, but he quickly found himself liking it. Their confidence in the fight restored, the Rangers continued the assault to the delight of the reporters, watching intently.

* * *

Across the city, the second creature’s rampage began to pick up the pace. Having demolished several cars and lampposts, the monster was looking to do far worse. Justin watched, holding his ground firmly. As he gazed down from the rooftop, he noticed the monster moving to assault a group of civilians that had yet to escape from the scene. Justin clinched his teeth, hoping the people would be smart enough to run for it. Unfortunately, they remained in place, cowering in fear. “Damn it,” muttered Justin. He had truly wanted to avoid this.

Stepping up to the edge of the roof, Justin peered down the five stories to the ground. The wind blew through his hair and he took a deep breath. The roar of the creature echoed throughout the street as it stood just feet away from the terrified people. Taking one step forward, Justin dropped off the building. Coming down, he spun into a forward flip and landed in a crouching position behind the monster. If not for the power that flowed through him, the fall would have surely broken his legs.

“Hey!!” he shouted to the monster. It turned and gazed at Justin with interest. “Why don’t you try facing someone who can defend themselves,” he sneered. The people finally took the opportunity to escape. Justin watched them run to safety and turned his attention back to the creature. “You should feel honored,” he mused, “Only a select few get to be killed by me.” Justin couldn’t tell if the monster had even understood him. It growled and started walking towards him.

Justin held out his wrist and flicked it, causing his turbo morpher to flash into sight. But this time, something was different. Usually, the ignition key would appear in his other hand. This time, there was no key to be found. Alarmed, Justin stepped back to assess the situation. He looked to his morpher and was even more startled to see the key hole was gone. Justin let out a slew of obscenities. As the monster continued to approach him, he backed away and tried to figure out what had happened. “Think, Justin. Think,” he muttered, “What’s happened that could alter your morpher.”

As if his mind was answering his own question, Justin remembered how his younger self had touched his wrist in his dream. The memory of that seemed to unlock a slew of thoughts inside Justin’s mind. Suddenly, everything seemed clear. He didn’t understand how. He didn’t understand why. But now was not a time for questions.

Justin narrowed his eyes and stood his ground. Standing tall, Justin raised his morpher up. “Turbo!! Crystallize!!!” he roared. An explosion of light shook the entire street. A blue shockwave rippled through the area, knocking the creature back dozens of feet. The street was torn apart by the blast and a cloud of dust and smoke flowed upwards.

The creature stood up, baffled by the sudden event. He gazed into the cloud as it disappeared. Standing in the center was a lone figure. Startled, the monster could almost feel the power radiating from the persona. There, stood a Power Ranger. Enveloped in jagged blue, black, and white armor, he was an upgraded Turbo Ranger. The creature shivered and stood a gasp. Long before he had served as a soldier for Dark Aver, he had been a low level servant of the dark princess, Astronema. What he saw before him was altered, but far too similar to the deadliest warriors in the princess’ army. “… Psycho Ranger…” the creature hissed.

The new Ranger stepped forward and from one step alone, Justin could feel a surge of power. It was incredible. He had never felt so strong; so confident. Justin smiled and pointed at the beast before him. “Not to sound cocky,” he started, “But you are SO screwed.” In a flash, Justin rushed up to the monster and raised his fist in the air. In mid-air, Justin let out a warrior’s cry. The creature’s eye grew wide as he stood frozen in place, too terrified to move.

* * *

James fired his guns and the monster’s skin was pierced by the blasts. It howled in pain. Allie leapt into the air and fired off to energy bolts with her bow. The bolts shot into the creature’s feet, nailing it to the ground. Unable to move, the monster looked up and saw the Red Ranger rushing at him. As if to give off one last show of defiance, the creature hissed at the coming Ranger. Shawn raised his sword with both hands and swung down hard, tearing the monster in half with a single slice. Green blood gushed from the halved creature.

With the first monster successfully defeated, the Crystal Rangers regrouped. Before they could talk, they heard distant sounds of cheering. The five looked around to see a crowd of people watching from afar. They were celebrating the Rangers’ victory. The gratitude surprised the heroes at first, but they soon remembered that their job wasn’t over yet. Shawn snapped his fingers to get everyone’s attention. “We’ve got to get to the second site right away,” he noted. The group agreed and, in haste, jumped to the rooftops and headed across town. As they hurried, Shawn hoped that they could get there before the second monster caused too much damage.

* * *

The monster stumbled back in agony, covering his face with his hands. Blood spewed from his newly hollowed eye sockets. Standing in front of him, Justin fingers were freshly covered in the creature’s flesh. Enraged, the monster lunged blindly at him, swiping with his claws. Justin grabbed the attacking arm and held it in place. Pushing with all his might, the Ranger snapped the arm backwards, breaking it at the elbow. As bone tore through the creature’s skin, it cried out in pain once again. The enhanced Turbo Ranger walked up to the creature as it knelt to the ground. The monster looked in his direction. “No more! Grant me mercy! I beg you!” the monster howled. Justin looked down at him and glared. “Dark Aver took the life of our friend. For this, there will be NO mercy,” the Ranger announced. The monster’s face hung in defeat as Justin reached out for him. Grabbing the creature’s head, Justin twisted and snapped the monster’s neck. It slumped to the ground and lay motionless.

At this point, the five Crystal Rangers arrived on the scene and stopped dead in their tracks. Allie gasped, “Who is that?!” Shawn shook his head, “I… I don’t know.” The new Ranger turned to them and slowly approached. Cautiously, the Rangers got into fighting stance, ready for anything. “Stand down,” the Ranger stated, “I am not your enemy.” With that, the Ranger powered down and the Crystal Rangers were shocked to see Justin standing before them.

“Justin!!” James yelped, unable to believe it. Shawn shook his head, amazed. The others powered down and came to their mentor’s side, eager to hear the details of his new powers. Somehow, the team had succeeded in defeating two separate monsters. With all the devastation they had dealt with recently, a little good news was cause for celebration. While the five teenagers talked about the help of having a sixth Ranger by their side, Justin was hesitant to join in the excitement. He still wasn’t sure where the new powers truly came from. And if his theory was correct, it may be too dangerous to use them again. But for now, he let the five have their fun. They had earned an excuse to smile and laugh once again. Justin frowned and wondered how long it would be before their smiles were once again stripped away.

* * *

Half a block away, Dark Aver stood on top of a building and gazed down at the cheerful Rangers. It amazed him that he could get so close without them being able to sense it. Perhaps they were still not the warriors he needed them to be. Never the less, that would all come soon enough. Dark Aver turned to the figure at his side. “Did you get everything you needed?” the dark lord asked. “More than enough,” came the reply.

Standing before him was a tall humanoid warrior clad in black armor from head to toe. Armor, made from the strongest metals in the universe, that was truly worthy of being worn by the mighty general of Dark Aver’s forces. As the dark warrior watched the scene, he tightened his grip on his black sword. His desire to face the Crystal Rangers was strong. He would tear them apart and gain even more recognition in Dark Aver’s eyes. “Tell me, Obsidian,” Aver said, “After watching this battle, do you think they will be too much for you?” The general scoffed at the suggestion and focused his attention on Shawn. “The red one is the leader,” he noted, “I will save him for last.” Aver smiled, “That should be quite an exhibition.” As Aver turned away to return to the warship, Obsidian took another moment to look over the six Rangers. “Soon,” he whispered before joining his master.

* * *

Coming off a long day of work, Cassandra had been left with little time to return home and change for the evening. She stepped up to Justin’s apartment door, clad to a silk, black dress. She knocked on the door and waited. “It’s open,” came Justin’s muffled voice through the wall. Cassandra reached out and opened the door. Stepping inside, she was startled by the sight that awaited her. The place was clean! Taking in a sniff, she realized that the smell of old food was gone too. “Wow! This is a change,” she remarked, looking around at the place. Justin was by the window and peering out at the beautiful night sky. “I’ve been trying to… clean myself up… in recent days,” he said. She smiled, “It’s an improvement.”

Justin turned from the window and faced her. “Funny thing happened in battle today. I morphed into a new kind of Ranger,” he said, nonchalantly. She smiled and nodded, “Okay. Guilty as charged.” Justin stepped over to his coffee table and picked up a drink. “Do tell,” he mused. Cassandra couldn’t hide the pride she felt from initiating the scheme. “When I gave Shawn the antidote for the poison, there was an extra ingredient inside. An off planet chemical that, combined with the Eltarian energy core that powers your morpher, enhances the power by a hundred fold. When the antidote made it’s way to your arm, it altered the Turbo Morpher,” she
explained excitedly. Justin smiled and nodded, “Interesting.”

Cassandra took off her shoes and looked back to him. “Don’t keep me waiting in suspense. Did you like it?” she asked. Justin looked to her, “Tell me one thing, first.” Cassandra shrugged, “Shoot.” Justin took a sip of his drink and gave her a smile. “Just how long have you been working for Dark Aver?” he asked politely. The question made her stomach jump into her throat. “W… what?” she stuttered out. “Was it from the very beginning,” he questioned, “Or were you seduced somewhere along the way?” Cassandra felt her heart beat rapidly and she didn’t know what to say. Justin shrugged and started walking towards her. “Aver always knew when to attack, where to attack, how to get into the Station, who to strike,” he listed, “It had to be an inside job. Then, you got sloppy. There was only one place I had been to the night I was poisoned. Was it in the food? Maybe you put something in my drink.”

Cassandra backed away, shaking her head, trying to think of some excuse or reason to calm him down. Justin stepped up to her and glared. Cassandra tensed up, “I didn’t want to. But things just got too complicated. I… I didn’t think things would get like this.” Justin shrugged his shoulders, “Like what? Like me catching on?” Cassandra shook her head, “No. I didn’t think I’d… that I’d… like you.” Justin frowned and opened his front door. He looked to her and started herding her out. “I really cared for you,” he scowled, “And I thought you felt the same.” Cassandra’s eyes grew. “I do!” she started, “I… I do.” Justin cut her off, “I think you’re done at Rave Tech, Cassandra. I think you’ll turn in your resignation tomorrow. And, I think, if I ever see you again, I’ll kill you.” Justin slammed the door in her face and closed his eyes. Letting out a deep sigh, he turned away and walked back into the living room. He glanced at the floor. “Hmm,” he noticed, “She left her shoes.”

TO BE CONTINUED...

Next Time: Chapter 13 - Obsidian Strikes
The team deals with the realization that a traitor was so close to them. The revelation puts a great many things into suspicion. Meanwhile, Justin questions whether he can trust in his powers in battle. And, in the midst of this chaos, Dark Aver's general, Obsidian faces the Rangers in battle.

[BatRanger]

very well done. I look forward to the next chapter

[democable]

very nice plot twist with Justin play Sherlock Holmes there can not wait for the next chapter

[Dani]

wow. just . . . wow.