**
The Command Centre sat on a rocky outcropping in the mountain range bordering Angel Grove. For some strange reason, no one ever discovered it, though it sat in plain view on top of a mountain. Maybe it was the fact that it was roughly the same colouring as the surrounding rock. Maybe it was because it was in a remote area of the mountains. Maybe we just weren't supposed to think about that.
Whatever the reason may be, it was outside the Command Centre that the Red Ranger and the Green Ranger stood facing each other with their respective swords.
The Red Ranger held his with both hands before him. His was an impressive broadsword of dull gray non-threatening metal. Towards the hilt there was an embellishment of red. His hands held it in a tight grip.
Jason's breath sounded inside his helmet, echoing hollowly. Just from the looks of the Green Ranger's stance, this was not going to be an easy fight.
The Green Ranger stood with her feet slightly apart, her sword held towards the ground in her right hand. Christine's breath was calm, keeping her senses alert. Raising the sword, she pointed it towards the Red Ranger and crouched. It was a position that clearly read, " En guarde. "
The Red Ranger ran at the Green Ranger and their weapons collided with a force that sent sparks flying. Neither were as experienced with a sword as they would have liked, but were well enough off to challenge the other.
The other five Power Rangers watched off to the side as the battle continued. Eventually, conversation became a part of watching, which soon gave way to a cacaphony of questions.
" T-Tommy? " Pink Ranger inquired.
White Ranger shook his head. " I don't know. I lost the Green Ranger Powers ages ago. I don't know how this girl got them. "
Blue Ranger crossed his arms and regarded Green Ranger severely. " What I'd like to know, is whether she's working for Lord Zedd or not. "
" Or how she found us, " Black Ranger added.
" Who she is, " was the Yellow Ranger's own ammendment, which silenced the others.
" Yeah, " White Ranger said finally. " Good question. " Under the mask of his helmet, Tommy narrowed his eyes. There was something familiar about this new Ranger. Something... something... but his mind refused to grasp it. More questions roiled within his brain. Who was that? How did she know about the DragonFlute? How had she known where to find the Command Centre? Was she cute?
Then there was another thing. Something even farther in the back of his mind. A wisp of a voice, a soft breeze caressing his metaphorical ear, something he could hear and not hear. Something he foolishly dismissed.
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A tear slid down the cheek of the woman in the pillar as her silence continued.
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Seeing as how we're nowhere near the end of this story, it's only right that the Green Ranger should have ultimately beaten the Red Ranger in their little skirmish.
One good swipe of her blade got him across the chest, and in a breif explosion of sparks he fell back with an outcry. Beneath her helmet, Christine smirked.
" Hn, " she said, " I have beaten you fairly, little Ranger. Will you honor our deal? "
" What deal?! " Black Ranger declared. " We make no deals with evil scum like you. No deals with Lord Zedd. "
" Do I look like Lord Zedd?! " Green Ranger snapped. " I have beaten Red Ranger in a fair duel! Give me what I deserve! "
Black Ranger pulled a fist and threatened. " Oh, I'll give you what you deserve all right! "
White Ranger put a stop to that. " We'll give you the DragonFlute. "
" What?! "
Green Ranger stalked into the Command Centre. " Good. I'll go inform your head. " --No pun intended--
Ignoring the protests and questions of his companions, White Ranger
followed Green Ranger into the Command Centre.
Inside, Alpha 5 was flat-out refusing Green Ranger access to the DragonFlute. He stood with his back to the controls and his arms spread.
" Nonononononononononononononononononono!! " was his oh-so intelligent way of refusing.
Irritably, Green Ranger repeated, " Give it to me! "
" Give it to her Alpha, " ordered White Ranger.
" But-- "
" Give it to her! "
As the White Ranger only raised his voice on an imperative, Alpha begrudgingly turned and released a switch that caused a compartment in the side of the console to slide open. From within this compartment, Alpha 5 withdrew the DragonFlute and the Green Power Coin. But before the Green Ranger could take them, the White Ranger snatched them and held them in a quivering hand.
" Wait, " he said, all his insides shaking as he suddenly had a glimmer of who it could be inside that suit, " before we give them to you, take off your helmet. You've seen us, now let us see you. "
The Green Ranger stepped closer to him, and it took all of Tommy's power not to flinch. Placing her hand over his, she inquired, " Now why would I do that, Little Brother? " She took the Flute and Coin from White Ranger's hand and stepped away.
Standing at the centre of the Command Centre, Christine, the Green Ranger turned and faced the head floating in a pillar of sickly green energy. Turning the Flute idlly in her hand, Green Ranger regarded him with her head cocked to the side.
" Am I to take this to assume that you are Tommy's sister? " Zordon inquired, feeling he had to fill the silence.
" Ay yi yi yi yi! " was Alpha's less than intelligent response to that.
" Christine... " White Ranger trailed off despairingly.
" Someone would like to see you, " Green Ranger stated, ignoring the happenings around her. Even as the other Rangers trooped in, she kept her back to them and eyed Zordon like a predetor eyeing prey. " Someone you haven't seen in a very long time. " The DragonFlute stopped turning.
With no amount of bravado, no grand gestures, nothing extraordinary, Green Ranger crossed her two weapons, the DragonFlute and the Sword of Darkness and fired energy at Zordon.
The head disappeared.
Green Ranger teleported out.
The Power Rangers and Alpha 5 were left in disarray.
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When Zordon wasn't a semi-impressive floating green head, he was a doddering old man trapped in his own little pocket of space and time. Often he spent his time sitting and meditating, with his legs crossed beneath his long silver cloak. His skin was paled after so many eons out of the sunlight. He would live forever here, as Rita Repulsa had left him for torment. He could clearly remember the day he'd first been trapped here, after a battle of magic and wits that he lost to the evil queen.
He'd dealt with it. Nothing much fazed the old guy.
So it can be imagined it was quite a shock when Zordon found himself Not in his little pocket after the Green Ranger blasted him.
Funny. The laws of physics and Quantum mechanics dictated that he should age rapidly until death should he ever leave. But he wasn't here.
" Mm, yes, I corrected that little flaw. Just for the time you're here, of course, " sounded a voice. A voice Zordon had not heard since longer still before his imprisonment.
He turned: and found himself presented with the very image in his mind to send a jolt of fear down his spine.
Zordon stood within a pillar of light. Vibrant white light that should have been hurting his eyes after so many millenia of seeing nothing but sickly green. But didn't. Before him stood two pillars of light identical to his. The one to the right held a woman, kneeling, surrounded by a pristine white dress. She stared straight up with crystal blue eyes and soft, wavy, cinnamon hair cascaded down her back. A single tear stood out on her cheek as her lips continued to form silent words.
In the left pillar knelt the same woman. Or so it appeared. This one's dress was dirty and soiled to a dark gray, almost black. Her hair hung straight and stringy, greasy with power that was not meant to be. She stared directly at Zordon with the same crystal blue eyes. There were no tears on her cheeks, only a smirk formed of black-painted lips.
" You fullfill prophesy quite well, " said the woman on the left.
In response, the only thing Zordon could manage was, " Zahndra... "
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The Green Ranger stood atop a cliff overlooking the sea. She was fully imbued with the powers granted her. The Coin glittered from within the buckle on her belt, the golden armor shone in the too-bright sunshine that seemed to plague Angel Grove, and the DragonFlute hung neatly from her belt in it's sheath.
A presense behind her, but it was insignifigant. Green Ranger didn't even bother turning when she was addressed.
" You've been ordered to return. " Goldar stated monotonously.
" So? "
" It would do you best to obey, insolent Ranger, " Goldar snapped, regaining some of his old fire. " You don't want Lord Zedd's fury, if you want to continue living. "
" I was unaware you cared, " said the Green Ranger without concern. " Lord Zedd will not raise a finger against me. He wouldn't dare. "
" What makes you so confident? " asked Goldar, once again sullen.
" Kill me and the Green Ranger powers go dormant again. What do you know of these powers, Goldar? Just curious. " She continued to face the sea.
" They were Rita's, until Tommy changed sides. For revenge she stole them through the Green Candle. From that candle, you seem to have gotten them. The Zord granted those powers is the DragonZord. You can call it with the Flute. "
" Yes, yes, I know all that; and I know your original statement to be incorrect. "
" What? "
The Green Ranger suit dissolved, leaving Christine to stand on the cliff in her jeans and t-shirt. The wind tugged at her ponytail, and at the Power Coin, hanging as a pendant from a thin golden string around Christine's neck. She promptly placed the Coin beneath her shirt where it was hidden.
" The Green Ranger Powers were never Rita's to play with. She stole them from another. " Christine picked up her bag from where it had appeared on the ground next to her. She headed back towards Angel Grove. " Now if you will excuse me, Goldar, I have a little brother's mind to go and play with. Give my regrets to Lord Zedd. He will see me when I choose. "
To Be Continued...
**
[It took Tommy a surprisingly short amount of time to figure that out. As for the other events, who are those women in the pillars of light? I think an explanation is due, and perhaps it will be next time. Until then just keep yourself in suspense over what Christine's gonna do to Tommy. See ya!]
[Written by Inseiko, 2000]