**
Without much else to do, the Power Rangers left Alpha and Billy to muddle over the problem of where the Green Ranger had sent Zordon and headed for the Juice Bar.
" There you are! " a voice greeted them.
Where this an anime, Tommy would have fallen over. As this isn't, he didn't, and resorted to a not-as-amusing double take. There on a stool next to the bar sat the absolute last thing he ever expected to see.
" Christine? " he asked.
" No, Tommy, I'm her evil twin. "
Deciding not to rule anything out, Tommy hazarded a question. " Where have you been? "
Christine shrugged and stirred her drink. " I got tired of waiting for you to finish whatever it was that you were doing and went for a walk. When I got back, Ernie said that you'd just missed me and gone out to look for me and when I went out to look for you I couldn't find you and just decided to wait here. Ernie said that this was a common place for you to be, so I figured I'd wait until you showed up again. " She turned and took a drink, smiling at her cleverness.
The other Rangers behind Tommy gave each other 'that's odd' looks. The oddness of the situation was no more or less in Tommy's mind. Zordon was never wrong.
" Nothing strange happened to you while you were out? "
She blinked at him cluelessly. " Like what? "
" You weren't... attacked? " Tommy hedged.
" Attacked? " She gave a lighthearted smirk and slid off her stool. " Getting a little paranoid are we? " She walked up to him and spread her hands, " I'm here aren't I? I'm fine aren't I? " Tommy nodded dumbly, his brain kicking into overdrive. Christine looked around him at the others, taking the time to wink at Jason. The dark haired boy promptly blushed and began to look anywhere but at Christine. " Now aren't you going to introduce me to your friends? "
" Uh... " Tommy took a moment to catch up to the conversation. " Sure... Sure! Christine, these are my friends... Um, Jason, Trini, you've already met Kimberly, and Zach. Billy would be here... but... he's busy. "
I'll bet thought Christine with a private smile. To her brother she suggested, " Well, I've been sitting here on my own for awhile now, care to join me? "
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Lord Zedd was throwing a temper tantrum. Lord Zedd's temper tantrums generally consisted of a lot of glowing and yelling, as was the case in this one. Often, as well, his temper tantrums were about, you guessed it, the Power Rangers. This was the first time, however, that he was ranting about his own Ranger.
" Blast that Girl! " he hollered, " How DARE she Defy ME!! "
" It didn't seem to be too hard for her, sir! " Squat declared. He was promptly simultaniously bonked on the head by Baboo and blasted by Lord Zedd. Little sparks entered the air and Squat fell over, taking Baboo with him. Nothing much else happened despite the fact that Lord Zedd was Supposedly the most powerful evil being in the universe. But aren't all evil beings when you get right down to it?
Lord Zedd whirled around and glared at Goldar. " You! Go down to that blasted Juice bar and bring that insolent little girl to me! I'll MAKE her obey me! " And then he laughed. No reason why, he's evil, I guess. Either way, he laughed.
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" Earthquake! " was the first thing Ernie thought of when things started shaking. I suppose that's a perfectly reasonable assumption when things start to shake for no apparant reason; the first fifteen zillion times they happen that is. But, that's what the cry went up as, and everyone ran screaming, except for the Power Rangers... all of them.
Christine crossed her arms and made a face. " What gives? " she asked exasperatedly. " All I wanted was a little quality time with my dear little brother, and this happens! "
Tommy grasped his sister by the shoulders and gave her a kind-of-gentle shove towards the exit. " Um, you go on, Christine, it's kinda dangerous here! "
" No kidding. " Idly she inquired, " You're not coming? Going to let the building collapse around you? "
" Um... " Tommy's brain was about to go on strike it had been doing so much thinking today, " we're going to look for anyone who's... trapped! "
" Ever the good sameritan, dear brother, " said Christine in parting, waving as she walked out.
" Yeah, that's me! "
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There are very few things able to render Zordon speechless, this was one of those things. In fact, for the longest time, all he'd been able to articulate was,
" Zahndra... "
The woman in the soiled dress, let's just call her Zahndra for now, smiled at him, " You've already established that, dear. "
Zordon gathered himself together and composed his thoughts. " Zahndra...
is this where you've been? What happened? "
Zahndra's expression darkened, and her mouth turned down dismally. "
That
witch Rita imprisoned me here. " The smile retured, manic and malicious,
" But I am getting my revenge. "
" The Green Ranger... " Zordon trailed off as he realized.
" Yes, dear Zordon, the Green Ranger. Rita stole it from me, now I'm stealing it back. I told you I would, " Zahndra's smile reappeared after frowning again at the mention of Rita's name, " I'll show Rita what those powers were really meant for. "
As Zahndra laughed evilly, Zordon's eyes trailed over to the woman in the white dress, and wished dearly that her silent message would get through.
To Be Continued...
**
[Hmm, so the Green Ranger powers weren't always Rita Repulsa's! Well, whatever are we to think now? ~grin~ I'm feeling very Xellos-like right now. ~grin~ Next! Will Zahndra's mysterious revenge come to fruition? Will Lord Zedd gain better control of Christine? Be here in Episode Five when the final battle between the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and the elusive Green Ranger begins! ~gringrin~ Or will it?]
[Written by Inseiko who once was tired but is now giddy from the Prozzäk CD, 2000 Though is still tired, just has crossed over to over-tired. Isn't it wonderful? Hey, at least it isn't a Tylenol high. ~grin~]