Hi all. Okay, there have been a lot of suggestions on how I should deal with the evil ranger. The suggestions have run from that Trent should somehow become the evil ranger, that a seventh gem (green – what a surprise) be found, and so on. But my goal here was to stay somewhat true to the series, and in doing so, bring on the angst. So with that said, let’s get to the story...

Legends and Heroes

By Jeannine Trevizo

-x-

Chapter 7: On the Dark Side

“So, we have to find a way to destroy them,” Mesogog hissed at his minions, his frustration with the rangers growing daily.

“Master, it’s not that easy. They are very skilled, and they seem to be aware of our every plan,” said Elsa fearfully.

“It is Oliver and his friends. Their history as rangers is serving them well, and aiding in the new brat’s development,” Zeltrax pointed out.

Mesogog tilted his reptilian head and pondered this. It made sense in a way… much as his own knowledge helped him, Oliver and his friends were a formidable foe due to their experience. Perhaps what was needed was to limit that experience somewhat.

He wandered over to a shielded case, the dull metal box sitting alone in a corner. His TyranoDrones had unearthed it at his request when he realized that the power he needed was in the stones that Oliver and his female assistant had found. However this one was unlike the others. It held power, but a negative power, capable of unknown destruction.

In his attempts to destroy the rangers, he had yet to utilize it. But now, he realized that just making a weapon of it would not do. He needed to break the ranger’s ranks. He popped the latch to the box and pried open the lid, staring down at the item inside, as the light from around it dimmed.

Carefully he removed the crystal clear stone from the box, and turned to his cronies, holding the item carefully between his claws.

“Elsa. You are to take this to Dr. Oliver’s residence. Leave it for him to find.”

“What is it?”

“It is the one thing that he least expects… his own nightmare.”

-x-

Having been inside for way too long, Jason picked up his cell phone and started for the door of the house he was sharing with Tommy while he was in Reefside, fighting the good fight. With Tommy in class and Kim working on finishing the chorus of her latest song, he was pretty much up to his own devices. He figured that he had time to call and check in on Rocky, Trini and the crew; make sure the Williams project was going as planned and see if they had any new business bids he had to attend to.

Looking at the beautiful California day, he slipped his hands free headset over his ear and hit the speed dial for the office as he turned and headed into the forest behind the house.

“Scott Construction,” said a soft voice from the other end of the line that surprised him.

“Trini, hey, it’s me. What, is Linsey on lunch?”

“Hi Jason. No, she got called to jury duty, so I offered to come in and cover.”

“Thanks. So how’s business? Did Rocky destroy anything this week?” asked Jason with a laugh.

“No… everything’s fine. How about I go get him for you?”

“Okay… hold up a minute though. I wanted to tell you something. You know you’re great, right?”

“Jason, this isn’t the whole ‘let’s date’ thing again, is it? We tried that last year…”

“Not exactly… I just, I want to make sure you’re okay with…” Jason started before a loud crash could be heard from the other end of the line. “Trini?”

“Just Rocky making as much noise as he can coming in to get coffee. It’s the boss,” she said, and Jason heard the phone being handed over to his friend and employee.

“Jase! Hey, we just got the new permits for the Franklin building. I’ll get started next week, if that’s okay?”

“That’s good news. You know the work schedules… if you need to wait until you finish the Williams place…”

“No, we’re almost done. Maybe Thursday at the latest. So, how are our former fearless leader and Kimmie getting along?”

“I’m counting the days till they start shagging in the command center. It’s so weird… like they picked up where they started from.”

“You mean after the name calling and the bruised egos,” Rocky pointed out.

“True.”

“When will you be back? It’s not that Trini and I can’t keep things running here, but it would be nice to have the boss around… although we understand that duty comes first.”

Jason sighed at that. He felt divided by loyalties in different directions. Sure, Tommy had needed him, but did he need him now? Maybe he wanted to relive his ranger past a little too much to escape his present.

But then there was Hayley… and he seemed to be needed…

“Maybe next week for a few days if things stay quiet; you know how it is.”

“That I do boss man. Tell Tommy hey from me and that he better not screw things up with Kim again, or I am breaking the man rule and asking her out. She deserves someone who will treat her right, and if Tommy isn’t interested…” laughed Rocky, knowing that Kim has always been one of the more desirable women that most of the guys had ever met, and more than a few of them were still jealous of the torch Kim carried for Tommy even after the break up.

Hell, if he had to admit it, he was one of them. True, his relationship with Kimberly was like brother and sister, but he always wondered if Tommy hadn’t entered the picture that fateful day at the martial arts event in Angel Grove back in high school if they might have had a chance to be something more. Instead, he had become the best friend to both of them, helping Tommy with Kim, and then being there for both of them when Kim screwed them both up.

“Jase?” Rocky called out over the phone, and Jason shook his head to clear it, not realizing he’d spaced out.

“Sorry, just thinking,” he explained as he stretched his arms over his head and forced back a yawn, his feet still moving him across the dirt path through the trees.

Suddenly a rush of wind and a crackle of electricity filled the air, and Jason knew that he was about to have company. Before him, maybe twenty feet away an invisiportal opened up, and from it Elsa appeared with a few TyranoDrones.

The dark eyed villainess stopped in her tracks. She had chosen the closest portal to Dr. Oliver’s house, intent on breaking into it and leaving the crystal, per Mesogog’s direction. Instead, she had stumbled on one of the rangers.

“Rocky, I gotta go. Call you later,” Jason said quickly, hanging up and dropping into battle stance. “You’re on private property here lady. You know what they say – trespassers will be prosecuted. And I’m the law.”

“There’s only one of you…”

“That’s more than enough for just you and your goons.”

“Attack!” she cried out, pointing her sword at Jason.

With a flurry of windmill like blows, the TyranoDrones attacked, sending Jason backpedaling. He hadn’t been up against these things alone before, but he knew that he could handle himself. If things got too tough, he could call on Kim.

Blocking another strike, Jason lashed out with a series of quick punches, sending several of the creatures back. With the break in the attack, he rushed forward and with the surprise move, landed a snap kick to Elsa’s chest, sending her flying backwards.

Within seconds he was immediately converged on, and he dropped to the ground, trying to use his camouflaging skills to disappear into the dirt. The TyranoDrones looked confused, and then Elsa fired off a shot in his direction, sending him rolling to his right, and into three of the foot soldiers, alerting them to his presence.

Quickly he dropped his cloaking powers and began hand to hand with the TyranoDrones, keeping himself from getting too banged up and sending a few of them flying.

He rushed to engage Elsa again, landing a kick to her shoulder, and she growled at him as her arm went swinging backwards. Jason thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye go flinging from her hand, but had to retreat when her sword swung out and slashed at his previous location.

Behind him, the TyranoDrones were starting to mass again, and Jason was getting tired of fending them off. Just before they charged, he went camouflaged again, and skirted to the side as they rushed headlong into Elsa. They crumpled to the ground in a tangled heap, and Elsa cursed loudly.

“Get off me!” she yelled, and looked around fruitlessly for something. Finally she grumbled, “We’re leaving!”

With another invisiportal appearing, Elsa and the TyranoDrones disappeared, leaving Jason alone once again. With a thought, he disillusioned himself and walked over to where she and the bad guys had just left from while noting the brown earth covering parts of his clothing with a sigh.

“Way too easy. Just a hit and run,” he complained as he wiped at some dirt on his jeans and white t-shirt. “I see what Kim meant about keeping the white clean.”

Laughing, he started to turn when a dark flash caught his eye. Confused, he headed back to where Elsa had been standing when he’d snap kicked her arm. In the dirt and grass, there was something. Kneeling down, he scooped up the crystal like item, almost like his gem stone, but totally clear.

The moment his fingers touched the crystal, he knew he’d screwed up.

With a scream, Jason felt an energy crackle along his arm. Similar but totally unlike the dino gem on his wrist, it felt like someone was electrocuting him. His eyes shut and he smelled the charred smell of burning hair as the negative power seared him.

The energy within the unknown crystal was warping his senses, and along with that, the white dino gem’s power. The negative power in the crystal was seeping through his skin, into his very being, and if he understood clearly under the unbearable pain, the new power was burrowing into him, to the spot where his dino thunder power resided, and was blending together...

With a final cry, he fell to the ground, his body convulsing still from the power struggle that it had been through. After long minutes, his eyes slowly opened and he struggled to sit up. His wrist burned where the gauntlet sat, and he glanced down at it. Within the silver metal, the white stone that was the sum of his powers was now clouded with black… the result being a grayish mass that almost twisted as Jason stared at it.

And unknowing to him, the same black swirl appeared in his own eyes.

As he watched the building dark in the once pure white stone, an evil smirk twisted his mouth and he took a deep breath.

He was free.

He was evil.

Damn, it felt good.

With a careless flick, he tossed his phone from his hip pocket to the ground and plucked the receiver from his ear and dropped it as well.

“White Ranger, power up!”

With his transformation complete, the white ranger stood in the forest, staring at the place that Elsa had just escaped through. His eyes swiveled and looked around the forest, considering his next move, his desires… and behind his helmet he smiled evilly, his mind suddenly made up.

“Well, I guess it’s time to see who the real ranger is,” Jason said, his armor now in place before he vanished into thin air.

-x-

The three teens had arrived to take on the dandelion creature, tossing back and forth barbs. As they got up from the first blast, they watched as Jason whipped around at Conner like speeds around the monster. Instead of slowing and joining them, they watched as the monster burst into pieces.

“Whoa!”

“Jason?” Tommy questioned from his spot at the command center, having waited to see what was going on before calling Jason and Kim to join the others and him in the field.

Jason sped off, and Conner, Kira and Ethan pursued, trying to figure out what was going on when they found the white ranger waiting for them. They skidded to a halt, but fell into battle stance. At the command center, Tommy had called Kim and was chomping at the bit to join them, but wanted to wait for Kim…

“You three, don’t come any closer. You’ll force me to do something I don’t want to do.”

“What do you mean by that?” Conner asked, confused.

“Let me show you,” replied the white ranger, unsheathing his drago dagger. “White Drago sword. Laser arrows. Fire!”

Suddenly, the three were struck over and over with the laser arrows, sending them flying to the ground. They sat up slightly, stunned by the fact that their friend and ally had just attacked them.

Behind them, Kim and Tommy raced in from almost no where. The two former pink and green rangers stood there watching the uniform of the white ranger, who had just laid out Ethan, Conner and Kira without a second thought with memories of times long past and other rangers that had gone bad.

“Ah, my old friends,” Jason said, his voice thickly spitting out the word friend. “Come to get your asses handed to you too?”

“Jase, what are you doing?” Tommy questioned, slowly moving past the teens and towards Jason.

“I’m making up for all the years I played by the rules. And if you’re wise, you’d advice your new disciples to stay out of the way, or I’ll have to destroy them along with you two.”

“Jason?” Kimberly began, moving to join Tommy when their friend’s voice cut through the air, and them again.

“That was just a warning. Next time, we’ll finish this.”

With that, Jason disappeared with a wave of his sword, leaving behind the confused and aching teens and Tommy and Kimberly who looked to one another with fear and pain in their eyes.

-x-

The team hurriedly made their way to the command center, finding Hayley already trying to use the computers to figure out what had occurred. Tommy and Kim moved to join her at the console, and she looked to each of them in turn, watching the pain etched on their faces.

Behind them, Kira, Conner and Ethan rushed up and huddled around the screen.

“What just happened out there?” asked Conner, still shocked at the former red and gold ranger’s attack on them.

“Was that Jason?” Ethan questioned.

“But he’s… evil,” Kira pointed out, confused by the white ranger’s appearance.

At their words, Tommy leaned heavily against the console, and Kim moved to stand behind him, wrapping her arms around his stomach.

“Are we sure it’s him?” Hayley asked, her voice showing her concern more than her actions.

Kim nodded her head, and Tommy’s fell farther forward.

“How did it happen?” she asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Could it be something like what happened to you, or more like what happened to him and me when you rescued us from Muranthias?” Kim suggested, remembering the fire of Maligore in her veins.

Tommy turned in Kim’s arms and looked at her seriously. A shadow that Kim remembered from Tommy’s past showed in his eyes again, and her heart felt like it would break in her chest.

“He’s not himself, that’s for sure,” said Conner unhappily.

“He can’t help it!” lashed out Tommy, as he jumped from Kim’s side to stand before the team. “He’s possessed or under a spell or something. I’ve known Jason too long to not know that he’s not in control.”

“So what do we do?” questioned Ethan desperately, “’Cause it looks like were in some serious shit… I mean trouble.”

“We find a way to get him back.”

“Too late… he’s already back,” Hayley pointed out, looking to the screen where Jason had appeared again, the team rushing to see the white ranger land in the middle of the downtown.

“We’d better get over there and make sure he doesn’t go medieval on any civilians,” Tommy said with a pained voice.

“Good thinking. Let’s go guys,” urged Conner.

Conner headed for the door, Ethan and Kira right behind him. Kim began to follow, and turned to see Tommy as he laid a hand on Hayley’s shoulder.

“Start looking for a reason… anything. We have to get Jason back.”

Nodding, Hayley watched as Tommy jogged to catch up with Kim, and then once they were all gone, she focused her attention to her readouts, her hands flying across the keyboard frantically trying to find what did this to Jason.

-x-

Conner stumbled back into the cave, his arm around Kira as she clutched her side. Ethan trailed behind them, holding his left arm in his good hand. They’d been beaten badly in their fight with Jason, and in the process lost their powers.

Hayley’s eyes went wide as she saw the condition of the teens as they came through the back door. Standing, she moved quickly to briefly check them all over, finding bruises and scratches, but no serious injuries, and they all either sat or collapsed in spots in the command center near the far wall.

Turning away from them, Hayley watched in horror as Tommy and Kim staggered in, the two of them looking not just beat up, but beaten down. They moved right past her and towards the others.

“It wasn’t supposed to go this way, was it?” Ethan asked Tommy and he sat beside the rest of the team, Kim nearly collapsing at his feet.

“An evil white ranger? Jason… evil? No, it wasn’t. Of course, it’s been known to happen,” said Tommy with a voice thick with grief and remembrance of when he was the evil ranger.

“We saved you,” Kim whispered as she laid a hand on Tommy’s leg. “We’ll save Jason too.”

“So, what do we do?” questioned Kira.

“How are we supposed to help him if we can’t get near him?” queried Conner, looking to Tommy and Kim.

“We figure out how this happened and how to reverse it before it’s too late.”

-End-

Hi all – hope you enjoyed this chapter. We’ll be back next week with the next part in the revised Legends & Heroes universe, and continue to see if our team can save Jason before anything worse happens (but you know it has to get worse…). And as a little reminder, if you liked this, please review. J.