Hi all. We’re obviously changing things here – and IMHO this works better than the team-up in the series, as we get so much more depth of relationship with Jason and Tommy. I hope you enjoy. And now, to the story…

Legends and Heroes

By Jeannine Trevizo

-x-

Chapter 15: The Power

Kira, Ethan and Conner strode into the Cyberspace, finding Hayley behind the counter, writing up table tickets with a huge grin on her face. Kira gave a knowing grin and headed straight for the red head, Ethan hot behind her.

“Someone looks pretty happy today,” Ethan said with a smirk.

“Oh hey. It’s just so good to have Jason back.”

“Yeah, with the ‘attitude adjustment’, he’s back to normal, and likeable…” Conner added with his own knowing smile.

Jason’s planned date with Hayley was the hot team news. Other than Dr. O and Kim seemingly shacked up together.

“Two more Cyberberry Blasts, please,” said Trent suddenly as he flew past Conner and to the far end of the counter.

While the two had given each other cold stares every time they’d been in the same place, Conner had stayed true to his word to Kira. He hadn’t laid the asshole out. At least not yet. As long as Trent kept his hands off, so would Conner.

Trent got the drinks and hurriedly left the counter, leaving Conner staring after him, and Kira watching Conner.

-x-

“You see My Lord, a completely evil White Ranger. Completely devoid of pathetic human traits,” stated Zeltrax in Mesogog’s throne room as he presented the copy of the White Ranger he had created using the scans of the original White Ranger when the crystal had been incorporated with the white gem.

While that had not been its main purpose, the data gathered before the crystal’s destruction had provided them with the evil template to make the ranger before them. One that would do Mesogog’s bidding, unlike the real White Ranger.

“Zeltrax, you have done well,” Mesogog praised as he watched the footage of the clone attack a room of monsters.

“Ooh, I hate to admit it, but even I’m impressed,” added Elsa at Mesogog’s side.

“So tell me, what is your plan?”

“Allow me to demonstrate,” replied Zeltrax, bowing as he moved to where the White Ranger clone was strapped unconscious to a gurney, he moved it closer to the others. “Using a sample of the White Ranger’s cloned energy will allow me to create a being of unparalleled terror. I give you, the White Pterosaurus.”

At that, a monstrous looking creature, almost a parody of the White Ranger armor erupted from Mesogog’s monster creation chamber.

“Ah, excellent.”

-x-

After Conner’s misadventure speaking with the Russian exchange student, the three of them had headed out. While Conner continued to be upset, Kira attempted to calm down her boyfriend, suggesting the young man might have had a good reason for blowing the red ranger off.

As Conner continued to belabor the issue, Ethan sighed and threw up his hands.

“Look, I’d love to stay and hash this out with you guys, but if I don’t get to the library soon, I’m totally gonna fail this project.”

With a conciliatory pat to the back, Ethan left Conner to start for the library when he barely got five steps before hearing a voice that none of them wanted to hear.

“Then prepare to fail, Blue Ranger,” announced Zeltrax as he appeared from nowhere.

Ethan hurriedly moved to join the others, all of them falling into battle stance.

“I knew I should’ve gone straight there,” complained Ethan.

With a snap of his cyborg fingers, two white blurs zoomed past the rangers, sending them t the ground.

“Ha ha ha… good work.”

“Mm, didn’t even break a sweat,” said the White Ranger standing beside Zeltrax and a monster that looked eerily similar to the ranger.

“Jason?” Kira whispered.

“This can’t be real,” said Ethan in shock.

“Oh, it’s real,” said the White Ranger before them.

“What are you doing Jason?” Conner asked forcefully as he got up to prepare himself for the worst.

“I don’t know a Jason,” replied the White Ranger. “I just know that you will soon be… destroyed.”

“I’m so not in the mood for this. Ready?”

“Ready,” replied Kira and Ethan as they moved to follow Conner’s lead to morph.

“DinoThunder power up. Hah!”

In an instant of light and thunder, the three transformed into their uniforms, preparing for battle.

“Wait,” Zeltrax ordered, pushing past his creations. “Allow me. Ha!”

As Zeltrax charged the three rangers, the White Ranger clone turned to the White Pterosaurus.

“Let’s get a better view, right?”

The two then leapt three stories to stand on the staircase outside the building the fight was beginning in front of, the White Ranger clone leaning on the railing with a menacing laugh. Below, the rangers had begun to attack Zeltrax with their lasers which the cyborg blocked with his shield. Sending a bolt of lighting, Zeltrax knocked Conner to the ground, only to have Kira and Ethan come to block him from Mesogog’s henchman’s view.

Again they fired on Zeltrax, his shield deflecting the blasts and he leapt to engage them in close combat, his sword slicing at them. The fight went back and forth, until Conner, having lost his own laser gun, had Kira and Ethan throw him theirs, blasting Zeltraz with a double barreled jolt of energy.

The blast sent Zeltrax flying, and as he lay prone on the ground, the White Pterosaurus and the White Ranger appeared before him.

“So you stopped Zeltrax. Try to stop my Pterosaurus.”

“Let me show you the extent of my powers. You will be defeated,” it said as it waived a clawed hand at them.

“Not on my watch!” said a familiar voice from behind the villains as Jason appeared on his cycle, blasting at the three opponents between him and the team. As he skidded to a halt before the rangers, he jumped from the ATV in preparation for some more fighting. “Yeah. Hey guys, thought I’d join the fun.”

“Wait, who’s who?

“Guys, it’s me.”

“Enjoy your reunion while you can. Nothing you do can stop us now,” said the other White Ranger before the three teleported away in an invisiportal.

“Okay, power down,” said the White Rnager before them, revealing Jason to the team. “You guys okay?”

“Great,” replied Conner, now back in civilian form. “You got a twin brother you never told us about?”

Jason sighed. There never seemed to be a moment when the rangers could catch a break.

“Come on… let’s get back to the command center and see if Tommy and Hayley can figure out who my doppelganger is.”

-x-

“Okay, we barely get one White Ranger under control and then another one shows up,” complained Kira as she paced the floor of the command center.

At the console, Tommy sat with Kim and listened to the tale of the duplicate White Ranger. Ever so often, one of them would look to Jason with mixed looks of concern and frustration.

“Any idea of who it could be?” asked Kim.

“I don’t have a clue,” replied Jason sorrowfully.

“My sensors show it’s some kind of cloned energy force,” Tommy said finally after turning away from the team to review the results of his scans. “It’s probably not even a living being at all.”

“Yeah, he may not be alive, but his kick sure felt real,” griped Conner, still sore about the beating they all had taken until Jason’s timely rescue.

“I never said he wasn’t real. He’s a threat all right.”

“Now that that’s settled, what’s with that Pterosaurus?” questioned Ethan. “Man, he was raggedy.”

“He’s giving off some of the other readings as the other White Ranger. It’s almost like they were one and the same,” Tommy explained.

“I knew it… we didn’t break the evil spell on Jason!” Conner started, moving as if aggravated.

“We did!” argued Kim as Tommy moved to intercept the Red Ranger. “This isn’t Jason’s fault. Mesogog did this.”

“Kim’s right Conner. Right now, we need backup, big time.”

“What kind of back up?” asked Conner.

“The Shield of Triumph,” answered Tommy, knowing that he needed to explain his next actions. “It’s something that I found… and I think it’s time to pull it from its hiding place.”

“So, it’s a shield? Like Ethan’s?” asked Conner, confused.

“In some ways, but with it you’ll gain some incredible powers,” Tommy explained.

“Where is it?” Questioned Ethan, excited by a new technological discovery.

“It’s in the remote forest area outside of Reefside.”

“And…” Kira asked, feeling like Dr. O was leaving off something.

“Jason and I need to go find it.”

“What about me... I mean us?” asked Kim suddenly, the prospect of Tommy leaving to find this shield without her disturbing, even if he was going to take Jason along to watch his back.

“Jason’s powers will allow him to retrieve the shield, and only I know where it is. When we bring back the shield, you, Kira and Ethan will be able to transfer your powers through it, but Jason and I will need to charge it with ours to start with. Besides, while we’re gone, someone will have to keep an eye on them,” Tommy noted as he looked from his girlfriend to the three teens past her shoulder.

“You just want to ditch me,” she said with a sarcastic tone.

“Oh yeah, I mean satisfying you nightly is just such a chore I need some me time,” he snarked back even as his hand moved to cup her cheek, and the teens all made shows of cringing at the idea of their teacher and his girlfriend… talking about having sex.

“Okay you two, break it up before we have to pay for their psychotherapy,” interrupted Jason, moving to Tommy’s side. “Sounds like fun. When do we leave?”

“Now.”

“So, while you two are off playing Indiana Jones, what do we do?” asked Conner dejectedly.

“Try homework.”

The teens cringed and Kim fought back a grin. Before anything else could be said, Tommy moved to Kim’s side and kissed her soundly. Releasing her, Jason came and hugged her, and then the two of them were off.

-x-

“So… how are you doing since you got back. Really?” asked Tommy as they walked through the woods, crossing a stream as they followed a path only the Black Ranger knew.

“As good as could be expected.”

“The time in Angel Grove seemed to be good for you.”

“Yeah. I was really sulking and Trini…” Jason started, and then started to quiet, remembering the near argument he’d had wit his one time paramour and employee.

“Smacked you upside the head?” Tommy offered up, and looked back to see a smile of fondness appear on his friend’s face.

“Exactly. I’m still shocked about her and Rocky.”

“Opposites attract sometimes. They have a few things that they’re both really good at and they work together… you should know all about that, Mr. “I just asked out the technician for the team” Scott.”

Jason flushed as they pushed through another stand of overgrown brush and trees.

“Hayley’s a wonderful woman. When she called me and Kim to come rescue you, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I remember meeting her briefly when I saw you before you went to Anton’s little island retreat, but we hadn’t really interacted that time.”

“You realize she’s a good friend, and if you hurt her I’ll have to beat the shit outta you.”

“Same goes for Kim. Things really changed while I was gone, didn’t they?” Jason asked, knowing that before his turn to evil that Kim and Tommy were just falling back in love. Now…

Tommy heard the true meaning to Jason’s words. He didn’t mean just while he was in Angel Grove, but the weeks he was enslaved to the evil crystal as well.

“We got through the hard times together. It was different, you know, being in your role, with her beside me. I don’t know if I would have handled it as well as I did if she hadn’t been here,” Tommy admitted.

“Then I guess you’re lucky you didn’t send her packing like Kim thought you were going to do when you first realized she’d come to save you.”

“I never wanted her to leave… I told her that when we first talked about everything. I just was worried about her breaking my heart again.”

“Instead you’re working on breaking your box springs and head board,” Jason snipped with a grin and a punch to his friend’s shoulder.

“Keep digging a hole Jase… I’m so gonna give you grief when you and Halyey start the horizontal tango in the Cyberspace back room.”

“Okay, I’ll ease up,” Jason relented. “You know I’m just really happy for you both, and damn glad you finally realized that you belonged together.”

“Well I’m happy for us too. I never would have thought that when Kim cut me out of her life that we’d find each other again in these kind of circumstances.”

“You mean rangers or lovers?”

“Both I guess. You know we were sleeping together while you were… gone. Just sleeping, mind you. I hadn’t been able to get more than a few hours and she was having the same problem. It just made sense to try and find some comfort… but as time went on, I realized what we were doing was just playing house when w were at the point in our relationship that we didn’t need to play at it anymore,” Tommy tried to explain, but felt like he was failing miserably.

“I get it,” Jason replied, and Tommy nodded, knowing that if anyone would, it would be Jason.

“Well that’s good because we’re here,” Tommy said as they rounded a bend and came across a large waterfall.

“It’s here?”

“Yep, it’s there. In the water. Okay, raise your arms like this…”

Tommy lifted his forearm so the morpher faced the water. Jason nodded and matched his movements.

“Now concentrate. Use the Dino Gem power.”

Focusing their minds on the task at hand, Tommy and Jason closed their eyes, mentally guiding the power of the Dino Gems into solid beams of light that wove together and into the water pooling beneath the waterfall. Where the two beams struck, the water bubbled. Then, a shape emerged from the water, bright like a white hot poker.

“There it is!” cried Tommy as he opened his eyes to see the shield, and Jason quickly looked as well.

“It’s working!”

“Don’t break the concentration. Stay focused.”

-x-

As Tommy and Jason fought to gain the shield, the White Pterosaurus had attacked, and Kim had relented to Conner’s pleas that they needed to take it down. They’d fought with it, losing their zords until Conner had staggered at one point, the image of something he couldn’t define striking him at the same time as the Black and White rangers impressed their will on the shield…

-x-

Tommy and Jason continued to hold the shield, but they couldn’t bring it from the water. The longer this went on, the more likely Tommy knew they would lose it. He had to get it to the shore, and he needed Jason’s help to do that.

“Tommy… it’s slipping. I can’t hold it much longer.”

“Don’t let go. If we lose it now it’s gone forever.”

They fought to stay focused, but Jason was getting drained. His arm began to slip, and Tommy felt the ripple in the energy streams.

Suddenly, Conner appeared from nowhere, the second image of the shield bringing him to Jason and Tommy’s aid, their location somehow calling him. He leapt through the air, and pulled the shield from the energy cocoon Tommy and Jason’s powers had held it in mid air with.

He caught the pure white shield and landed in a crouch on the bank of the lake.

“How’s that for timing?” Conner said with a triumphant air.

“Never better. Thanks,” Jason remarked sarcastically as he staggered with Tommy.

“You got the shield’s telepathic message,” Tommy said in wonder. “It proves I was right. It proves you’re ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“To take on the mantle of a leader. Take the shield and have the others transfer their energy to the shield. When that happens… you’ll know what to do.”

Conner nodded and rushed to join Kim, Kira and Ethan in the field of battle.

“We’ll catch up,” said Jason tiredly, as he nudged Tommy and the two marshaled their strength to join the rest of the team.

-x-

“That shield rocks,” Ethan remarked.

“No doubt,” added Kira.

The three teenaged members team came down the stairs into the command center, while Jason and Dr. O followed. Upstairs, Kim had stated she needed to return an urgent call to her agent, and would be down as soon as she could.

“Thanks for trusting me with your powers guys,” commented Conner sincerely.

“It’s only a loan. Don’t forget that. And anything to help get our Zords back.”

“I just wish you could’ve felt what it was like. The power is amazing.”

“The Triassic Power was always meant for you Conner. All you had to do was trust in yourself. Then it was easy for others to trust in you too,” explained Tommy, still in his armor from the battle.

“See? All that jealously and look how great everything worked out,” pointed out Ethan.

“Everything okay down here?” asked a familiar voice as Hayley made an appearance, coming down the stairs to greet everyone.

As she moved towards the team, Jason watched her, and she felt like blushing.

“Glad to hear you guys saved the day again.”

“And I got this cool new shield,” gushed Conner, excited again.

“That’s great and all, but can I talk with Tommy alone for a bit?”

Jason looked at her, slightly concerned, but she waved him off. Nodding, he lead the others back upstairs, knowing that if Hayley wanted to talk with Tommy alone it had to be serious. Once they were gone, Hayley turned to Tommy, her hands wringing slightly before her.

“I’ve been doing some more research, and I think I might have a solution to your uniform problem.”

“And?” he replied, hopeful of some good news.

“It’s complicated. It has to do with your gem’s frequency and how it got jumbled up with the meteor and the morpher. I’m hoping that I can solve this with just your gem, but…”

Tommy stared at her, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“I might need to use one of the team’s gems to stabilize yours.”

“And what happens to their gem if it doesn’t work?”

“I actually don’t have a clue,” she answered, but the way her eyes glanced away gave Tommy the feeling that it probably wouldn’t be good.

“No. I’m not putting one of the others at risk even on the remote chance this could fix my problem. Find another way.”

“Alright. We can try without the other gem…”

“Okay. Let me know when you’re ready. In the meantime, I really want to get this armor off, so I need to go find Kim.”

With that he turned and left Hayley alone in the command center, where she frowned deeply. She’d been working on fixing Tommy’s armor problem for weeks now, and was no closer to solving it than she was before… at least without another external power source.

She’d try it his way, but if it didn’t work, maybe she’d have to ask Kimberly or Jason if they’d be willing to help Tommy again, even if he was dead set against it.

-End-

Well, another chapter down. Just an FYI – I am planning this series to be 26 chapters, so at a post a week we will wrap this up in mid February. Please note that I post weekly (Friday or Saturday depending) so unless I state prior to or I get hit by a bus or the flu or something, you should check in on the weekend for new chapters. Thanks for reading!