Power Rangers and all related characters are the property of Saban Entertainment. S Club 7, S Club Juniors and all of their songs are the property of S Club Ltd and 19 Management. I am not a member of S Club 7 although I wish I could have been. (I also wish I were six feet and really good-looking, but ah well). My character is my property and can be used without my permission, but if you could ask I'd be grateful. The Night Rangers characters are the property of John Chubb. Also I have used characters belonging to Gundam Wing and they don't belong to me either. WWF/E references belong to Vince McMahon. Also any criticism good or bad is welcome, you can contact me at adampearlmans@yahoo.co.uk. The Lyrics for Hillary Duff's songs belong to Disney. The lyrics for 'Suspension', which is owned by MCA Records, are by Glen Larson, the music by Stu Phillips, and the song is sung by Kipp Lennon. The Dragon Slave spell is from the Japanese Anime show 'Slayers' fron Bandai. Finally Harry Potter and all related characters are the property of J.K.Rowlings. And Transformers are the property of Takara. Also thanks to John Chubb who gave me some starting points for the story.
Child of the Night
By: Adam Pearlman
Previously
The Rangers continue to fight valiantly against the forces of evil, preventing attacks when they can and defending the world as best they can. The three Orb Rangers have been an invaluable asset and the Rangers continue to look for the remaining Orb Rangers.
Through experience we can change our lives maybe even have an effect on our future, in a possible future a man sits reading a passage from the Book of Zordon knowing that the time mentioned in it is fast approaching.
In a future where all hope is lost
One will be chosen to set right a wrong.
A child of the night will go to the past
To fill a vacuum of a great power.
He then closed the book and looked at the woman who stood with him. Tina Barrett looked so old now, even though it had only been over ten or so years since the day that she had become a Ranger "Is it time?" she asked.
"Yes." The man said. "We've done all we could for her at this point. The time has come for her to finally realize her destiny." He then stood up as Tina walked with him. It had been so long since the fall of their friends. Tina was the last S Clubber left of the original group left. Most of them had died in the last big battle with the Emperor. Rachel was spared for the Emperor's amusement, but she wound up taking her own life after a round of the Emperor's tortures and grief stricken after losing her husband and children.
There were so many memories about that battle that Tina had no wish to revisit them all. They were too terrible. She and the man had overheard a music box being played and some rock and roll music coming from it. "Who would have thought this girl to be a fan of old Hillary Duff music?" Tina asked.
"Who would have indeed?" the man thought as he thought of the different fates she should have had. She could have been a cheerleader like her mother hoped she herself would have been. A musician. A prizefighter. The man known as Bruce Green looked at the girl that was going through her training exercises as her music was playing, and felt sad about the sad hand of fate that had been dealt to this girl.
All the same though Bruce looked at her and knew the Book had mentioned her. She was one who was supposed to go back in time.
She was 12 years old with fiery strawberry blonde hair that was shoulder length. She wore a red shirt with black jeans, and a leather jacket was draped over a chair. She was practicing a series of fighting moves when she noticed Bruce off to the side. Bruce couldn't help but think. "'She's so like her mother', and her father, the last thought filled him with a deep unending sadness.
The Emperor had struck out at all the worlds he could find, once he had crushed the Night Rangers he attacked the other Rangers and though they fought long and hard the task against them was impossible and they fell before a superior force. Did their heads decorate the Emperors palace walls? Bruce had the questions and now no longer would he have to search for the answers.
The girl then finished her form, signaled for her hovering boom box (a gift from Jessica and Kyle before they died) to come down into her backpack, turned it off, and then bowed as she saw Bruce. "Nice job Lizzie. You have clearly been improving."
"Thank you sensei." The girl named Lizzie said as she put her jacket on. "Is it almost time?"
"Yes. Your brother is preparing the portal now." Bruce, Tina and Lizzie then walked down the hallway to where Lizzie's brother was.
On the way Tina had said, "You've really improved. If I didn't know better I'd swear that you were dancing in there."
"Well you once said that sometimes karate and dance are not all that different. That it was just a matter of movement," Lizzie had said.
Tina smiled glad that she had paid attention to at least that, if nothing else and then she said. "I'm glad that you actually paid attention to your lesson, sometimes I could have sworn it was going in one ear and out the other".
Lizzie laughed as she said. "Hey I always listened to my teachers, maybe it didn't look like it".
Tina looked over at Bruce and asked, "You sure this is the only way?"
"I wish it weren't, but if there is the slightest chance that by sending Lizzie back in time we can change the future, I mean our present then it's a risk we have to take" Bruce replied.
"You're putting a lot of faith on what the Book of Zordon says, that a child of the night will go back and the change the future. As far as I'm concerned like I said it's taking a lot on faith" Tina stated.
"I'm sure Tina." Bruce said. "One of the problems that led to the Emperor's conquest was that the team of Orb Rangers was incomplete. The Red one was unclaimed so the Orb Rangers didn't have a full team. And without that final member the Rangers couldn't reach their full-unified power. The book said that the final Ranger would come from a possible future and be a child of the night. I believe that child is Lizzie."
"Well I hate to disappoint you, but I'm with Tina here I really think you've got the wrong girl" Lizzie said.
"Your Father would believe in a second, he wouldn't question the Book and he'd agree it you Lizzie, you're the child of a Night Ranger and it can only be you" Bruce said.
"If you say so." Lizzie said. Soon she and Bruce were in the room where a young boy was assembling a portal. A circle was drawn with ten crystals placed in a circle. A diagram of a star was in the center. "Nice job little brother." She said.
The boy stood up and hugged the girl who apparently was his big sister. "I wish I could go with you Lizzie," her little brother said.
Lizzie held her brother in a hug, they were only a year and a half apart, and while she and her brother argued quite a bit she admitted that she still loved him. "I'll miss you too Danny. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but this is something I have to do and I have to do it alone. If I could take you with me I would" Lizzie said.
"Don't worry." Danny said. "If this works you and I will have a better life, we'll be a family the four of us, you, me and Mum and Dad and I know you'll kick the Emperor's butt".
Lizzie couldn't help but smile. Danny was so enthusiastic. She hugged her brother for the last time.
And then she turned to face Tina, the woman who had become like a surrogate mother to her. "There is so much I want to say to you, to thank you for everything you have done for me" Lizzie said.
"You don't have to say anything, I know what you're feeling or thinking" Tina said as she gave the girl a final hug. "Take care kid".
"I will." Lizzie said as she then saw Bruce standing off to the side with something in his hand. "It belonged to your father." Bruce said. Lizzie took the weapon and pressed the button in the center. Two sword length blades extended from both ends.
"My father's first saber staff?" Lizzie asked. "But I can't take this."
"Please. Your father would want you to have it." Bruce said. She then smiled and kissed Bruce on the cheek. He had been so much of a father to her, ever since the Emperor took her own father away from him. But now she would have the chance to change all that.
"I'm ready Danny." Lizzie said as Danny began the incantation to activate the portal flinging her backpack over her shoulder. Once she had gone through the world she had come to know would be gone forever as she would be involved in creating a new one. There would be no going back for her.
"I'll miss you all." Lizzie said as she jumped through the portal to go back to her world's past.
And for Tina, Bruce and Danny their world as they knew it came to an end, but for Lizzie it would be a new beginning.
Back on another Earth in nearly twelve years in the past and another universe removed, eight people were busy celebrating.
"I can't believe it the S Club World tour, that is so cool" Paul shouted.
The others nodded as Jo replied. "Yeah I mean look at all the places we're going to go, America, Europe, Asia, Russia, Australia, wow this is going to be fun".
"But a lot of work" I said bring the mood down a bit.
"Party pooper" Hannah said lightly.
"Yeah that's me, but serious guys, this tour is going to take a lot of preparation and hard graft, we don't want to mess this up, I mean this is a chance for us to become really big and a big way to send off Paul" I said.
At that everyone glanced at Paul, knowing that this tour would be his last thing to do with S Club as he had decided it was time to move on and after much persuasion he elected to leave after the World tour. The Juniors would also be joining S Club on the tour and there reaction had been even more crazy than ours, but not surprising form a group of kids. For Rachel and me though we were glad they were coming it would mean a chance to spend time with Daisy and get to know our daughter.
Inside the Safe house in his own Universe Kincaid was looking at his own version of the Book of Zordon as a passage appeared before him.
From a lost time she will come.
To fill a void of power.
Connected to this universe her past will be.
But her future will be connected to another.
To stand against an evil of another world.
Alongside four others she will fight.
Her origins lying in the night.
It was there that the passage ended, but Kincaid knew it could only mean one thing. "The next Orb Ranger is coming." Kincaid said as he looked up from the Book of Zordon and turned to leave the chamber, intent on contacting Zordon and letting him know of this discovery.
He stepped into his home proper and went to find his wife who was stood her hands pressed hard against the wall as though to hold her up and concerned Kincaid went to her side.
"Mackenzie are you okay?" Kincaid asked his wife.
"Yeah just a little dizzy is all." Mackenzie said as she left her daughter to her nap. If they had remained a few seconds longer they would have seen the sleeping baby girl briefly glow red.
Suddenly through a portal the girl known as Lizzie burst through into the timeline of Kincaid's universe. Once she got herself back up and dusted herself off she started to glow red herself.
"Looks like the Orb is nearby." She said. "I just hope the red glow means I'm the one for it."
If it wasn't Lizzie would fade away into nothing. She had to be worthy of the Orb's power or she would fade into nothing like her old world did and anything she tried to do would mean nothing. Looking around she tried to decide which way to go and finally settled for walking east.
In the nexus the Emperor was pacing much to the annoyance of Caris.
"My lord please stop" Caris said.
Her words brought him to a halt and he turned to face her his own face filled with annoyance as he spoke. "You dare to tell me what to do".
Realizing her mistake Caris went down to her knees and softly spoke. "Forgive I meant no disrespect my lord, I merely meant all you have done is pace for the last hour, I am concerned something bothers you".
"Your concern is touching, but unnecessary I am fine. The fact that a new Orb Ranger is about to appear is all that matters" the Emperor said.
"Would you like me to find her and have her killed," Caris said with a hint of pleasure in her voice.
"That would be nice, but it won't happen, at least until we discover their identity and even then its probably too late, after all they will probably have taken the power by then. No its time to strike at the Night Rangers, they have proven a thorn in my side for too long, especially Kincaid in fact he shall be first to fall. And I have the perfect instrument to destroy him with" the Emperor said.
Caris looked over to where the Emperor was looking and saw the figure in the shadows and eyes widened in amazement and then she started to laugh, knowing Kincaid was about to die.
Back in our universe the girl was running, she couldn't see the thing that was chasing her but she knew it was behind her and despite her attempt at speed it was gaining on her. As she ran she saw a door up ahead and she raced for it, reaching out she tried to pull the door open and when that failed she pushed and still it wouldn't budge. Taking a step back she raised her hand and yanked and with that some invisible force pulled the door off its hinges and onto the floor. She started to run again as she could see a red glow up ahead and then she stopped as she saw two figures fighting and one was desperately crawling to the red glow and with a start she realized it was the orb. She watched helplessly as the other finally gained the upper hand and wrapping her hands round the young girl throat the watcher screamed.
With a thump Daisy Evans woke up as she fell out of her bed the scream dying in her throat as she did so. The other occupant of the room sat up in her bed and went over to where Daisy was sat in a heap.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine Frankie it was just a nightmare, go back to sleep" Daisy said.
Frankie did not look satisfied, but nodded and headed back to her own bed. Daisy stood up and after straightening her bedding she climbed back onto her bed and waited for Frankie to fall asleep. As soon as she had done so Daisy quickly dressed and left the room, she hated deceiving her friend, but she had to talk to someone, because now she knew the Red Orb Ranger was coming and they were in danger.
Teleporting out Daisy reappeared inside a room, with several beds, all of them occupied and all of the occupants asleep until Daisy shook one of them awake. Hermione Granger woke up and looked over and saw her younger friend and fellow Ranger Daisy stood there, slowly sitting up she turned to face her friend and whispered.
"Daisy what are you doing here?" Hermione asked.
"Had a nightmare and needed to talk to you about it?" Daisy said.
"You had a nightmare and wanted to talk about it, couldn't wait until a sensible hour then" Hermione replied sarcastically.
"You know I wouldn't have come if it weren't serious and it concern you as much as me" Daisy replied.
At her words Hermione knew she was being serious and that the girl wouldn't have come here if it weren't important. Standing up Hermione grabbed her dressing gown and motioned for the girl to follow her out of the room and leave the other girls to sleep. Then when it was just the two of them Daisy explained her nightmare and Hermione look of disbelief and then she began to pace.
"So what do you make of it?" Daisy asked.
"Well, I'd discount it as just a vivid bad dream and if I wasn't a Ranger myself and had the same nightmare as well" Hermione answered.
"What you had the nightmare as well" Daisy yelped.
"Yes and it's a fair bet that Dulcea had it as well, we should talk to Zordon about this" Hermione said.
"Yeah lets go" Daisy said eagerly.
"Not so fast, its midnight, I don't know about you but I have classes in the morning and I need to get some sleep, we'll go to see Zordon tomorrow after I've had my classes" Hermione interrupted.
Daisy started to protest, but Hermione put up her hand to stop her and said. "So how come you came to me and didn't go to Adam and Rachel?"
"Well I didn't really want to go and talk to my "'real' parents, even though I'm getting used to the idea of them being my parents, I still don't feel totally comfortable with them" Daisy answered quietly.
"I suppose it is understandable, your whole life you've believed something and now you know it's all a lie, guess its scary. But Adam and Rachel are good people and I truly believe from seeing them with you, that they love you and you will if you let yourself" Hermione said.
Daisy shrugged but nodded and then she teleported away and left Hermione to return to her bed and sleep, though her sleep was disturbed by the dreams she had.
The night turned into day and after a restless night Daisy joined the rest of her group to rehearse for the upcoming tour. When she saw the older S Clubbers, and in particular Adam and Rachel, she flinched and tried not to be seen. She didn't meet with success as the two saw her unease and both went to her side.
"Daisy what is it?" I asked concerned.
"Nothing" she said trying to evade the question.
"It's not nothing Daisy, your feelings are all over the place" Rachel said.
"Stay out of my head" Daisy snapped.
"I'm not going into your head, its coming off of you in waves. Let us help, what's wrong?" Rachel insisted.
"Just bad dreams, that's all" Daisy said.
"If it were just the dreams they wouldn't be bothering you that much" I said.
"Okay, okay, it's the Red Orb, me and Hermione have had dreams or nightmares and I think the new Rangers coming, only thing is they might be ending up dead instead" Daisy explained.
"Nice dream, have you talked to Zordon" I asked.
"Not yet, going later when Hermione has finished classes" Daisy answered.
"Let us know we'll come with you" Rachel said.
You don't have to" Daisy started to protest.
"No we have to, you're our daughter and we look after you if you need it or even if you don't want it" I said.
Daisy looked at the two of us and saw the sincerity in our words and our faces and just let herself fall into a hug between the three of us, eventually we had to part and continue our rehearsal.
A world away in another universe Kincaid having made sure Mackenzie was okay, had left his house and was running through the nearby park and up into the mountains when he sensed something moments before he saw it. It was a good thing that he stopped when he did as if he had continued on his course he might have had his head impaled into the rock and that would not have been pleasant. Turning around he saw his attackers a group of Torachian Warriors and Piranhatrons.
"Don't you guys ever get bored of attacking us" Kincaid asked.
The foot-soldiers all looked blankly at Kincaid and then they attacked him and before they reached Kincaid he muttered to himself. "I guess not".
The fight was vicious and brutal and over in mere minutes as Kincaid stood victorious over his enemies and barely out of breath. He started to reach for his communication device when he felt someone coming up from behind him. By the time he had turned around an intense wave of cold hit him. Soon he found himself stuck in a block of ice rooted to the mountain wall. Kincaid focused his flaming power to break free, but his assailant wasn't about to give him the chance.
"ATTACK NOW!!!" a voice commanded.
Soon a horde of Torachian Warriors charged him and beat Kincaid down. When he was beat enough the warriors held his neck up and he was able to get a look at who had ordered the attack. A dark haired sorceress with pasty white skin and black lips descended from the sky above and landed before him. A look of total evil was in her eyes. Kincaid knew the face well.
"Black Annie." Kincaid said.
Annie only nodded and was about to speak when a boot landed squarely in her face and she was sent reeling backwards.
Kincaid looked up and saw the person who had struck Black Annie and was surprised when he saw a girl no older than Daisy.
"Kid thanks, but get out of here now, this is no place for a child" Kincaid shouted.
"You need help Mister, I can do that" the girl said.
Black Annie in the meantime was back on her feet gingerly holding her nose and she snarled at them. "You both need help, bring Kincaid to me and kill the child".
Obeying the command the Torachian Warriors attacked and despite a brave fight Kincaid still hurting from the beating he had already received was knocked to the floor stunned.
Black Annie said "Get him out of here before he gathers himself." The Torachian Warriors grabbed and then teleported out with Kincaid as did Black Annie leaving the few remaining warriors to deal with Lizzie who valiantly tried to fight, but her small size and being outnumbered meant she was outmatched and one Warrior grabbing her by the throat simply threw her over the edge of the mountain and she fell. She would have died if not for two things, the first her training and the second a hell of a lot of luck as she landed on a ledge that jutted out from the rock face. She rolled out of sight of the warriors and waited until she knew they had gone and once she was sure they had, she pulled herself back to where she had last seen Kincaid and then she sat on the path and sobbed at her failure.
Back at Kincaid's house Mackenzie was just allowing herself to drift as she enjoyed the quiet when the tiny wail of her daughter awoke her and she quickly went to attend to her. Picking the girl up Mackenzie gently rocked her back to sleep and as she placed her back in the crib she felt a sense of unease. Coming back into the other room she grabbed her communicator and activated it.
"Jeff are you there?" she asked.
Instead of the comforting voice of her husband, there was nothing but static and that worried her. Deactivating her communicator she paused and then activated it again. "Kathy are you there?"
There was several minutes of silence and Mackenzie began to worry when Kathy answered. "I'm here what's up?"
"What took you so long to answer?" Mackenzie snapped.
There was a pause and then slightly embarrassed Kathy replied. "I was on the toilet".
Even though Kathy couldn't see her Mackenzie blushed and then she said. "Can you gather up the rest of the Night Rangers, I can't get in touch with Jeff and I think something has happened"?
"On it, where was he the last time you saw him" Kathy asked.
"He'd gone running in the park and towards the mountains" she answered.
"Okay we'll head out and see what kind of mischief he has gotten into and we'll get back to you" Kathy said.
"Hopefully none and I'm worrying over nothing" Mackenzie said.
"If he's in trouble we'll find him" Kathy said as she cut the connection.
Then having sent her friends to find her husband she waited.
In the nexus Kincaid finally stirred his body aching from the battering it had taken at the hands of the Torachian Warrior and then his eyes settled on the woman just in front of him
Kincaid looked at Black Annie and spat out "So what rock did you crawl out of?"
"I've been around." Annie said. "When I got the call from Caris saying the Emperor could need my help how could I refuse?"
"Hmmm. First Caris and Thandros, then Harper, now you. If the Emperor isn't careful, he may find himself overrun by rodents".
"He won't." Annie replied. "Right now our goals rely on him remaining in power."
"Just be sure to remember that Annie." The Emperor as he descended the stairs looking down at Kincaid, his hands tied above him, and his body was soaking wet, this was due to anytime Kincaid tried to use his flame powers intense bursts of concentrated water were thrown his way spraying him with great pressure, and throwing off his concentration.
"So you are one of the great Night Rangers huh?" the Emperor said holding Kincaid's chin in his hand. "Not so tough now are you?"
"Try releasing me and you can see how tough I am" Kincaid snarled and then cursed himself for replying.
He kept his gaze hard on the Emperor as he continued to speak. "I've heard that you are immune to spells. That you can't be controlled."
"That's right." Kincaid said. "No Night Ranger can. Sorry to disappoint you."
"That's all right." The Emperor said. "Just means I get to break you, and enjoy myself when I do it. That is unless you were willing to accept my offer."
"And what offer is that?" Kincaid asked.
"Join me and sit and my right hand side as the leader of my army" the Emperor said.
For a second Kincaid was silent and appeared to be deep in thought and then he replied. "After carefully thinking it over I'd have to say go to hell".
"Don't be a fool Kincaid, there is no other way out of here apart from a corpse, be my General and you can have everything" the Emperor said.
"I already have everything I could ever want" Kincaid simply replied.
"Oh yes a Wife and child, it would be such a shame if something were to happen to them, which it will if you don't join me" the Emperor said.
At the implied threat Kincaid began to struggle in his bonds and then the Emperor continued on. "Your wife is highly spirited I shall enjoy breaking that spirit and her as well and as for your daughter I'll break her neck".
With a angry shout Kincaid broke his bonds and lunged forward for the Emperor, he didn't get far as energy bolts from different directions caught him and he fell to the ground mere inches from his prey.
The Emperor laughed as he motioned for his warriors to get Kincaid back in the chains. Leaning down the Emperor said. "It's a shame you didn't take my offer, I would have spared your family, now you'll die and so will they. And you could have saved them if you'd only agreed".
With a signal the Emperors torturers appeared and stood at the ready as Kincaid was awoken by water thrown over him and then they began to pummel the chained Night Ranger.
Back on Earth the remaining Night Rangers had gone to the last known area that Kincaid had been in. The group followed his route and slowly made their way up the mountain path ready to morph at a moment's notice and the hint of trouble.
"Everything seems normal, but then again something doesn't feel right" Kyle said.
"Isn't that a bit weird saying things are okay, but then saying they're not" Jessica asked.
"Perhaps, but like they say in the movies its too quiet" Kyle said.
"Guys look at this" the shout from Jessica distracted them from their conversation.
The Blue Night Ranger was stood on the mountain path and near where she was stood was a burn mark. The others quickly dashed to her side and examined the scene.
"Lets take a look further up the path" Sarah said.
With David and Sarah taking the lead the group slowly made their way up the path when they stopped, the others were confused and then they heard it. The sound of a child sobbing, the group moved forward and saw the source was a girl of no older than twelve with shoulder length strawberry blonde hair and wearing a red t-shirt with black jeans and a now torn leather jacket. She was sat on the ground her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them and that the sound of the footsteps she looked up and started to climb to her feet wiping away the tears on her face as she did so.
"So who are you?" Kathy asked.
As she looked around at the people she remembered from the photographs Bruce had shown her she hesitated in her answer not really knowing what to say and then she replied. "I'm Lizzie I was just wandering about and I heard all this crashing and banging and there was this guy and he was fighting these big ugly dudes and he wasn't winning. I tried to help, but one of them threw me off the side and by the time I got back here they'd all gone.
"One of them threw you off the side?" David asked a little suspiciously.
"Yeah, I was a goner for sure except for a ledge breaking my fall and then I climbed back up" Lizzie answered.
"We should go to see Zordon, its obvious that Kincaid was taken by the Emperors goons" Kyle said.
"What about her, we can't just leave her here" Jessica said.
"Kid where are your parents? We'll take you home to them" David said.
"Don't have a home and my parents are dead" Lizzie said softly.
"Sorry to hear that, but you can't stay here, isn't there somewhere you can go?" David asked.
"I could go with you to the Power Chamber, I can help find my... Kincaid I mean" Lizzie said
"How can you help?" Michael asked.
"This is going to sound weird I've been having dreams of a red ball or something, I dunno maybe its an orb, but whatever I've been dreaming about it" Lizzie said thinking fast.
The others glanced at each other and knew what she was talking about and it was Jessica who said. "Okay, you can come with us".
Standing closely together the group teleported away and unnoticed Lizzie smiled knowing her adventure was just beginning.
In the nexus the Emperor watched as a legion of his warriors along with his new ally left to do his bidding and he smiled knowing the destruction they would bring and then he returned to watching the torture.
Black Annie materialized along with the Torachian Warriors, Piranhatrons and Clones and watched as they attacked without prejudice. One of the warriors stalked with great pleasure a family as the man herded his family away he tried to avoid thinking about the warrior that was following them. Meanwhile his wife only concern was the crying bundle in her arms and a determination to not have history repeat itself. She stumbled and the man ran to aid her and then a shadow descended as the warrior with his sword appeared and the man leaned over attempting to protect his family.
The warrior laughed at what the man was trying to do, but in a way admired his attempt to protect his own and then he raised his sword and prepared to end the humans lives. The sword came down and the man closed his eyes awaiting the impact and death.
Neither came and then a strong male voice was heard. "Its all right your safe.. well safer anyway".
The man and woman stood up and looked at their saviour and saw it was the White Galaxy Ranger. The White Ranger looked at the face of the woman and stopped and stared in shock.
"White Ranger are you okay?" the woman asked.
Startled I finally found my voice. "Yes ma'am, the three of you should get to a shelter now".
"We will, thank you for saving our lives, my baby's life" the woman as her husband pulled her away.
As the left I watched them go and I whispered. "Your welcome I wish I could have saved your other child".
So distracted I didn't see a Torachian Warrior appear behind me until a blast from a pistol knocked him down to the ground.
"Getting sloppy aren't we" Rachel said.
"Didn't see him, come on we have work to do" I said.
With that I dived feet first into a group of the enemy leaving Rachel with a concerned look on her face beneath her helmet.
Though taken by surprise the Rangers worked as a team and as a team the foot-soldiers were beaten and sent scurrying back to their master leaving the Rangers alone except for one person a dark haired woman with pasty white skin and black lips was still stood there.
"And what sci-fi show did you escape from?" Rocky asked.
"I am Black Annie your destruction, guard your tongue boy, lest I take it from your throat" Black Annie said.
"I am so frightened" Rocky said sarcastically.
The words had barely left his lips when he was launched off of his feet and flung several metres away. As several of the others ran to his side I noticed she had only raised her hand.
"That was merely a sample of my power Rangers, I will destroy you soon, but first Kincaid shall pay" Black Annie said as she teleported away.
"Oh goody another problem" I said. "Rocky you okay?" I added.
"I'm fine, remind me never insult anyone ever again before knowing what they can do" Rocky replied.
"Okay, let's get back to the Power Chamber" I said.
We teleported back to the Power Chamber and as we did I noticed Hermione was shivering. Arriving back at the Chamber we noticed that the Night Rangers were there along with a kid around Daisy's age.
"Hey guys what are you doing here?" Jason asked.
"Kincaid has been grabbed by the Emperor's forces, presumably to try and turn him against us. We found the kid nearby and brought her here with us" Kathy explained.
"Who was that woman?" Hermione asked now back in normal clothing and looking very uncomfortable. "I never felt magic that evil before."
"Her name is Black Annie." Kathy said. "She was one of the prime sorceresses of the Luciferian Empire until it's fall. After that she became one of the survivors, offering her services to whatever evil force needed them."
"And now the Emperor is in need of her services." Jason said. Kathy nodded yes.
"Be careful around her." Kyle said. "She's very crafty and very smart. She knows how to use dark magic to her utmost advantage. Most of the time however she stays in the background overseeing events."
"All the same you should be prepared for her." Sarah said.
Soon everyone turned their attention towards the girl in their presence. I walked up and introduced myself.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Lizzie." The girl said.
"Lizzie what?" Leo asked.
"Lizzie....McGuire." she answered as I rolled my eyes. Anyone of us knew she was giving a false name.
"Right. And I'm Hillary Duff." Dawn had said.
"Can we discuss names later? I need to get up to the Emperor's palace. I need to get my...I need to get Kincaid out of there. We all do."
"Why?" Tommy asked. "Why's he so special to you?"
"Because." Lizzie started to say. She had to be careful with her answer. She wasn't sure she should tell the truth yet. But she couldn't lie to them either. "Because I know Kincaid will die soon if we don't get him out."
"And how exactly do you know that?" a new voice asked.
Everyone looked over at the speaker and most of us were unsurprised to see it was Mackenzie, the girl however looked like she had seen a ghost.
"Mackenzie what are you doing here?" Sarah asked.
"That's a dumb question, if it were your husband missing you'd be here wouldn't you" Mackenzie answered.
"True I suppose, but you know we would have kept you notified" Sarah said.
"I couldn't sit at home and worry. Now back to my question how do you know that Jeff is going to die?" Mackenzie asked.
"I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you that I just know he will and the consequences for the universe will be horrible, we have to save him" Lizzie said.
"Don't worry kid, we're heroes we'll save him or die trying" Chris said.
"Hey I didn't sign up to die or anything I want to live to a ripe old age" Rocky said moments after Chris finished his dramatic sentence.
With an exasperated sigh Chris turned around to face Rocky and replied. "You just have to ruin the moment don't you, can't let me have any fun".
"Nah it's all mine" Rocky said grinning.
Chris and some of the others matched the grin and then everyone dispersed into smaller groups to wait until they were called upon to do battle. Rachel meanwhile grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the main chamber.
"What happened out there?" Rachel asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You were distracted out there, if I hadn't been watching, you would be dead again" she said.
"Look its nothing, don't worry about it" I said.
Then Rachel got that look on her face that said she wasn't taking anything but the truth.
I sighed and knew that I would have to tell her. "Okay, here it is, the couple and child that I saved out there I've encountered the woman before back when I was the Silver Morphin Ranger. It was just after Zedd and Rita married, they turned me into this Dark Silver Ranger and I was evil, I was on a rampage in Angel Grove and while I was I killed a child, that woman's first child. It was that incident that helped start the chain of events to break the spell and return me to normal. But I nearly didn't get over it, for weeks I had nightmares over the death, I couldn't face being a Ranger and in the end Zordon sent me to see a Shrink and I revealed everything. She made me realize that I couldn't run away from my problem I had to face it head on and I did by becoming a Ranger again and fighting to prevent someone dying again".
I finished my tale and watched as Rachel's expression changed from one of confusion to horror.
"Guess that changes the way you think or feel about me" I said.
"No, it doesn't I love you Adam, why didn't you tell me this before" she said.
" I was afraid of how you would react, how you would think of me and the truth be told I never expected to ever see the woman again" I said.
"Adam sometimes you have to face your demons, no matter how hard that is. I faced mine and I want to help you face yours," she said.
"You're a special woman Rachel, I'm lucky to have you" I replied.
"Yeah you are" Rachel said lightly.
Kissing her I took her hand in my own and returned with her to the Chamber.
"Billy any luck in finding Kincaid" I asked.
"None I'm afraid, if the Emperor has him in the Nexus, then he's keeping him well hidden" Billy answered.
"What if he's hiding him in the nexus, but not at his fortress. I mean he would figure that would be the first place we would look for him, what if he's holding him somewhere else in there" Kyle asked.
"Then we're out of luck, because we have no way to find him" Justin said.
"What about Harddrive?" Lizzie asked.
"What about him?" Kathy said.
"Well he's a super computer, if you can make a connection he could help us" Lizzie said.
Jessica nodded but seemed reluctant to even agree to that idea.
"Well make the connection!" Tommy said. The Night Rangers paused for a minute but when we all looked at them they immediately began work. I wondered why they hesitated. I would find out soon.
The connection to Harddrive was established. "We weren't too keen on using Harddrive, and you'll find out why soon." David said as the Night Rangers turned to the viewing globe.
On the viewing globe was a sight that no one ever thought they would see. Nor did I and I couldn't help but smirk. It was an image of Daffy Duck dressed as a space warrior.
"This is why." Kyle said. "We had no choice but to activate the original program. Harddrive felt the old program was as bad as Goldburg's WCW heel turn." I didn't say anything, and I just continued to watch as Jessica relayed the situation to Harddrive in the original manner, like from an old Warner Brother's cartoon.
"Our destination is Planet X, somewhere in interdimensional space." Jessica said. On screen the image of Daffy, which represented Harddrive, started to speak.
"And you want me to find Planet X. Is that it?" Harddrive said sounding exactly like Daffy Duck. Jessica however continued. "Can you do it Dodgers?"
"Oh absolutely. After all no one knows interdimensional space like DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24th ½ CENTURY!!!" Daffy then fell off the screen and seemed to fall down making a thump like a cartoon would.
It was all we could do to keep from laughing. However it wasn't long before Hardrive started processing possible locations. Billy went up to Jessica and asked "So how's it been working with the old program?"
"Interesting." Jessica said. "And I will admit that it does have…unique defences against hostile attackers."
"Unique defences?" Billy asked.
"Someone tried to hack into Hardrive with a viral program once. Hardrive came up with a defense no one would have thought of." Billy wondered what Jessica meant until she explained.
"It turned the virus into a Scottsman and sent it off to play tennis at Wimbledon." Billy looked wide eyed and laughed wondering where a computer would get an idea like that.
"Monty Python's Flying Circus." Jessica explained. "Hardrive has a lot of TV themed defenses programmed into him, and he's always looking for more."
Billy shook his head in disbelief. "So the only thing that could possibly stand against him…"
"Is a TV junkie right." Jessica explained as she turned to Hardrive's progress. Hardrive seemed to be doing okay with processing however it didn't seem like it was processing fast enough.
"We need to get Hardrive processing faster." Jessica said. "Talk to him, and try to encourage him." Some of the Rangers tried to come up with ideas to motivate the computer. Alpha was off to the side wishing he could have eyeballs so he could roll them back to what he was hearing.
"We have to find them." Jen said to Harddrive. "The future depends on the Emperor's defeat." Not much luck.
"He'll destroy everything if we don't stop him." Jason added. Still not much.
"He'll put nipples on the bat suit!" Hannah added. For some reason Harddrive then went into faster processing speed. Hannah looked at everyone and just shrugged as she said "Beginner's luck."
"Well it worked." Kyle said. "Hardrive is moving at max speed."
"Maybe when all this is over we can tune it into programs on our telly." Bradley said. Everyone wasn't sure what to think of that idea. Some of the Night Rangers wondered if that idea wasn't a danger in itself. Daisy however tried to be the voice of reason and got everyone back into the job of searching for Kincaid.
"We have to stop the Emperor." Daisy said. "If he turns Kincaid to his side, we might as well kiss our Asses goodbye, it will be a disaster.
"Actually I could think of something worse." Lizzie said. We all turned to look at her as she gave her answer. "How about Al Snow as the World Heavyweight Champion?"
"Who?" Kat asked.
"WWE Wrestler, not likely to be the main champion, more chance of me doing that" I said. Although I will admit I didn't expect Lizzie to be a wrestling fan. And she must have been a big one to tell an Al Snow joke, knowing Mick Foley's penchant for telling those. Clearly this girl had layers of mystery about her.
Just then Harddrive shouted. "Eureka, I've found him".
"Billy get us a location and a lock on it and we're there" I said.
"I'm on it" Billy shouted.
"Meanwhile Jessica do you care to explain why you brought a kid to the Chamber?" I said.
"She told us she'd been having visions of a red ball, we guessed she was talking about the Red Orb. It sounds like she's the next Orb Ranger, we had to bring her here for her protection" Jessica explained.
"Dulcea how is the red orb?" I asked.
As I looked over at the Green Ranger she looked everywhere but at me. "I was kind of hoping you wouldn't ask," she said.
"What does that mean?" I demanded.
"It's well gone" Dulcea replied.
"What do you mean gone?" Tommy said.
"Gone, not there, disappeared, vanished. Can I give you anymore definitions of the word" Dulcea said sarcastically.
"Dulcea sarcasm has a time and a place and now is neither the time and place for it. If it's disappeared where is it and who has it?" Kim said.
"I don't think anyone actually has it, I think its just readying itself to find its new bearer" Dulcea answered.
"Well it will have to wait, we have to find Kincaid" Mackenzie said.
"We'll get him back Mack, I promise" I said.
"You'd better or else I'll kick your ass" Mackenzie said.
I nodded and turned back to Billy. "Billy, have you got something?" I asked.
"I have a location and everything, I even have a lock on Kincaid, I just can't get a solid lock to bring him back here" Billy said.
"It will have to do, the Night Rangers, Hermione, Daisy, Dulcea and I will go and get Kincaid back. The rest of you wait here and keep your fingers crossed," I said.
It was then I noticed that the girl Lizzie was bouncing around trying to be noticed and Rachel elbowed me in the ribs. I glared at Rachel and then added. "Lizzie you can come with us as well, if you're the next Orb Ranger then you might be needed".
Lizzie moved to join the others when the Power Chambers alarms went off.
"Rangers, a couple of monsters have appeared in New York" Zordon said.
"Don't we have a show there?" Paul asked. Jon nodded and said it was the first one on the tour.
"Talk about timing, the rest of you go kick some monster ass we'll go get Kincaid" I said.
Jason nodded and he motioned for the others to gather in a group, Rachel joined them after planting a kiss on my cheek. Then the group morphed and headed into battle and I watched them go and worried. Even as I did I felt a hand grip my own and I glanced to my left and smiled it was Daisy.
"Okay guys time to stop sitting around and go kick some ass" I said.
With that we morphed on our mission to rescue Kincaid. We reappeared in a darkened corridor and dropping into single file we carefully made our way through the corridors.
Meanwhile the other Rangers appeared in New York and immediately spread out ready to face the monsters. But all they found was nothing.
"Well this is interesting, where are they?" Dawn said.
"This is the location that Zordon said they where at, so they have to be around here somewhere" Jason said.
Dawn started to form a reply only for an explosion to rock the city.
"Guess they're over there" Leo said.
"What was your first clue" Dawn said.
"The explosion, it's a dead giveaway" Leo replied.
Dawn giggled and then joined the other Rangers moving to the source of the explosion. The group found the two monsters stood in the middle of Times Square firing in all directions causing people to run in every direction to avoid being hit by energy blasts.
"All right hold it there" Jason called out.
The monsters stopped firing and turned to face the Rangers and then fired a bolt at the group sending them scattering every way. Dawn, Jason and Billy were up first and leap towards one of the monsters first only to be knocked out of the air by bolts from the other monster.
"That was a clever idea, what's next fearless leader?" Dawn asked.
"Weapons everyone" Jason ordered.
In a flare of energy weapons of all variations appeared in the hands of the Rangers and they prepared to attack when the Emperors foot-soldiers appeared.
"Guess the monsters will have to wait, Rangers take them out" Jason said.
The Rangers all nodded and all ran to meet the onrushing army of foot soldiers.
Back in the catacombs of the place that Kincaid was being held we were making a steady pace, unnoticed by any of our enemies.
"Adam this is weird, where is everyone?" Kathy asked.
"I know this is strange, you'd have thought they would jump on us by now, I mean surely they would have detected us teleporting us in" I said.
"They're only a few other people in this place apart from us, I can sense it" Daisy said.
"That doesn't feel right" David said.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"Well think about it, if you were the Emperor you would know that we're going to come after Kincaid and rescue him. If I were him, I'd have this place full of his best monsters and soldiers and then as soon as the Night Rangers were here they would attack," David said.
Lizzie froze as she heard the words from David describing the scenario and she remembered a story from her past or now her future.
'Bruce sat the eight year old on his knee, she had been asking about her Daddy again and he knew that he could no longer put off telling her what had happened'. Lizzie listened wide-eyed as Bruce told her of how her Father had being taken by the forces of evil and the Night Rangers along with three of the Orb Rangers and the White Ultimate Ranger had gone to rescue him. Lizzie watched as Bruce struggled with his story as he told her that the day was the last one he ever saw Kincaid and the rest of those who had gone on the rescue mission. He told Lizzie how her Mother was left a broken woman and only kept going for the sake of her child and unborn child. But that was the turning point with the Night Rangers a powerful ally gone and some of the most powerful Rangers dead also the Emperor overran the Night Rangers own universe and others, achieving total domination. Bruce then told how he gathered the only survivors of the Rangers, the Pink Galaxy Ranger, the Blue Turbo Ranger of his own universe and the Red Turbo Ranger and taken the children of his friends and found somewhere to hide, somewhere that no-one would find any of them. And here in a corner of the universe the group hid, waiting for the day that might regain their freedom. The story finished Lizzie started to cry for the Father, the Mother she barely knew and all those who had died.
"We have to go now, we have to get out of here" Lizzie said the panic evident in her voice.
"What is it? What's the matter?" I asked.
"Please we have to go, now please" Lizzie insisted.
"Why, what is going to happen?" I asked again.
"Please I know you don't know me, but if we don't go we're all dead and the future belongs to the Emperor" Lizzie pleaded.
"How do you know?" I demanded.
"I just do" Lizzie answered.
"They're blocking me" Daisy suddenly said.
"What, what do you mean?" Sarah asked.
"There is some kind of shield here, I'm being blocked its not that I can't read anybody, they're in areas that I can't sense" Daisy explained.
"That doesn't really make much sense" Michael said.
"She's saying that she thinks they knew she'd be one of the ones who'd come to rescue Kincaid and if they could block her abilities they would be able to have loads of troops here and we wouldn't know" Hermione said.
"You got all that from what I said" Daisy asked.
"I read between the babble" Hermione said.
"Wasn't babbling, but seriously if she's right we have to get out of here now and come back with everyone" Daisy said.
"No, if we go, Kincaid is dead!" Lizzie cried out.
"She's right if we go, he'll die and besides we won't get another chance to get back here before they either kill him or move him somewhere we can't find him" I said.
"So what's the plan?" Kyle asked.
"Not a clue, frankly we might be in a no-win situation," I said.
"Way to inspire the troops chief" Dulcea said sarcastically.
"I've got an idea, it might work, it might not" Daisy said quietly.
"Go on what's your idea?" I asked.
"Well I might be able to knock out the shield and any of the bad guys" Daisy said.
"And how do you plan to do that? You said you couldn't sense them," Kyle said.
"I've been working with Zordon and Rachel and I think I can use my telekinetic powers to destroy the shield and then shut down the minds of everyone except us" Daisy answered.
"Daisy that's sounds like its very complicated and something you shouldn't be able to do" I said.
"I can do it, don't you believe me" she shouted.
"I didn't say you couldn't do it, just don't want you to over exert yourself and don't shout" I said.
"Adam she has to try it or else we all die" Night Karone said
"I know, doesn't mean I like it," I said reluctantly.
I nodded to Daisy who stood in front of every one of the Rangers and concentrated. There was silence and she raised her hands and then there was a very faint explosion followed by the sound of screaming. I hadn't stopped looking at Daisy and then I saw it she was glowing with power. Then the glow vanished and Daisy demorphed and started to collapse and I dived forward catching her head before hit the cold surface of the floor.
I hit my communicator and said. "Alpha this is Adam teleport Daisy back to the Power Chamber at once".
Alpha didn't acknowledge my command, but Daisy disappeared in a flash of white.
"Okay guys now that is taken care of, lets get Kincaid and get out of here" I