Blast from the Past

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic. Some lines taken from Transformers the movie.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Blast from the Past

The Dark Dimension.

He was in pain, which would have caused some to point out that at least he wasn't dead. But then a cursed life

He was in pain, begging whatever deity looked down on poor misunderstood monsters to relieve his torment even if doing so meant he would fade from existence. Survival was no longer a priority for him, but escaping the agony was. He was inside the Dark Dimension, a place intended for monsters and villains who had fallen in battle, a place intended solely for the deceased. He wasn't dead, that much was certain; the dead could never feel the pain that ran through his body at that moment.

In his last incarnation his mistress had called him Minion, a name intended to remind him of his place in the grand scheme of things. She had revived him from the point of death and had given him the opportunity to destroy the Rangers. He had beaten Tommy by threatening the White Ranger's innocent friends, but in a rematch he had fallen foul of the Rangers' own trickery and had been condemned to endure an unending period of pain and suffering until he convinced Lord Zedd to lift the curse. Of course that feat was made next to impossible since part of the punishment robbed him of his body, his powers and removed him from the physical world where he could speak with Zedd.

He sighed, recognising the onset of a rest period. It was mercy that ended the torment for a few minutes, there was no such thing as too much suffering so far as the instigators of the curse were concerned. However, a creature driven to madness could not suffer as thoroughly as he could if he remained capable of understanding that he was in pain, so the curse allowed brief periods of rest just before the mind was pushed into the realms of insanity for the victim to recover a little.

As he floated in the void, he remembered the time he had spent in this place. Here he had learnt the secret of existence: that although separate the many universes reached beyond the mortal realm. The realms of Heaven and Hell were united throughout existence allowing the dead from each universe to unite. That in turn revealed another great secret: in each universe there was a version of Lord Zedd, the Machine Empire and a planet named Earth that drew more attention that it deserved, a world where the Power Rangers fought against evil. During some of his more lucid moments, he had been able to use the Dark Dimension to view the various timelines and universes in order to gain a better understanding of the fight between good and evil.

In some dimensions the Power Rangers were servants of evil, in some they were the evil rulers and in some they simply did not exist. The same was true about the villains he had come to know. Once in the Dark Dimension all the different variations merged into a single being.

Being dead, such information should not have worried him and in all honesty, during the periods when the pain ravaged his every fibre, the events on an Earth where Tommy had been replaced by a girl named Celia, did not matter to him. However, he was not dead. The curse that he had been duped into triggering could only affect the living. He had been granted immortality at the price of spending almost every second of it in agony.

It had taken time for him to discover that he still had a link to his physical body. When he had first arrived, the hours of pain had left him too drained to do anything except float aimlessly in the darkness. Months later and his recovery time was faster. It was during one of his rare moments of lucidity that he had first discovered the difference between himself and the other occupants of the Dark Dimension. While they had died powered by evil, he had been holding the powers of a Ranger and as such he had retained his powers even if they were inaccessible inside the Dark Dimension.

"If only I could speak to Lord Zedd, make him understand that the Rangers tricked me," he mumbled. He had already tried speaking to Zedd's counterpart within the Dark Dimension, but that Zedd had no knowledge of whom Minion was and wouldn't acknowledge there was such a thing as an oath on his father's honour.

Something struck his chest, causing him to hiss from the discomfort. And then there was a sharp pull as he felt himself being dragged through the darkness. When the sensation ended, he could feel the change in his environment. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to shift as he shielded his eyes from the intense light that signified that he was no longer inside the Dark Dimension. Although given the frozen floor beneath his feet and the strange constellations in the sky above, he was not on Earth either.

He heard something, a word whispered from afar. "Minion..." the name drifted through the Dark Dimension and at he was unsure whether or not he had heard it. "Minion." It was louder this time and he could feel something pushing him backward. In his weakened state he was hurled across the ground.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Minion -- Minion --- Welcome Minion!"

He was thrown around again. It wasn't the wind that buffeted from all sides, but the solid and overwhelming force of a powerful aura. His instincts told him to run, to hide from the incredible force that could easily destroy him. He had nowhere to go though and after looking around desperately, he still could not find the source of the voice. Then he happened to look up and spotted the large object floating in the heavens above him supported by a mass of ice stretched between eight metal worlds all held in place by the gravitational force of the system's sun.

High above him he could just make out the glowing green eyes of a monster. Even trapped within a frozen prison it was awe inspiring to see.

"You like my body then?" something asked. It was a child, a small boy dressed in robes of black and silver. Weak and unthreatening in his hands though he held a glowing ball of energy. Minion knew at once that this boy was an illusion, a physical manifestation of power and undoubtedly connected to the monster looming above him. The boy's eyes were the same green as the incomplete machine's, and in the light of the fire that burnt in his hands, the boy appeared to share the creature's horns.

Minion pulled himself back to his feet, finally able to withstand the swirling energy. "Who are you?"

"I have many names Minion. In the ancient texts I am referred to as Dagsyxx, but you can refer to me as master from now. Yes, that will certainly suffice for now."

"What are you?" he demanded. The power of this creature was incredible.

"Here I am more than you could hope to understand. This is my personal domain, a place that shapes itself according to my whims. I brought you here, summoned you from the Dark Dimension so that you might serve as a tool to further my plans. With your aid the God of Evil will once more set the skies alight."

"I am nobody's tool," Minion snapped, "and I go where I wish; nobody summons me!"

Laughter echoed across the plane and it was only then that he realised that what he had thought to be a planet was just an enormous organic factory. It may once have resembled a habitable world, but now it was twisted to servicing the twisted creature's needs.

"Welcome Minion to my little corner of the Astro Plane, far from that pathetic little realm where you belong. This is where I have come to reside since the cursed Power Rangers drove me from their plane. Not as grand as the Dark Dimension I snatched you from, but I am sure you will find it more comfortable. Long ago I was in your position, a not-so-humble servant of evil with a desire to become more than the insignificant creature my superiors believed me to be. I served my master willingly until he was incapacitated, and then I built an empire in my own name.

My empire stretched many galaxies until I was stopped. I became a rival to those that had once looked down on me. But I was defeated and now I am trapped in this place, unable to return to release my body and unable to extend my reach beyond this place. But just because I was unable to leave this place did not mean that I haven't searched for a means of escape."

Out of nowhere a table appeared with what at first appeared to be a chessboard. In reality Minion realised that this was not a normal game board. There were far more pieces on the board than would normally be found. Several kings and queens, each with the appropriate number of bishops, knights and rooks, all of varying heights, which he assumed was a sign of their importance to the game. At the very back of each army were two squares where the King and Queen should have been. Around those empty spaces stood two bishops, two knights and two rooks along with eight pawns. Minion noted that they were larger than the other pieces.

"As you can see this represents more than a normal game. You cannot limit such a complex war to just sixteen pieces on each side." He watched as the child touched a badly damaged piece that resembled the body he had seen earlier. It was one of the smaller bishops. "Once I was a pawn. Through loyal service I ascended to a rank more akin to a bishop. One day I shall become even more important." He lifted a piece from the board, a long pillar carved with the faces of the various factions of the Machine Empire, from the place where a rook would normally be found. "As you can see, a valuable piece matched only by the Alliance of Evil for its strength and number."

Minion noticed that despite his words, the piece that represented the Machine Empire was still one of the smallest.

"See this?" the boy demanded as he pointed to the other end of the board. "The Alliance of Evil, the most powerful villains bound by mutual purpose, a cooperative that seeks to extend the power of the individuals by preventing the petty infighting between factions. Zedd, Rita, Vile, and many others you have not met; they are easily as powerful as the Machine Empire. And yet compared to some of the pieces they are weak. At least they are useful."

"You on the other hand are a pawn." He pointed to a piece that looked as if it had been melted. "You should have had no purpose once your usefulness had expired. And yet, you defy your fate and continue to exist. The curse you unwittingly invoked has sustained you, transforming you into something more than you have a right to be. But you are still a pawn, there to be used at my will. And I have chosen your new purpose."

"I have no interest in history or the empty boasts of a could-be villain," Minion snapped defiantly. "And I select my own purpose." He was facing someone who could crush him at anytime, yet allowed him to stay alive. He was willing to see how far he could push before his usefulness expired.

"Millions of years and there is a long way to go," Dagsyxx mused as he studied the piece representing himself, scrutinising it as the figurine seemed to slowly repair itself, while ignoring the defiance in Minion's voice. "Do you think you are the only one who strives to be greater than you are, Minion?" He pointed to the squares where the King and Queen would normally stand. "That is the place where I would wish to stand, commanding the entire army of darkness, yet it is a level I will never reach and a place you have no hope of reaching. That is what unites us Minion, a desire to become more than we are. The difference is that while I have already grown beyond my original role, you will forever remain a pawn."

"I yearn to return to the battlefield, I crave the screams as I extinguish the lives of countless innocents. But I cannot, yet. And that, little pawn, makes you useful. The Earth is the key to my return. On that world or close by there is the power to release me from this prison and its defenders are the greatest weapons the opposition possesses. The planet is a beacon of hope that has been shining for so long that few will miss it until it is extinguished. Return to Earth, destroy the ones known as the Power Rangers, and secure for me the means of my return to glory."

"Why should I, What's in it for me?"

Laughter shook the planet as Dagsyxx regarded Minion in the same way a vulture would a rabbit. He could crush Minion at any time and there was nothing that could stop him. Yet Minion for all his intelligence continued to bait him. It was something to be admired or pitied. Minion promised to be useful. The question was whether that usefulness excused his insolence?

"Your bargaining posture is a little dubious," he remarked at last. "You believe you have a choice in the matter other than to obey or be destroyed."

"You need me," Minion pointed out.

There was silence as Dagsyxx considered his options. "Very well, perhaps you should have some incentive." There was the mental impression of the entity clicking his fingers. "You are released from your curse. No longer will the breach of honour torture you." There was another break, another moment where he seemed to be elsewhere. Then a sword appeared in front of Minion, floating in the air. "This is the Sword of Darkness, a powerful weapon allowing you control over the Morphin Grid. This shall be your new weapon."

It wasn't that great a gift. The being that had forged this Sword of Darkness had forged many more. After all one sword was not that great when trying to build an army.

"And?"

"And nothing. You belong to me Minion, you always have. My property, and I do not need to reward you, I just need to give you commands for you to follow, and punishments if you don't obey! Your attitude amused me for a while, but continued disobedience will not be allowed."

"I am nobody's property!" Minion snarled.

Dagsyxx just laughed at the pathetic attempt at posturing. "Then our discussion and your usefulness is at an end. DIE!"

The pain returned full force as he used the power he had gathered over the ages to rip the insolent creature apart. Minion screamed, his cries and whimpers sufficient for Dagsyxx to delay his destruction for a short time. Dagsyxx enjoyed the power he felt as Minion writhed helplessly on the metal ground.

"Please, spare me?" Minion begged when Dagsyxx removed the pain for a moment. He had been planning to allow Minion one last look at the universe before he was obliterated. The sudden change in attitude though convinced him to think again.

"You are a worm Minion, the lowest of the low. But you are useful, so I will spare your life. Now, take up the sword I have granted you, return to the Earth and destroy the Power Rangers."

There was the sensation of something jerking him by the throat and he was sent hurtling back to the Dark Dimension, this time fully aware of his surroundings.

The place had changed since the last time he had been there. He had changed; he was now more powerful than the so-called villains that turned away as he approached. They would never follow him. The monsters and henchmen though were another matter entirely. They were now loyal to him. With the Sword of Darkness he found that his powers were fully accessible and with it, conquering a small group of powerless underlings had proven easy.

He reached out and a book appeared. The book was an inventory containing the details of every being and artefact that resided within the Dark Dimension and available to him. He smiled as he recognised some of the entries.

A plan began to form in his mind. He was now capable of leaving the Dark Dimension. His chance for revenge was at hand, not just on those who had tricked him, but also against the creature that had tried to turn him into a slave.

He moved the Sword of Darkness through the air, cutting a pattern in the air. When he finished, he was rewarded by a silver glow he slashed forcefully at the air in front of him. The barrier between the Dark Dimension and the Mortal Realm was torn open as he cried: "I command the portal to open!"

Earth.

Sam ran along the metal corridor, determined to escape the monster looming somewhere behind him. In his mind he could hear the voice calling him, trying to trick him into turning around. He did not know what the monster was, only that it wanted him and that was not good.

"THOMAS!" the voice said again, gaining volume as it echoed down the corridor, "WHY DO YOU RUN FROM ME? YOU KNOW I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU."

"No!" Sam shouted over his shoulder. "I am not Thomas, I am Samuel Revilo!"

"COME BACK TO ME THOMAS AND KNOW ME," the voice pleaded. "YOU CANNOT RUN FROM YOUR DESTINY."

"I am Sam!" the youth shouted as he ran round another corner.

He skidded to a halt as the floor in front of him gave way. He had been here before and knew what came next. He would have a choice. He could face the monster now drawing nearer or he could jump into void below. The noise of the monster's footsteps drew nearer, making the decision even more urgent. Without a second thought he jumped into the void.

Falling, the sensation was strange. Before him he could see a group of six figures, each in a different colour fighting another group of creatures who resembled demons. The first group was losing as a black hand closed around them.

A rope appeared in the darkness. Sam remembered this part of the dream; it was the monster giving him the chance to pull himself out of the pit. For a moment he considered it, but decided that an eternal fall must be better than the monster lurking above.

"THOMAS, THEY NEED YOU, I NEED YOU." The voice was growing quieter as Sam fell deeper into the void. "PLEASE THOMAS, ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE AND COME BACK, PLE..."

The monster's words were lost as Sam noticed a set of spikes below him. He braced himself for the impact his mind told him would be coming soon.

"Nooo!"

"SAM?"

"SAM,"

"Samuel REVILO, WAKE UP! This disturbance is unacceptable behaviour."

Sam opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by some of his best friends and a slightly suspicious looking Ms Randall. As he became aware of his surroundings, he noticed he was on the School Bus. His class was off on a day trip as part of a class project.

"Are you all right Mr Revilo?" he heard the teacher ask.

Sam nodded, but did not say anything. The dream had been more real than ever and he still didn't know what it meant. Who was calling him? The Green Power Coin? His creator? Sam didn't know the answer, but knew he needed to say something to satisfy Ms Randall.

"I'm sorry ma'am, it was just a bad dream."

Randall looked a bit sceptical, but then nodded and returned to the front of the bus. Sam had been asleep and sometimes teenagers did have weird dreams. Randall took out her notebook and wrote down a memo for the school nurse to arrange an appointment with Mr Revilo as soon as possible.

The strict teacher was replaced by a very concerned looking Tommy Oliver. "You want to talk about it?" Tommy asked.

Sam sighed, "I'm fine, I just need to get my head together." It wasn't that he disliked Tommy, it was just that he doubted the spell would hold for long if Tommy suspected who he was.

Sam was the clone of Thomas Oliver; powered by the Dragon, he was the Green Power Ranger, and last seen when he had left the Command Center to journey back to Colonial Angel Grove, where he had resumed his normal life after saving the Rangers from the insidious scheme of one Monastra Repugna.

He should have died by now, after two hundred years of hardly ageing he was starting to grow used to the fact that he would live a long time. He just wished he knew why. Regardless of that little mystery, he was not sure how this news would affect the other boy, or the Rangers for that matter.

He had been married and widowed, had had children and watched them grow old and die. He had watched as time had taken its correct course, right up to the point where he went back in time with Tommy.

Rita and Zedd had made a few small changes when they had ordered the Wizard of Deception to create him. Firstly, they had given him a photographic memory so he would not suffer from Tommy's flaw. Secondly Zedd had granted him some control over his appearance; just little things such as hair length and when needed a change of clothes. The Wizard of Deceptions wand, which he had kept after he had aided the Power Rangers against Minion, took care of his other needs.

Not long after returning to the past left he had discovered that he could focus magical powers of his own with or without the wand. ~An after effect from the Wizard of Deception's spell,~ he had thought at the time. Using his powers he had granted himself a new identity and hidden himself from Zordon. He did not want to be part of the battle between good and evil; he only wanted a peaceful life away from Zordon's manipulations.

"You sure?" Tommy asked, unconvinced.

"I'm fine," Sam confirmed, determined not to hold the conversation for any longer than necessary.

His friend nodded and returned to where his girlfriend was waiting. Sam watched them together. Kat was as beautiful as Kimberly had ever been, but he knew Tommy was fooling himself. Kim and Tommy had never really had a future and Kat and Tommy were even less likely to stay together in the long run.

"Rita, do you sense it?" Lord Zedd asked as he desperately scanned the Earth for a disturbance that he had felt not long ago.

"It can't be," Rita whispered as she joined her husband. "The Green Coin is dormant."

"I felt it just now. And we both know what we saw a few weeks back." Zedd insisted as he kept searching for the now hidden Ranger. "Zordon must have found a new avatar for the Dragon Coin."

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, it can't be," Alpha said.

"What is it Alpha?" Zordon asked.

"The computer says somebody just used the Green Power Coin," the small robot reported.

Zordon considered what Alpha said, knowing that it was impossible for anyone to use that coin with the exception of Tommy. He performed a quick check and found the coin was still in the dimensional pocket where the Red Zeo Ranger had placed it. In the back of his mind he felt that this was an important discovery but for some reason he also felt compelled to ignore it. There was of course the story Jason had told them a few weeks ago when he was losing his powers. At the time Zordon had been sure it was a side effect from the power drain and a symptom of stress. Now, he was not so sure. He remembered Tom Oliver had planned to remain in Colonial Angel Grove and he had yet to detect any temporal distortion that would lead him to assume otherwise.

"Alpha, scan the Power Chamber for any abnormal spells that might have caused this problem." In his heart Zordon knew this discovery would prove important. The Green Ranger was about to return and he could sense the balance of power shifting although in whose favour was another question.

~Could Zedd and Rita somehow managed to find a new coin?~ he wondered.

If they had Zordon knew it meant bad news for the Rangers, but might hold the solution to another problem. Since the attack on Jason the Gold Ranger Powers had been restored to Trey. But since Trey was still unable to unify his spirit, the powers were unstable. Jason still had some residue of the power in his system. Zordon knew the energy would soon be exhausted though and then, the team would be lacking a vital member.

~If Rita or Zedd has found a way to link to the Morphin Grid and I can copy it, I can restore Jason to full power,~ Zordon thought as he watched Alpha continuing the search.

Sam cursed under his breath. Somehow his dream had tapped into the Morphin Grid. Normally he would have been able to cover up for his powers, but his discussion with Tommy had cost him valuable time. Now he risked discovery by Zedd, Rita or worse, Zordon. While the two villains would try to take advantage of him they would give up after a few failures. Zordon on the other hand was a manipulative old wizard who didn't know when to give up. If Samuel didn't know better, he would have suspected that Zordon had something to do with his predicament.

The bus continued its journey through the hills outside Angel Grove towards the small town of North Valley where they were going to see the unveiling of some new super computer. ~Haven't they had enough of machines with Mondo and family stomping around?~

He looked over to where Tommy, Jason, Rocky, Kat and Tanya were sitting. For some reason Adam had not joined his friends at the back of the bus and was currently engaged in a discussion with Ms Randall.

Realising there was nothing he could physically do to stop Zordon and Zedd detecting him now that the cat was out of the bag, Sam decided to enjoy the trip. With luck they had only detected the surge in the Morphin Grid and had not been able to focus on the source. As long as it did not happen again he would be all right. Besides, at least he only had to deal with Rita and Zedd since an enraged Blue Ranger had wiped out the Machine Empire. They would be back one day, but in the meantime at least they were out of the picture.

"Why don't we send down a monster to attack the other Rangers?" Goldar asked. "Then when the Green Ranger shows up we can grab him."

"Monkey boy has a point," Rita agreed. "Even if we don't get the Green Ranger we can at least aggravate the Rangers, and maybe eliminate Jason."

Zedd considered his options. All six Rangers were on the bus, away from Zordon and with a lot of witnesses. Better yet Jason had given his powers back to Trey of Triforia, leaving him with only a small link to the Gold Power. If anything would draw the Green Ranger out this would. Zedd considered what to use as a monster. He noticed the old box camera on the seat next to the teacher. Aiming his staff he summoned the Freeze Frame monster.

Adam Park had felt compelled to sit near the front of the bus. Something told him he needed to keep an eye on the road ahead. As the bus turned another corner, he saw why. In the middle of the road stood Goldar and a flock of Tengas. Behind them stood what looked like a giant camera on legs.

The driver applied the brakes and stopped just short of where Goldar was waiting. Before he could shift into reverse, the simian warrior had managed to thrust his sword through the front grill, wrecking the engine.

Tommy meanwhile had made his way to the back of the bus with Jason and had managed to get the emergency exit open. "This way," he suggested to the other students. As they departed, he joined the other Rangers at the front of the bus.

There was a bright flash outside the vehicle and as the Rangers turned they discovered their classmates frozen in place. Although part of him worried in case the effects were permanent another part of him was relieved that the Rangers could morph without being seen.

Jason and Tommy were first off the bus, tackling the nearest Tengas. Kat and Tanya were out next followed closely by Rocky and Adam. Whilst Adam tackled Goldar Rocky squared off against Freeze Frame. Both of the Rangers were able to hold their own for a short time, despite being unmorphed.

As the other four finished the last of the Tengas Rito Revolto decided to join the fun. The Rangers soon found themselves losing as the odds shifted against them.

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy and Jason called together.

"Zeo Ranger I - Pink," Kat called. Pink spandex formed around her body, padding out where necessary to provide extra protection. On her right hip her Zeo Pistol formed.

"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow," Tanya cried. Her yellow uniform merged from on top and below, bonding to her skin as her weapon appeared at the waist.

"Zeo Ranger III - Blue," Rocky continued, feeling his body mass increase as the power filled him.

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green," Adam prepared himself for the battle ahead as his suit formed. As the morph finished he drew his Zeo Sword and attacked.

"Zeo Ranger V - Red," Tommy did not think about his next move. Out of instinct he launched himself in Goldar's direction, catching the monkey as he was trying to sneak up on Tanya.

Jason took a deep breath and mentally crossed his fingers. The Gold Ranger powers had left a small trace of energy in his body when they had returned to Trey. It was a link forged through need and the chances of Jason being able to call on the full power of the Gold Ranger were slim. Still he hoped he had the strength to transform for a short time. He would not last long in a battle and had agreed to use his powers only in a time of need, Jason felt the situation required the Gold Ranger.

"Gold Ranger Power!"

He found himself dressed in a variation of his normal uniform. The golden shield was there, but instead of the thin composite material he was used to, it was closer to thick foam. He held out his hand expecting to receive the Golden Power Staff, but instead received a broadsword.

He didn't have time to consider the changes to his suit and made a mental note to ask Zordon later. Then he charged at Rito as fast as he could.

Sam crouched under the bus watching the fight between the Rangers and Zedd's forces. He was lucky Freeze Frame's power had been aimed at non-Rangers. Although inactive, Sam's link to the Green Coin had provided him with some protection and he had cast countless protection spells on himself before leaving the house that morning. Casting a spell to make himself invisible had been easy, as had replacing himself with a fake image for anybody watching.

Sam watched as the Pink and Yellow Zeo Rangers finished off the few Tengas that Rita and Zedd had sent as reinforcements. They flipped back to join Blue and Green Zeo battling the monster. Tommy meanwhile was having fun with Goldar. The Red Zeo Ranger had fought the simian monster so many times they knew each other's moves in advance. With a quick punch Tommy sent the monkey to the ground and moved in for the kill.

If Tommy was having fun with Goldar then Jason was enjoying himself even more. The Gold Ranger thrust his sword through the Alien's rib before kicking him away. Jason readied his sword to strike again, but stopped unexpectedly.

Sam watched as the Gold Ranger doubled over, groaning in pain. His uniform began to flicker and Sam felt a wave of sympathy for the fallen Ranger. He had Tommy's memories from his time as Green Ranger and although, unlike Tommy, he was not racked with guilt over his actions during that time, he remembered the feeling of hopelessness whenever the powers had given out. He saw Rito move in for the kill and knew he had to do something, but what?

Although he was linked to the Green Coin, he did not want to morph. He had tried for two hundred years to forget his past, but something had convinced him to return to Angel Grove and play the part of a school student. He had watched Jason and the others as they had grown to become the world's greatest heroes. He had even helped cover for them on one occasion. Now Jason was in trouble and he had to act.

Reaching a decision, Sam summoned his empty morpher; the Power Coin had been given to Tommy after he had defeated Monastra Repugna's monster. Fortunately his plan did not call for a Power Coin, just the raw energy he could summon from the Wizard of Deception's wand. He summoned it with a thought, commanding it to take on the guise of a walking cane and he aimed it at Jason. Once he had mentally located the Gold Ranger's personal morphin grid, he fed the boy enough power to recharge. He smiled as Jason's armour solidified, but frowned when he noticed the other boy had been rendered unconscious.

"Let me introduce you to my Flashgun," Freeze Frame told the four Rangers attacking him.

A transparent cube appeared in Freeze Frame's hand and as he turned it, the cube flashed brightly. With each turn one of the Rangers was frozen in place. Laughing maniacally he produced a length of film and whipped the disabled Rangers. The Rangers' suits sparked as they were thrown backwards by the whip. There was a loud sucking noise as the Rangers were pulled inside Freeze Frame. He pointed his finger and four black and white copies of the Rangers were created.

Tommy leapt through the air, drawing his Zeo V Power Sword as he did so. He pointed the blade down towards the spot where Goldar lay. The simian raised his own sword and knocked the Red Ranger aside. Tommy rolled with the blow and adjusted his stance to land safely. He was upright immediately, his sword at the ready for Goldar's follow-up attack.

But it was not Goldar who attacked. The copies, which Freeze Frame had created, jumped past the armoured monkey and lunged at the Red Ranger, each ready to rip him to pieces. Off to one side Tommy noticed Rito was busy hacking at an unmoving Gold Ranger, the latter glowing with green light. He couldn't make a move to help his friend though because at that moment the copies pounced on him.

Sam knew he couldn't wait any longer. If he did one of the Rangers would die and that was unacceptable. Silently he promised himself it was the last time he would morph. He reached out, allowing the Power to guide him until he found the Green Power Coin and summoned it to his waiting hand. Then he placed the coin inside the morpher and prepared himself.

"Dragonzord!"

A green lightning bolt shot from the sky, striking the copies. The duplicates disappeared as quickly as they had been created. A second bolt struck an unseen figure behind the school bus as he reconnected himself to the full power of the Green Ranger and not the illusion he had created weeks before.

Sam felt the lightning strike him. It wasn't really lightning, just a manifestation of the Power returning to one of its chosen avatars. His green uniform formed around him and a third bolt of lightning forked across the sky, it changed from light green to a darker shade. An advanced Blade Blaster formed at his hip and the familiar Dragon Dagger appeared in his waiting hand. Instinctively Sam concentrated on the dagger and was rewarded when it transformed into a powerful sword. On the hilt was the head of the Dragon, complemented by the inscription of the fleur-de-lis on the blade.

Finally the golden shield, which had protected the Dragon Ranger for many years formed on his shoulders, the Power telling him that it could shift between a compact armour and a thick material that while resistant was extremely flexible. The shield had always possessed such an ability, but Tommy had never had the chance to learn all of its secrets.

The entire transformation had taken less than a second to complete. The Dragon Ranger was back, for the time being.

Goldar and Rito exchanged a worried glance as they saw the first two lightning bolts. Tommy was slowly picking himself up, his legs a little rubbery. They had not seen the third lightning bolt and were looking around for the source of the lightning.

Tommy turned in time to see a green figure leap from the top of the bus, striking Goldar and Rito with a single blow. The figure ignored the Red Zeo Ranger, turning his attention to Freeze Frame. Leaping into the air a second time the Dragon Ranger produced a sword and stabbed the monster through the lens.

In a bright flash of light the four remaining Zeo Rangers were freed of the monster's power. The green figure turned to where the Rangers lay and pointed his sword. The spell preventing Zordon from teleporting them vanished and the six Rangers were removed from danger.

With Tommy and the others safe, Sam attacked again. He connected with a blow to all three monsters, causing them to retreat, leaving the other students frozen in place.

When the Rangers appeared in the Power Chamber, Tommy ripped off his helmet, desperately gasping for breath. When he finally had the strength to look at his mentor he asked the question on everybody's mind.

"Zordon, who was that?"

"I am not sure," Zordon replied. "Alpha and I felt the presence of the Dragon Ranger earlier today, but we have been unable to find him. He disappeared after he rescued you and we have again lost him."

"What if he's not on our side?" Rocky asked, remembering the last time he had been face to face with the Green Ranger.

"If he was against us, he would not have stopped Rito from chopping me up," Jason replied. Now demorphed the Gold Ranger was being checked by Alpha.

"Whoever it is," Tommy said. "We can't just let him fight alone, he will need help and we could use the extra power. Are you with me guys?"

Tanya and Kat had been watching the Viewing Globe to see if the other students had returned to normal. Usually the monster's death would have reversed the effects of any spells they had used. The fact the students and teacher remained frozen meant Freeze Frame was still alive.

"What do we do?" Kat asked.

"Unfortunately Katherine, we will need to wait for Freeze Frame to return. The computer says that is the only way to free them." Zordon silently hoped it would not take too long.

"WELCOME BACK THOMAS," the voice said once again.

Sam realised he was day dreaming. He had already demorphed and appeared near the docks in Angel Grove's Harbour District. Opening his hand he summoned his morpher for the last time. He encased it in a special spell and threw it into the sea, towards the sleeping Dragonzord.

"YOU CANNOT LEAVE ME THAT EASILY," the voice said. "YOU ARE PART OF ME AND I AM PART OF YOU FOREVER."

"No," Sam said to the voice. "I don't know who you are or why you want me, but the Green Ranger is gone."

In his head he could hear a small voice say, "THEN SO IS ALL HOPE."

"How dare you show your faces in here?!" Zedd bellowed as Rito, Goldar and Freeze Frame appeared in his throne room. "You were told to destroy either the Green Ranger or the Gold Ranger and you could not even manage that!"

"It wasn't my fault Ed," Rito protested, "Goldar ran first."

"He is lying my Lord," Goldar grovelled as he entered the room.

"Silence!" Zedd commanded. "You are both useless cowards."

Faster than Rito could have imagined Zedd turned and struck him with the tip of his staff. Rito's head fell to the ground and the evil monarch watched as his brother-in-law tried to find it again. "Let that be your final warning, my name is Zedd, not Ed!"

Satisfied that he could continue Zedd turned back to the other two monsters. "Goldar you fool, this wretched planet has corrupted you. Such cowardice will not be tolerated."

Zedd aimed his staff at the grovelling simian, a blast of energy hit the monkey. Goldar appeared to grow larger, his fangs sharper and for a moment Zedd feared he had gone too far. Then he remembered that this was simply a rejuvenation spell, a stream of dark energy to reinvigorate the evil that lurked within Goldar's heart.

"Thank you, Lord Zedd," Goldar said at last. He rose from the floor and bowed to Rita, who until that point had remained in the background. "Lady Rita, how may I serve you?"

"Zeddy, this might be the best thing you have ever done," Rita laughed happily.

Zedd finally turned to Freeze Frame. "You have failed to carry out your mission. Return to the bus and destroy those wretched humans. If we cannot have victory, we will settle for fun. If the Rangers return, kill them all."

Freeze Frame bowed and disappeared from the throne room, leaving Rita with a shocked expression on her face.

"You let him go, just like that?" she asked angrily.

"Yes," Zedd replied. "If he succeeds all the better, if he fails it won't matter. Something has changed Rita, I can feel it. Zordon's power in the Morphin Grid has diminished and we must take advantage. Tell me wicked queen, what do you know of the Dark Dimension?"

The Dark Dimension

The negotiations had been difficult, but he had finally convinced Zedd to blame Rita's mother for the whole oath incident. As a result he had been able to return to the Moon without the need to worry that Zedd would blast him back into oblivion. In return he had given Zedd the ability to temporarily negate the effects of the planet Earth on his henchmen. Long enough perhaps to achieve that one victory to secure the planet.

Sam returned to the school bus and replaced the image he had planted there some time before. He was still unsure why he was bothering to live a lie. He was two-hundred-year-old trying to live like a seventeen-year-old. He had even created a family for himself just in case anyone asked.

But, like anything else made of magic they were not real. Sometimes Sam wondered if he were real or just a poor clone trying to be real. He had no real friends, no real family. Those who were near to being his friends were friends with Sam, not him. It was an illusion he did not want to maintain, but was scared to lose.

He had even changed his appearance so nobody would guess who he was, but that was nothing compared to the effort it had taken to stop say "Siek-yiah" when he attacked.

He looked at himself in the mirror he had summoned with his magic, remembering when his appearance had helped him when fighting during the Second World War. He had worked for Army Intelligence in Germany, where his blond hair and blue eyes had even the most untrusting Nazi convinced he was on their side. He shook his head sadly at how easily one man had been able to turn honest and decent citizens into an army infamous for the worst acts of genocide Earth had known. Even the villains the Rangers fought did not kill due for racial reasons; they simply destroyed anything in their way.

His hair was now shoulder length and he had used his powers to alter the shape and shade of his face so he would not be recognised. Of course if Zordon scanned him, his identity would be revealed. First though Zordon had to detect him. The spell he had cast years prevented Zordon from seriously suggesting that he was still alive.

With a gesture he returned the mirror to the place he summoned it from. Remaining perfectly still Sam waited for either the Rangers to return or Rita and Zedd to send another monster down to finish the job.

"Are you sure about this Zeddy?" Rita asked. Her husband had had some insane plans before, but this was unheard of.

"I am certain Rita," Zedd replied. "Minion was not to blame for that cursed oath, your mother was. Now with the power he has discovered we can summon a force even the Rangers cannot halt."

"Excuse me Lord Zedd," Finster said quickly. "But if the Dark Dimension is where our failed monsters go, how do you expect to find a monster the Rangers cannot defeat?"

"The Dark Dimension contains more than monsters Rita and I never used. All the evil beings who have ever fallen in battle are imprisoned in the Dark Dimension. Once there they are unable to return to their own dimensions. But with Minion's aid I intend to use them to defeat the Rangers."

"Is that what you did to Monkey Boy?" Rita asked.

Zedd snorted. "The Dark Dimension contains a vast amount of dark energy. All I did was use some of that energy to restore Goldar to his former glory. For some reason the Earth is saturated in light magic. Just being near it is enough to affect lesser villains."

"And you?" Rita asked. She noticed he had not moved to defend her from such a slur.

"You spent centuries floating closer and closer to this wretched world, you were bound to be effective when you couldn't fight back. As for me," he said. "This is the fault of your vile love potion. As soon as I became capable of love, the Earth affected me."

There was a brief silence.

"The time has come to change that. We shall all endure the Dark Sleep. Baboo, Squatt, Scorpina, come here!" Zedd's voice boomed throughout the castle. "Finster, come closer. No, don't move Rita."

As his subjects arrived, he held his staff above his head and did something Rita had rarely seen him do; he cast a spell using words instead of his staff. As he spoke magical symbols formed in the air around them. A black mist rose from the stone floor, enveloping all those gathered in the room. Rita, Zedd and all their servants soon collapsed to the ground as they breathed the cloud of pure rejuvenating evil.

Zedd awoke a few hours later and took the opportunity to look himself over. His body was bursting with power. He turned and nodded to Goldar who had kept guard for the time they were out.

Rita awoke next. Her entire appearance had changed. Instead on the ridiculous looking cones on her head and the ugly brown garment she found herself in the tradition costume the witches on her homeworld had used for centuries. Her long grey hair reached down to her waist, her black clothes were covered with various symbols of power, used to attract energy from outside her body. Finally she picked up her wand and discovered it had been recharged by the dark magic to the level it had been before the Grid Wars.

Scorpina had quietly got to her feet and joined Goldar on guard. Her armour had a deadly hint to it that had not been there before.

Squatt awoke feeling better than he had ever felt before. He had a new mission in life, to help crush the forces of good and destroy Zordon of Eltare. It was good to be back.

Baboo had changed physically as well as mentally. His claws had grown into talons, his monocle had developed into an energy weapon and his entire body had developed a metal skin. He no longer looked like a joke, he was a dangerous foe.

Finster was the final henchman to stand. The mist had purged any and all goodness from his soul. Although he looked the same, his desire to make truly evil monsters had grown exponentially.

"We did it!" Rita cried as she understood how much she had changed in a matter of hours.

"And now nobody will stand in our way," Lord Zedd told her.

Finster could not bring himself to look Zedd or Rita in the eye. How could he have failed to notice the positive energy that had bombarded them since they had first arrived on the Moon? ~Perhaps because it had affected us before we escaped the Dumpster.~ His monsters would prove more effective now and he would make amends for his past failures by bringing the Rangers to their knees.

In the Dark Dimension, the portal to the mainstream universe had opened and after convincing Zedd of his intentions, Minion had stepped through. The Sword of Darkness was at his side, a weapon he was certain he would enjoy driving through his opponents' chests.

His body adapted as he entered the physical world. He was in the body of a ninja, his uniform consisting mainly of a black material reinforced by a thick vest over the chest and back. A black mask hid most of his face allowing only the glowing red eyes to be seen. A metal guard protected the forearms and lower legs from attack. Finally, in the center of his chest was a golden coin bearing the image of the Jackal, complemented by a small silver pawn embroidered on his upper arms.

"Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa," he said, removing his mask to reveal his face to his saviours. "I am in your service once again."

"Zeddy, you are a genius!" Rita cried as she saw how different Minion appeared. Both Rita and Zedd had long believed that the only way to beat a Ranger was with another Ranger. Turning back to the monster she asked, "What is your name?"

"Mistress Repugna and others have dubbed me Minion. That is the name I will keep. I am Minion, servant of Dagsyxx and loyal to the forces of Evil."

He watched the smile form on Rita's facing, satisfied she had been convinced to trust him. For the time being helping Zedd and Rita was exactly what he needed to do. Deciding to see the Rangers for himself, he stretched out his senses, touching the minds of all those holding Power Coins or Zeo Crystals. He sensed the active Rangers. Tommy, Katherine, Rocky, Adam, Tanya and Trey. He also detected two others, Jason and someone who would soon arrive.

"What is your command Lord Zedd?" he asked.

"First Rita and I are going to take a trip to the Dark Galaxy. It is time my queen saw her empire in all its glory. Squatt and Baboo, Goldar and Scorpina, you may accompany us." He turned to Minion. "The Earth is your responsibility while we are away. When Rita and I return, I expect you to be victorious."

"As you wish my Lord," he said.

Rita listened to what her husband said. As much as she hated to leave the Earth she wanted to see her kingdom. Even during their exile Zedd had not offered to take her there. She wondered how he would react when he found out her father had been annexing parts of the Dark Galaxy into his territory.

Minion meanwhile had decided that the time had come to clear the Machine Empire out of the Sol system. Using a remote control he had built from junk he had located in the Lunar Palace, he used a few intact Cogs to shift the Machine Base back to their own territory.

"Finster, you may remain here and help Minion," Zedd instructed as he his staff to increase the power of Freeze Frame for one last battle with the Rangers. Then with his wife and entourage, he teleported away.

Minion watched as Rita and the others left, leaving only Finster and himself. He glanced at his new assistant. "Let's get started."

Sam ran along the metal corridor, determined to escape the monster looming somewhere behind him. In his mind he could hear the voice calling him, trying to trick him into turning around. He did not know what the monster was, only that it wanted him and that was not good.

"THOMAS!" the voice said again, gaining volume as it echoed down the corridor, "WHY DO YOU RUN FROM ME? YOU KNOW I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU."

"No!" Sam shouted over his shoulder. "I am not Thomas, I am Samuel Revilo!"

"COME BACK TO ME THOMAS AND KNOW ME," the voice pleaded. "YOU CANNOT RUN FROM YOUR DESTINY."

"I am Sam!" the seventeen-year-old boy shouted as he ran round another corner.

He skidded to a halt as the floor in front of him gave way. He had been here before and knew what came next: there would be a choice. He could face the monster now drawing nearer or he could jump into void below. The noise of the monster's footsteps drew nearer, making the decision even more urgent. Without a second thought he jumped into the void.

Falling, the sensation was strange. Before him he could see a group of six figures, each in a different colour, fighting another group of creatures who resembled demons. The first group was losing as a black hand closed around them.

A rope appeared in the darkness. Sam remembered this part of the dream; it was the monster giving him the chance to pull himself out of the pit. For a moment he considered it, but decided that an eternal fall must be better than the monster lurking above.

"THOMAS, THEY NEED YOU, I NEED YOU." The voice was growing quieter as Sam fell deeper into the void. "PLEASE THOMAS, ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE AND COME BACK, PLE..."

The monster's words were lost as Sam noticed a set of spikes below him. He braced himself for the impact his mind told him would be coming soon.

"Nooo!"

A green rope appeared next to him, dangling in the air, inviting him to grab hold. In his mind Sam could still hear the voice of the monster chasing after him.

"THOMAS PLEASE DON'T RUN. YOU ARE NEEDED NOW, I AM NEEDED NOW. PLEASE ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY."

A thought started to dawn on Sam. Whoever was talking to him knew he was Tommy's clone. It had to be either Rita or Zedd. The villains must have discovered his identity. The voices had been quiet until he had used his coin to save Jason.

~I will not be evil again,~ Sam thought to himself.

Determined to put an end to the force that was tempting him Sam grabbed the rope. In a flash of green he felt himself teleported to another place, still within his mind.

Freeze Frame reappeared next to the school bus. A quick push sent the vehicle off the road giving him a clear shot at the helpless humans still frozen in place following his Flashgun attack.

"Siek-yiah!"

The Red Zeo Ranger replaced the Zeo V Power Sword in its subspace pocket and launched himself at the monster for a second time. He looked up as his five teammates appeared to back him up.

"Time for team work," Tommy said, gesturing for the Rangers to get into position.

Tommy and Jason produced their swords and ran at their fellow Rangers. Kat and Tanya had crouched down with their hands ready to act as a step for their fellow Rangers. As Tommy and Jason stepped on their hands Kat and Tanya pushed them into the air. Tommy and Jason found themselves landing horizontally on Adam and Rocky, who had stretched their arms upwards to receive their leaders. Tommy and Jason held their swords pointed towards Freeze Frame. Kat and gathering gave them a push to send both the Rangers into the monster.

Tommy's Zeo Power Sword disarmed the monster whilst Jason used his sword to pierce the monster's lens. Freeze Frame fell back, his lens exploding in a shower of sparks.

"Time to get big!" Freeze Frame called as he started to grow

Sam appeared in the old Command Center. He could sense no life within, wherever he was Zordon and Alpha were not nearby to help him. The room was green, surrounded by images taken from his mind. In one corner were the deeds he had done as the Green Ranger. In the other were the deeds he had done since he had been left in Angel Grove in 1795.

The images formed of his wife; Rosalita Hermandez. They had met not long after he had been in Angel Grove, she had been the Spanish daughter of the chief of a nearby colony. Their love had secured peace between the English and Spanish settlers and he had moved to be with her in Los Angeles.

Sam had been happily married to Rosalita. They had had children together and it pained him to see her die. From then on he had kept an eye on all his descendants before the time had come to return to Angel Grove.

A fuzzy image in another corner caught his eye. The image showed the world he had created for himself so he would be accepted. It showed the lives of the people he had invented going about their own daily routines. In a way they were as real as Sam.

"SO, YOU FINALLY DECIDED TO LISTEN DID YOU?" the voice asked.

"I came here to destroy you," Sam shouted angrily. "You are not going to make me evil again."

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE EVIL THOMAS, I WANT YOU TO ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY AND RETURN TO ME."

"Show yourself!" Sam snapped.

"VERY WELL," the voice replied.

A green mist filled the room and as it cleared Sam found himself face to face with the Green Ranger.

The Rangers were having a tough time dealing with Freeze Frame. The giant sized monster had survived the Zords' strongest attacks and was still standing. The new Flashgun in his hand had paralysed the Zeo Megazord and Warrior Wheel, leaving only the Super Zeo Megazord and Red Battlezord to fight.

"It's times like this I miss Pyramidas," Jason noted from the Super Zeo Megazord's cockpit. He had taken over from Tommy while the team leader piloted his own Zord.

The monster aimed his lens at the two disabled Zords, pulling them inside and producing two black and white copies. As the monster stepped back, the copies attacked, taking the Rangers by surprise.

"What are you?" Sam asked. "Are you my dark side?"

"Give me a break, you're not Tommy," the Green Ranger replied. "You have never denied your dark side and by accepting it you destroyed its power over you. I am the part of you that you are not willing to accept, the part you must accept. It is your destiny."

"You're the Green Ranger," Sam realised, finally understanding.

He had been denying his power for so long it had finally decided to beg for release. He knew the power would not corrupt him, but it would mean getting involved again.

"No," the voice replied. "You have never denied your powers either. Are you really as dense as the original, I didn't think that was possible? You have refused to use them because you have denied me. You used your power when you needed to and didn't when the Rangers could handle it. You have become responsible since the day you were created, but you still deny me."

Sam was really confused. The Green Ranger was not part of his dark side, nor was it the spirit of his coin. It claimed he had denied it, but he had no idea who it was. Finally the frustration was too great, he turned to where the Green Ranger stood and moved towards the image.

"Who are you?"

In response the Green Ranger lifted his hands to the side of his neck and undid the clasped holding his helmet in place. Carefully he removed the helmet and placed it under his arm. Looking Sam straight in the eye and smiled. "Hello Bro,"

Sam was shocked. He had expected a lot of faces to be under the mask but the one he was faced with was his own. Not the face he had created through magic to trick those he was hiding from. This was the face of Thomas Tyler Oliver, Clone of the Green Ranger.

"Now do you understand?" Thomas asked. "I am you and represent everything you have tried to deny for two hundred years."

Thomas saw the look of horror in Sam's face and understood. The original Tommy had managed to survive his ordeal as the Green Ranger by pushing himself into the role of leader. Whenever Tommy lost his powers the doubts and fears, he had experienced would resurface with a vengeance.

The clone was different; he had accepted his dark side and thus conquered it. What he had not been able to deal with was the fact he was a clone. Everything he believed was based on the values taught to him at a young age by Tommy's parents. He had nothing of his own. His powers, face, friends and even life belonged to Tommy.

"You are wrong," Thomas told him. "You are unique. You have experienced things Tommy will never experience. You have made friends Tommy will never know. You have conquered the most difficult horrors to face: your own fears. You don't need to be Tommy, but you cannot deny the part of you that is Tommy. Accept me and become whole."

Seeing Sam was on the verge of making a decision Thomas made one final plea. "You are Sam. Part of you is Tommy, part of you is the clone, but until you accept both parts you can never be whole."

Sam nodded slowly. The whole reason he had rejected the powers was because people related them to Tommy. Now he knew it didn't matter. It was time to be whole.

Reaching out Sam touched the image of Thomas on the shoulder. In a blur of light the image merged with him and for the first time in a long time he felt real.

The copy of the Zeo Megazord threw the Warrior Wheel into the Red Battlezord for the third time, causing the Battlezord to crash to the ground in a shower of sparks. The Super Zeo Megazord found itself on the receiving end of a blast from the copy Megazord's cannon.

Jason had even tried calling forth Auric the Conqueror in the hope the mystical warrior could help them. Auric had fought well for a short time, but facing two foes had soon caused him to retreat back into his Tiki.

Freeze Frame recalled the copy Zords back into himself, deciding to finish the Rangers personally. Summoning a sword he stood over the fallen Zords and prepared to finish the job he had started only half and hour before.

Sam teleported to the Angel Grove docks and held his hand out towards the spot where the Dragonzord lay sleeping. "Time to wake up old friend."

In his hand appeared the fully charged morpher of the Green Ranger. Sam looked at it for a moment and then teleported to the bus where he had last seen the monster. As he arrived, he saw the Rangers' Megazords being hit by two other Zords. The monster had called his copy Zords and dumped the captured Zords on the ground.

Sam watched as Freeze Frame drew a sword and moved in to finish the job. Without a second thought, Sam pulled out his morpher, no longer worried who knew his identity. "Dragonzord!"

As his green armour finished forming Sam had already drawn his sword. Pointing it at the sky, he concentrated on the sleeping Zord deep beneath the sea. A connection formed between sam and the mighty machine, the power telling him how to call the Zord.

"I need Dinozord power, now!"

In his mind Sam could hear the sound of the Dragon Flute, summoning his old companion to the fight. As the Zord drew near, he leapt into the cockpit, taking control.

"Warrior Wheel is offline, Zeo Megazord and Red Battlezord will take time to restore and the Super Zeo Megazord is out of power," Tanya reported.

"How about forming the Zeo MegaBattlezord or just separating for individual attacks?" Jason asked.

"No good," Adam replied. "We haven't got enough power. I doubt we could even summon Cannon Power and aim the helmet."

"Defender Wheel is operational," Kat told them. "But unless we can get upright it's trapped inside the Phoenix."

A familiar sound filled the air, causing Tommy, Jason, Rocky and Adam to look towards the sky. "Did you hear that?" Adam asked.

"It sounded like..." Jason began.

"It can't be..." Rocky said, wishing it were possible.

"Look!" Tanya called.

"Is that?" Kat asked, looking at Tommy.

"Dragonzord," Tommy said as he watched his first Zord make its way towards them.

Freeze Frame stood over the Red Battlezord, his sword pointed towards the cockpit. One simple thrust and the Red Ranger and his Zord would be history. He listened briefly to the Rangers trying to find a way to fight back. He laughed as he heard one of the Rangers find a solution and in the same breath realise it was impossible. Lifting his sword a bit higher he prepared to thrust.

Then he heard the sound all monsters were able to recognise. It was a call for help, a shout of warning and a greeting to friends. It was the sound of the Dragon Flute. For a moment Freeze Frame shrugged off the fear he had felt. A moment later it was back as he heard the Dragonzord roar, and watched as the Green Ranger jumped into his Zord.

Minion's sharp senses detected the arrival of a new enemy. Rita and Zedd had overlooked the fact that Minion could not use the Repulsascope and he could not produce an eye beam like Zedd to watch the events on Earth. Luckily Minion was a genius, and soon managed to reprogram the Earth's satellites to send pictures back to him.

As expected he saw the Dragonzord active again and about to attack Zedd's latest monster. ~Let them destroy him,~ Minion thought. ~He's served his purpose.~

He turned towards Finster's lab and walked in just in time to hear the monster maker muttering to himself. He stopped to listen, he had learnt from meeting Finster in the Dark Dimension that he could find out how the monster maker was getting on by listening to him talk to himself.

"...and just a bit more padding here and you're done."

"How's the work going Finster?" Minion asked as he walked into the workshop.

"Five down, one to go," Finster replied. "I thought this might do as the alternate form for the sixth one."

"Perfect," Minion said as he looked the monster over. "Finish his normal form and bring them to the throne room. We'll send them tomorrow."

"As you wish," Finster said as Minion left.

It had taken him a while to reacquaint himself with the Zord. Just as his uniform had changed so had the Dragonzord. Its tail drill had been modified, so in addition to the normal spinning attack, two blades could extend to provide an extra edge. Sam looked at the controls and noticed three new controls along with an empty slot where the control stick used to be.

The power told him to insert his sword into the slot. As he did so, the Zord came alive and moved towards the threat.

"Fire!" Sam commanded.

The arm rockets fired, striking the monster and causing it to fly back away from the Rangers. He waited until the monster stood again and the used the new tail blade to smash him across the face before using the drill to smash the lens.

Freeze Frame retaliated, striking the Dragonzord's chest with his sword. Sam pushed the first button on his control board. The arms of the Dragonzord extended outward, hitting Freeze Frame in the chest. The head and neck changed position as the Zord's body dropped forward so it was standing on four legs. The Dragonzord's mouth opened, releasing a fireball at the monster.

Freeze Frame screamed in pain as the fire started to burn him. He turned back towards his attacker and froze.

Sam pressed the second button on his control panel and pulled the control stick back. The Dragonzord reverted to biped form. The Zord's tail inserted into the ground lifting it into the air. The arms and legs were pulled into the body as they had when forming the Battle Dragonzord.

From nearby the lumbering form of Tor, the Shuttle Zord moved into view and converted to stand upright. The top split from the bottom, which had transformed into a pair of legs. The Dragonzord dropped into place on top of the legs to form the body and head, the top part of Tor split in half from top to bottom, both halves transforming and connecting to the body as arms. Finally the Dragonzord's tail transformed to form the lance the Rangers had once used as part of the old Battle Dragonzord combination.

"Turtle Battle Dragonzord, online!" Sam called as the machine powered up.

With a final effort Freeze Frame gave a howl and charged the giant Zord. Lightning struck the lance, feeding power into it. The Zord lifted the lance into the air and drove the point into the charging monster.

As the Rangers watched, Freeze Frame exploded, simultaneously restoring the bus and its passengers to their previous state. As the students woke up, they noticed the four Megazords lying on the floor with the Turtle Battle Dragonzord standing over them. Knowing this was bad for public relations, Sam used his Zord to help the Red Battlezord and Super Zeo Megazord back to their feet, at the same time recharging the remaining Zords with enough energy to teleport back to their holding bay.

Satisfied that the job was finished Sam pulled the sword from the control board, sending his Zords back to their hiding places. He then demorphed and sneaked back to the other students, noticing Tommy and company emerge from the bus where apparently they had been frozen.

"Alright people," Ms Randall said, taking a final look at the wrecked monster in front of them and thankful the Power Rangers had been t here to help. "It's time we were back in Angel Grove. The trip will have to wait."

Later in the Power Chamber,

With Alpha's help Adam and the others had finally managed to restore the Zords to fighting condition. The Warrior Wheel would be offline for some time, but the main discussion had been about the Green Ranger.

"Do you have any idea who he is?" Tommy asked Zordon when Rocky, Adam, Kat and Tanya had left.

"I am not sure Tommy," Zordon replied. "I think we can assume he is on our side since the power has accepted him."

Listening to the conversation Jason remembered something he had meant to ask earlier, "Zordon, why did my uniform change?"

"There are three reasons why this had happened," Zordon told him. "First, the Gold Ranger Powers were designed for Trey, you were never their true owner so they kept the form Trey had selected. The power you are using now is based partly on your connection to Trey's power and partly your link to the Morphin Grid. Therefore the Power allowed you to make a few changes so you were comfortable."

"Secondly, your powers are weaker and providing the full Gold Ranger suit would drain them faster. The sword will help you to make up for the lack of defence with a more effective offence."

"Finally, I believe that the Ranger powers are constantly adapting to new situations. These changes you experienced could well be a part of those adaptations."

"Oh," Jason said as he teleported out of the Power Chamber with Tommy.

Once he was sure they were alone, Zordon turned his attention to Alpha. "Have you managed to find the abnormality I detected?"

"No Zordon, I cannot find any readings on the Moon," Alpha replied. "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, Rita and Zedd have gone!"

Zordon double-checked Alpha's findings and discovered he was correct. He checked the remains of Machine Empire and found they had also vanished. ~Perhaps Earth is safe again,~ he thought. He doubted this was the case, but it never hurt to hope.

He silently watched as his Rangers went on with their lives, happy they had survived another fight. "Alpha, if you need me, I will be meditating," he said as he teleported away.

Alpha continued to work as the Power Chamber went dark, the little machine happy the Rangers were safe and away from the fighting.

End Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic. Some lines taken from Transformers the movie.

Authors Note: This is an alternate universe from the television show with an alternate timeline.

Blast from the Past