Bright Skies (Multi - Season Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt #14: Save the Day, T)
-Winces- I am *so* supposed to be in bed right now. Oops. I couldn't resist once I finished this chapter.
At last! Some explanations as to *what* exactly the lab accident did! Sort of. A couple explanations, anyway. ^_~
Bright Skies (Multi - Season Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt #14: Save the Day, T)
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Fandom/: Power Rangers Time Force moving into S.P.D., multiple Rangers from each season
Characters/: Wes (Time Force), multiple Rangers from other teams (Literally too many to list)
Pairings/: Post - Wes/Eric, Rocky/Adam, Shane/Dustin, Hunter/Cam, Carter/Dana, Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, Carlos/Ronny, Jason/Taylor, Conner/Ethan, Justin/Rose, Tommy/Kimberly, Tyzonn/Mack, Cassie/OC, Nick/Maddison, Zack/Aisha, Trent/Kira, Post - Billy/Cestria. Future Ryan/Carter and Billy/Hayley. More couples will most likely be mentioned, but not shown.
Prompt/: #14: Save the Day
Rating/: T (For non - graphic mentions of people having babies and being violent with one another)
Disclaimer/: I don't own the Power Rangers, but if Disney's hiring any new writers I volunteer.
Summary/: When Wes' life starts to fall apart, an accident gives him a chance at a fresh start in New Tech City, with Space Patrol Delta. But even a new life has its ups and downs - and weird friends.
Warnings/: A mentally handicapped person living in a medical facility, angst, male and female slash, non - cemented couples (In otherwords, pairings that will be separated), children created by scientific means
Author's Notes/: Wow, this sucker's long. But this prompt just wouldn't die short. It just kept *going* ...
Zofren is technically my alter-ego for a cannon character, as stolen from my Fade to Darkness universe. He really hasn't been there yet, though. I've never noticed if Z's necklace actually replicates with her or not, since she's always hiding it under her uniform, so I'm taking liberties here.
It all started out seemingly innocent.
Wes was walking down the hall at S.P.D. when he suddenly noticed a baby, just barely learned to crawl, steadily moving along on her own. "Elizabeth Stewart-Ortiz!" he called, scooping her up to give her a firm stare. "And just what do you think you're doing out here, young lady?"
She blinked up at him with large brown eyes. She was a cute little thing, a bit pudgy with wispy brown hair starting to curl around her face. Just over a year old now and she was already proving to be very intelligent, learning to mimic things by watching the people around her.
"Time to go back to your mother, kiddo," he scolded, tapping her nose gently. He grinned when she stared at it cross-eyed.
With Sky, Elizabeth, and Bridge being born literally within months of each other, all of the former Rangers of S.P.D. had found themselves keeping an eye on the little rugrats. It wasn't anything anyone had been particularly asked to do, but it made things easier on all associated parents, and it just seemed to happen almost instinctively that way. Wes couldn't complain, as it kept Sky always in safe hands and usually playing contentedly with the other two.
He frowned, trying to remember who'd volunteered to baby-sit today as he shifted Elizabeth to one arm. He flashed her another smile as she continued to stare at him, and tickled her until she burst into giggles. She didn't smile often, too busy watching the world with those wide eyes, but she was absolutely adorable when she did.
He poked his head into Rose's office, glancing to make sure she was in there. "Hey, Rose," he called. "I found something that I think belongs to you."
She looked up, sighing in frustration as he walked in. "Elizabeth Saige," she growled.
"Hey, Rose! I think you lost something!" Nick announced, grinning as he and Maddison followed behind him. In Madison’s arms was an equally wide-eyed baby, identical to the one Wes held.
"Rose, can't you keep a hold of your own kid?" Ronny complained from behind them, carting yet another infant.
Everyone froze as they all looked first at one another, then to the three identical children. "What in the world?" Maddison gasped.
"Elizabeth?" Rose asked, calmly and carefully.
"Mama!" all three babies squealed in unison, holding out their arms.
"Hey Rose, do you have - whoa! Dude!" Dustin stumbled to a stop, staring at them all with wide eyes. "So, uh ... Does anyone think this was what Kat meant by 'unique DNA structure'?" he asked, blinking rapidly.
****
After extensive studies by the Docs, Techs, *and* Morpher Project's Floaters, everyone had come to the same conclusion: all three infants were Elizabeth. All three were completely identical in every way, down to their DNA structure. All showed the same reactions to different stimuli, and even seemed to be aware of one another. Genetically, there was simply no way to tell them apart.
Rose had gone into what Chip liked to call her 'Stern and Silent Mode', keeping her words short and precise. When she didn't speak, her eyes were narrow and her lips thinned. Justin on the other hand, was trying his best to be cheerful as he played with all three versions of what were apparently their daughter. His eyes never matched his smile when he talked to anyone, but he forced himself to treat the three little girls all the same as he usually would.
Frankly, Wes didn't know how he was doing it.
And then at the end of the day, Justin turned around from preparing her dinner to find a single baby, sound asleep in the chair he'd left her in. The other two had vanished.
****
"Like I said, I don't know for sure if this is a solution," Tommy warned.
"Are you sure he'll even come?" Nick asked skeptically. "I mean, I know the story behind Mystic Mother and all from my mom, but no one ever mentioned him."
"That doesn't mean he isn't still around," Tommy informed him. "And like I said, I don't *know* if he can help. But if R - " He winced. "Mystic Mother is gone, he's our best shot."
"Mystic Mother," Kimberly murmured, shaking her head in bemusement.
Wes gave her a sympathetic smile. He'd gone along with the three of them to great Tommy's 'ally' that *might* be able to help Justin and Rose with Elizabeth mostly because he needed something to do before he went crazy. Vanessa hadn't taken the news about Sky well, and with Elizabeth's ... situation ... she hadn't let Sky out of her sight. He was desperate for a chance of something, *anything* that might help Elizabeth. After all, if this guy could help her, maybe he'd be able to help whatever happened to Sky in the future.
So he'd tagged along while they waited at the landing zone for this guy Tommy was waiting for. Kimberly had come because for one, she was an S.P.D. Ambassador and she had to. But she also seemed to be there for Tommy judging by the way she had loosely hooked their fingers together, which struck Wes as odd, because while they had 'moments' every once in awhile that made everyone wonder, they really weren't a couple as far as anyone knew. But then, who was he to judge someone else's relationship? He still couldn't get over his last one even though it ended nearly two years ago, and he kept using his new status as a daddy and responsibility to help Vanessa as an excuse to get out of any chance of being forced into anything. He'd finally accepted that he and Eric were over, but he wasn't ready to think about dating any time in the near future.
He glanced at Nick, and smiled faintly. From what he could tell, Nick was just here from straight curiosity. He might have used his position a Grunt to help him get there, but mostly he just seemed to really want to meet this guy.
What finally emerged from the shuttle when it landed, was the absolute *last* thing Wes had been expecting.
The man was thin to the point of almost being scrawny. Possibly even geeky-looking. Apparently in his late forties, his brown hair was already streaked with gray, and his face seemed worn and tired just from the flight - which, judging by the quality of the shuttle he was using, really hadn't been that long. He was wearing what looked like some sort of ceremonial red robes, while his forearms and calves had been wrapped in bandages.
He stopped in front of them all with a small, quiet smile, bowing gracefully in away that reminded Wes of the way some of S.P.D. Japan's staff greeted them. "I'm honored by your presence, Power Rangers. Forgive my delay - our shuttle encountered trouble," he said softly.
Tommy blinked, hurrying to mimic Kimberly as she bowed back to the man, and Wes and Nick followed suit. "We're glad to have you," Kimberly returned. She gave him a smile, but Wes noted it wasn't quite as warm as she would usually have given. "Thank you for hurrying to help us."
"It's the very least I can do," the man murmured, his eyes falling to the ground.
Tommy cleared his throat awkwardly with the expression of someone who was still searching for a way to salvage the situation. "Well, uh ... You .... you remember me and Kimberly, of course." He winced even as he said it, and Kimberly shot him a glare. "This is Sergeant Commander Nick Russell of our Security Department, former Red Mystic Force Ranger. And Sergeant Captain Wes Collins, Red Time Force Ranger. Guys this is - " He stopped again, hesitating.
The man offered them all another soft smile, inclining his head. "Please, Tommy. Don't hurt yourself trying to be diplomatic." he teased gently. "I am called Zofren of Nastris." His eyes turned to them, and Wes was startled to realize his gaze was actually studying him intently. "I'm also the former Lord Zedd."
He tried not to gape, and discreetly stepped down hard on Nick's foot when he openly stared. *This* was Lord Zedd? This quiet, nerdy guy? He looked like a member of a monastery from one of Jen's old Kung Fu movies! How could this guy be one of the people who'd once tried to conquer Earth, the man Tommy had openly admitted to being his greatest enemy?
Then he blinked, and fought not to stare at Tommy now. This was *Lord Zedd* and Tommy invited him here on *purpose*? Was he crazy?!
Zedd - *Zofren* glanced at Tommy, peering up at him shyly from under his eyelashes in a way that was disturbingly feminine somehow, yet seemed to suit him. "You invited security to escort me while you surround me with Red Rangers?" he asked.
Tommy froze, looking horrified. "No! No, it's not like that at all! I didn't - we weren't trying to imply - "
He was cut off by Zofren's quiet laughter, which was more of a subtle shaking of his shoulders than anything. "Relax, Tommy," he chuckled. "I'm not offended. I still find it's fun to rile you up a bit."
Tommy stared at him for a moment, then scowled. "That's a bad habit," he warned.
Zofren shrugged. "Unfortunately, that's always been a part of my nature. I'm usually just more subtle about it than I was during that time."
There was another awkward pause, and Zofren gave them all another one of his calm smiles. "Well, then. You said you had a child in need of help?"
The Power Rangers were asking one of Earth's worst former villains to save the day and help protect their children. He never thought he'd live to see the day.
To be honest, he hoped he never lived to see them this desperate again.
****
It surprised Wes a little when it was Justin that took more effort to convince to allow Zofren to look at Elizabeth, rather than Rose. Rose seemed to have the reached the point of being anxious to find anyone able to figure out what was wrong with her daughter. Justin on the other hand, was one of Zordon's chosen Rangers. He knew exactly who and *what* Zofren used to be, and he didn't want him anywhere near his little girl. In the end it took Tommy swearing on his own life that Zofren wouldn't hurt her and both of them being allowed to remain in the same room - with Grunts - before Justin relented.
Zofren didn't really seem to do much, in Wes' opinion. After reading every lab and medical report from the incident, he played with Elizabeth. He watched her smile and giggle, and when she finally did ... whatever she was doing again a few days after he'd arrived, he just seemed to look at each one of her for the longest time.
At last he called for all of the former Rangers who'd been involved in the accident, and requested that Sky, Elizabeth, and Bridge be brought along as well. Cam, T.J., and Tyzonn had all been brought in via com call from S.P.D. Japan. No one was happy to be there.
"Would you like the good news or bad?" Zofren asked finally, offering them all a sad smile.
"There's good news?" T.J. muttered on one of the monitors.
"All of these children are happy, healthy, and perfectly capable of learning to control their abilities," Zofren informed him. "That *is* good news."
"Then what's the bad, Dude?" Dustin asked, frowning.
Zofren sighed heavily, reaching out to touch Elizabeth's hand as she grabbed for him with a happy giggle and tried to climb into his lap. "Elizabeth is creating copies of herself. These are complete copies; you can't tell the difference because there isn't one. They're extensions of herself. She's consciously aware that she's doing it, which is a good sign because she has a natural grasp of what she can do. Unfortunately, she seems to be very curious by nature and enjoying the trouble she's causing, which makes her more likely to do it as often as she can. Coping herself takes a great deal of energy, which is also why she sleeps for so long afterward. As she learns more about what she can do, she may become able to make copies with a lower level of sentience, which will use a great deal less energy."
He dug into his pocket for a moment, then offered something to Justin. Wes squinted, and blinked at the familiar silver 'z' symbol on a matching chain. "If you're willing to accept it, this necklace has enough magic protection and charms on it there's no possible way for her to replicate it. You can use it to help identify the original."
Justin stared at him for several minutes before at last taking the necklace with a slightly nod. "Thank you," he said quietly.
Zofren nodded solemnly. Then he turned to look at Sky, who stared back at him more warily. "Sky on the other hand, seems to have some sort of ... defensiveness about him that's probably linked to his power. It's also why it hasn't manifested yet, and why I can't really be sure of what it is. Because it's a more subtle ability, Sky hasn't needed to use it. That also means his should be easy to use as well."
"What about Bridge?" Adam spoke up, watching Zofren from the wall he was leaning against.
Zofren sighed again. He looked at Bridge, but unlike the other two, make no effort to reach out to him. "Bridge is unstable," he said bluntly. "I'm not sure if it's because of what his powers are, what life stage he was at when he absorbed them, or just that he isn't strong enough to control them."
"What *is* his power?" Aisha demanded, shifting closer to Rocky, who was holding Bridge. She reached out to touch Bridge's cheek, and he leaned against her hand with a happy sigh.
"He's an empath," Zofren told her. "It's some sort of energy empathy, which is why it's so unstable. He isn't just absorbing feelings, he's reading auras, possibly reading thoughts. He's young enough that he may even be imprinting."
"That's why he hates strangers," Rocky mused, rubbing his son's back.
Bridge grinned up at him and blew a spit bubble.
"The one good thing about Bridge's power is that it seems to be entirely in his hands, which means you may be able to dampen it by keeping them covered," Zofren went on. "I can't say for sure, because it isn't as if he's going to be able to tell the difference for a very long time. Until he can, the best thing to do is keep him from touching anyone that isn't one of his parents. They won't affect him."
"How are we supposed to manage that?" Adam demanded, looking agitated. "We all .. We can't - "
Rocky reached back, snagging his arm and pulling him to his side. "We'll figure something out," he murmured, resting his chin on Adam's shoulder. "It's gonna be fine. We'll make it fine if we have to."
"How did this happen?" Kimberly whispered suddenly, her eyes shining with restrained tears. "Everyone keeps blaming this on the lab accident, but no one knows *why*."
Wes saw caught Zofren's wince out of the corner of his eye. "What is it?" he demanded sharply. "You know something else."
Zofren hesitated. "Yes, I know something," he said slowly.
Kat's eyes narrowed as she spoke up for the first time since she'd joined them all. "Well?"
There was a long silence as Zofren seemed to search for what to say. "Have you ever wondered what happens when you combine the abilities of several Power Rangers?" he asked at last, his quiet voice echoing through the room.
Aisha sat down hard in a chair. Her face was pale, and her hands were starting to shake when Kimberly swiftly moved to kneel at her side, wrapping her arms around the other woman. They clung to one another, Kimberly fighting tears while Aisha just stared distantly at the floor.
Rose abruptly let out a sob, and Justin had her head against his shoulder in an instant as he buried his face against her hair.
Wes' head was swimming. This was *his* fault? Because he was a Ranger, now Sky was ... was ... a mutant? Sky had some sort of genetic defect because he still used the Power?
Distantly he was aware of Vanessa's voice in the background, demanding to know how he knew any of this for sure.
Zofren let out another soft sigh with a pained expression. "I lost my abilities as a sorcerer when Zordon's energy wave went through me," he began, and somehow Wes was still aware of the way Billy and Kimberly flinched, "But after twenty-thousand years using magic I'm still sensitive enough to understand when it's around me. I'm also a member of the Order of Light, which makes me a 'priest' to the Morphin Grid, if you will. I know how to tell when the Morphin Grid has touched someone, especially in the way that it's touched all of you."
"A-all of us?" Chip stammered, freckles standing out against his white face as he gripped the back of a chair for support.
After a moment of looking at them all, Zofren finally picked up Elizabeth, smiling faintly as she giggled at him again. "In all of your times as Rangers, have any of you ever duplicated yourself?"
"I have."
Adam's head came up as he and Dustin stared at one another in surprise.
Zofren merely nodded. "Have any of you ever shielded yourself against your enemies?"
"My armored skin, from my Dino Gem," Ethan whispered.
"Me, too," Ryan said quietly, startling everyone. "I ... I'm not entirely human. My defensive capabilities are stronger."
Zofren looked at Bridge, who was blinking at up Rocky and Adam and starting to frown. "And energy?"
"Me," Cam informed them through his side of the call. His expression was blank. "My Samurai amulet is able to absorb and manipulate energy.
-(Green,)- Wes thought distantly. -("I remember Green.")-
"Wes?"
He blinked slowly, glancing down at Vanessa as she frowned at him, looking worried. "I remember Green," he repeated. "There was Green, and then Silver."
"I saw Green, too," Dustin confessed quietly, eyeing him.
"Black," Ethan spoke up.
Ryan glanced at him. "Blue," he admitted as Ethan looked startled.
Adam shook his head, his eyes dark and distant. "I remember Yellow."
Billy looked lost. "I recall Yellow as Adam did, but also a great deal of Silver."
Cam raised an eyebrow, and Wes found dark eyes staring straight at him even through the visual link. "I saw Red."
"Pink," Rocky murmured.
Kimberly frowned. "I remember Rocky," she said plainly.
Everyone looked at her in surprise. "Rocky?" Kat repeated warily.
Kimberly nodded. "I think it was Red, but I remember reaching out to Rocky."
"You were holding hands when we found you," Tyzonn volunteered from behind Cam and T.J. "You refused to let go until after you were completely awake."
"Rose?"
Justin's concern cut through the conversation, and now they all watched the young couple worriedly.
"All I remember is white light everywhere, and then everything just sort of faded. That's when it started to hurt." she whispered, still leaning into him so that they had to strain to hear her. "It hurt so bad ... " She sobbed again, clinging tight to Justin as he rubbed her back.
Elizabeth slid down from Zofren's lap, crawling over to her parents. When she reached them, she plopped down on her behind, reaching up to tug on Rose's pant leg. "Mama?" she asked plaintively, holding her arms up.
Rose scooped her up in an instant, cradling her daughter as she cried.
Wes stared down at Sky as he frowned at them all curiously. Whatever his son became, it was *his* fault. He looked around, his eyes falling on Bridge as a chill ran down his spine.
Cam saw Red. He saw Green. He saw ... Cam?
"Wes ... ?"
"I think Bridge might have something from me, too," he heard himself say, moments before his vision grayed and someone shouted his name in alarm.
At last! Some explanations as to *what* exactly the lab accident did! Sort of. A couple explanations, anyway. ^_~
Bright Skies (Multi - Season Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt #14: Save the Day, T)
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Fandom/: Power Rangers Time Force moving into S.P.D., multiple Rangers from each season
Characters/: Wes (Time Force), multiple Rangers from other teams (Literally too many to list)
Pairings/: Post - Wes/Eric, Rocky/Adam, Shane/Dustin, Hunter/Cam, Carter/Dana, Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, Carlos/Ronny, Jason/Taylor, Conner/Ethan, Justin/Rose, Tommy/Kimberly, Tyzonn/Mack, Cassie/OC, Nick/Maddison, Zack/Aisha, Trent/Kira, Post - Billy/Cestria. Future Ryan/Carter and Billy/Hayley. More couples will most likely be mentioned, but not shown.
Prompt/: #14: Save the Day
Rating/: T (For non - graphic mentions of people having babies and being violent with one another)
Disclaimer/: I don't own the Power Rangers, but if Disney's hiring any new writers I volunteer.
Summary/: When Wes' life starts to fall apart, an accident gives him a chance at a fresh start in New Tech City, with Space Patrol Delta. But even a new life has its ups and downs - and weird friends.
Warnings/: A mentally handicapped person living in a medical facility, angst, male and female slash, non - cemented couples (In otherwords, pairings that will be separated), children created by scientific means
Author's Notes/: Wow, this sucker's long. But this prompt just wouldn't die short. It just kept *going* ...
Zofren is technically my alter-ego for a cannon character, as stolen from my Fade to Darkness universe. He really hasn't been there yet, though. I've never noticed if Z's necklace actually replicates with her or not, since she's always hiding it under her uniform, so I'm taking liberties here.
It all started out seemingly innocent.
Wes was walking down the hall at S.P.D. when he suddenly noticed a baby, just barely learned to crawl, steadily moving along on her own. "Elizabeth Stewart-Ortiz!" he called, scooping her up to give her a firm stare. "And just what do you think you're doing out here, young lady?"
She blinked up at him with large brown eyes. She was a cute little thing, a bit pudgy with wispy brown hair starting to curl around her face. Just over a year old now and she was already proving to be very intelligent, learning to mimic things by watching the people around her.
"Time to go back to your mother, kiddo," he scolded, tapping her nose gently. He grinned when she stared at it cross-eyed.
With Sky, Elizabeth, and Bridge being born literally within months of each other, all of the former Rangers of S.P.D. had found themselves keeping an eye on the little rugrats. It wasn't anything anyone had been particularly asked to do, but it made things easier on all associated parents, and it just seemed to happen almost instinctively that way. Wes couldn't complain, as it kept Sky always in safe hands and usually playing contentedly with the other two.
He frowned, trying to remember who'd volunteered to baby-sit today as he shifted Elizabeth to one arm. He flashed her another smile as she continued to stare at him, and tickled her until she burst into giggles. She didn't smile often, too busy watching the world with those wide eyes, but she was absolutely adorable when she did.
He poked his head into Rose's office, glancing to make sure she was in there. "Hey, Rose," he called. "I found something that I think belongs to you."
She looked up, sighing in frustration as he walked in. "Elizabeth Saige," she growled.
"Hey, Rose! I think you lost something!" Nick announced, grinning as he and Maddison followed behind him. In Madison’s arms was an equally wide-eyed baby, identical to the one Wes held.
"Rose, can't you keep a hold of your own kid?" Ronny complained from behind them, carting yet another infant.
Everyone froze as they all looked first at one another, then to the three identical children. "What in the world?" Maddison gasped.
"Elizabeth?" Rose asked, calmly and carefully.
"Mama!" all three babies squealed in unison, holding out their arms.
"Hey Rose, do you have - whoa! Dude!" Dustin stumbled to a stop, staring at them all with wide eyes. "So, uh ... Does anyone think this was what Kat meant by 'unique DNA structure'?" he asked, blinking rapidly.
****
After extensive studies by the Docs, Techs, *and* Morpher Project's Floaters, everyone had come to the same conclusion: all three infants were Elizabeth. All three were completely identical in every way, down to their DNA structure. All showed the same reactions to different stimuli, and even seemed to be aware of one another. Genetically, there was simply no way to tell them apart.
Rose had gone into what Chip liked to call her 'Stern and Silent Mode', keeping her words short and precise. When she didn't speak, her eyes were narrow and her lips thinned. Justin on the other hand, was trying his best to be cheerful as he played with all three versions of what were apparently their daughter. His eyes never matched his smile when he talked to anyone, but he forced himself to treat the three little girls all the same as he usually would.
Frankly, Wes didn't know how he was doing it.
And then at the end of the day, Justin turned around from preparing her dinner to find a single baby, sound asleep in the chair he'd left her in. The other two had vanished.
****
"Like I said, I don't know for sure if this is a solution," Tommy warned.
"Are you sure he'll even come?" Nick asked skeptically. "I mean, I know the story behind Mystic Mother and all from my mom, but no one ever mentioned him."
"That doesn't mean he isn't still around," Tommy informed him. "And like I said, I don't *know* if he can help. But if R - " He winced. "Mystic Mother is gone, he's our best shot."
"Mystic Mother," Kimberly murmured, shaking her head in bemusement.
Wes gave her a sympathetic smile. He'd gone along with the three of them to great Tommy's 'ally' that *might* be able to help Justin and Rose with Elizabeth mostly because he needed something to do before he went crazy. Vanessa hadn't taken the news about Sky well, and with Elizabeth's ... situation ... she hadn't let Sky out of her sight. He was desperate for a chance of something, *anything* that might help Elizabeth. After all, if this guy could help her, maybe he'd be able to help whatever happened to Sky in the future.
So he'd tagged along while they waited at the landing zone for this guy Tommy was waiting for. Kimberly had come because for one, she was an S.P.D. Ambassador and she had to. But she also seemed to be there for Tommy judging by the way she had loosely hooked their fingers together, which struck Wes as odd, because while they had 'moments' every once in awhile that made everyone wonder, they really weren't a couple as far as anyone knew. But then, who was he to judge someone else's relationship? He still couldn't get over his last one even though it ended nearly two years ago, and he kept using his new status as a daddy and responsibility to help Vanessa as an excuse to get out of any chance of being forced into anything. He'd finally accepted that he and Eric were over, but he wasn't ready to think about dating any time in the near future.
He glanced at Nick, and smiled faintly. From what he could tell, Nick was just here from straight curiosity. He might have used his position a Grunt to help him get there, but mostly he just seemed to really want to meet this guy.
What finally emerged from the shuttle when it landed, was the absolute *last* thing Wes had been expecting.
The man was thin to the point of almost being scrawny. Possibly even geeky-looking. Apparently in his late forties, his brown hair was already streaked with gray, and his face seemed worn and tired just from the flight - which, judging by the quality of the shuttle he was using, really hadn't been that long. He was wearing what looked like some sort of ceremonial red robes, while his forearms and calves had been wrapped in bandages.
He stopped in front of them all with a small, quiet smile, bowing gracefully in away that reminded Wes of the way some of S.P.D. Japan's staff greeted them. "I'm honored by your presence, Power Rangers. Forgive my delay - our shuttle encountered trouble," he said softly.
Tommy blinked, hurrying to mimic Kimberly as she bowed back to the man, and Wes and Nick followed suit. "We're glad to have you," Kimberly returned. She gave him a smile, but Wes noted it wasn't quite as warm as she would usually have given. "Thank you for hurrying to help us."
"It's the very least I can do," the man murmured, his eyes falling to the ground.
Tommy cleared his throat awkwardly with the expression of someone who was still searching for a way to salvage the situation. "Well, uh ... You .... you remember me and Kimberly, of course." He winced even as he said it, and Kimberly shot him a glare. "This is Sergeant Commander Nick Russell of our Security Department, former Red Mystic Force Ranger. And Sergeant Captain Wes Collins, Red Time Force Ranger. Guys this is - " He stopped again, hesitating.
The man offered them all another soft smile, inclining his head. "Please, Tommy. Don't hurt yourself trying to be diplomatic." he teased gently. "I am called Zofren of Nastris." His eyes turned to them, and Wes was startled to realize his gaze was actually studying him intently. "I'm also the former Lord Zedd."
He tried not to gape, and discreetly stepped down hard on Nick's foot when he openly stared. *This* was Lord Zedd? This quiet, nerdy guy? He looked like a member of a monastery from one of Jen's old Kung Fu movies! How could this guy be one of the people who'd once tried to conquer Earth, the man Tommy had openly admitted to being his greatest enemy?
Then he blinked, and fought not to stare at Tommy now. This was *Lord Zedd* and Tommy invited him here on *purpose*? Was he crazy?!
Zedd - *Zofren* glanced at Tommy, peering up at him shyly from under his eyelashes in a way that was disturbingly feminine somehow, yet seemed to suit him. "You invited security to escort me while you surround me with Red Rangers?" he asked.
Tommy froze, looking horrified. "No! No, it's not like that at all! I didn't - we weren't trying to imply - "
He was cut off by Zofren's quiet laughter, which was more of a subtle shaking of his shoulders than anything. "Relax, Tommy," he chuckled. "I'm not offended. I still find it's fun to rile you up a bit."
Tommy stared at him for a moment, then scowled. "That's a bad habit," he warned.
Zofren shrugged. "Unfortunately, that's always been a part of my nature. I'm usually just more subtle about it than I was during that time."
There was another awkward pause, and Zofren gave them all another one of his calm smiles. "Well, then. You said you had a child in need of help?"
The Power Rangers were asking one of Earth's worst former villains to save the day and help protect their children. He never thought he'd live to see the day.
To be honest, he hoped he never lived to see them this desperate again.
****
It surprised Wes a little when it was Justin that took more effort to convince to allow Zofren to look at Elizabeth, rather than Rose. Rose seemed to have the reached the point of being anxious to find anyone able to figure out what was wrong with her daughter. Justin on the other hand, was one of Zordon's chosen Rangers. He knew exactly who and *what* Zofren used to be, and he didn't want him anywhere near his little girl. In the end it took Tommy swearing on his own life that Zofren wouldn't hurt her and both of them being allowed to remain in the same room - with Grunts - before Justin relented.
Zofren didn't really seem to do much, in Wes' opinion. After reading every lab and medical report from the incident, he played with Elizabeth. He watched her smile and giggle, and when she finally did ... whatever she was doing again a few days after he'd arrived, he just seemed to look at each one of her for the longest time.
At last he called for all of the former Rangers who'd been involved in the accident, and requested that Sky, Elizabeth, and Bridge be brought along as well. Cam, T.J., and Tyzonn had all been brought in via com call from S.P.D. Japan. No one was happy to be there.
"Would you like the good news or bad?" Zofren asked finally, offering them all a sad smile.
"There's good news?" T.J. muttered on one of the monitors.
"All of these children are happy, healthy, and perfectly capable of learning to control their abilities," Zofren informed him. "That *is* good news."
"Then what's the bad, Dude?" Dustin asked, frowning.
Zofren sighed heavily, reaching out to touch Elizabeth's hand as she grabbed for him with a happy giggle and tried to climb into his lap. "Elizabeth is creating copies of herself. These are complete copies; you can't tell the difference because there isn't one. They're extensions of herself. She's consciously aware that she's doing it, which is a good sign because she has a natural grasp of what she can do. Unfortunately, she seems to be very curious by nature and enjoying the trouble she's causing, which makes her more likely to do it as often as she can. Coping herself takes a great deal of energy, which is also why she sleeps for so long afterward. As she learns more about what she can do, she may become able to make copies with a lower level of sentience, which will use a great deal less energy."
He dug into his pocket for a moment, then offered something to Justin. Wes squinted, and blinked at the familiar silver 'z' symbol on a matching chain. "If you're willing to accept it, this necklace has enough magic protection and charms on it there's no possible way for her to replicate it. You can use it to help identify the original."
Justin stared at him for several minutes before at last taking the necklace with a slightly nod. "Thank you," he said quietly.
Zofren nodded solemnly. Then he turned to look at Sky, who stared back at him more warily. "Sky on the other hand, seems to have some sort of ... defensiveness about him that's probably linked to his power. It's also why it hasn't manifested yet, and why I can't really be sure of what it is. Because it's a more subtle ability, Sky hasn't needed to use it. That also means his should be easy to use as well."
"What about Bridge?" Adam spoke up, watching Zofren from the wall he was leaning against.
Zofren sighed again. He looked at Bridge, but unlike the other two, make no effort to reach out to him. "Bridge is unstable," he said bluntly. "I'm not sure if it's because of what his powers are, what life stage he was at when he absorbed them, or just that he isn't strong enough to control them."
"What *is* his power?" Aisha demanded, shifting closer to Rocky, who was holding Bridge. She reached out to touch Bridge's cheek, and he leaned against her hand with a happy sigh.
"He's an empath," Zofren told her. "It's some sort of energy empathy, which is why it's so unstable. He isn't just absorbing feelings, he's reading auras, possibly reading thoughts. He's young enough that he may even be imprinting."
"That's why he hates strangers," Rocky mused, rubbing his son's back.
Bridge grinned up at him and blew a spit bubble.
"The one good thing about Bridge's power is that it seems to be entirely in his hands, which means you may be able to dampen it by keeping them covered," Zofren went on. "I can't say for sure, because it isn't as if he's going to be able to tell the difference for a very long time. Until he can, the best thing to do is keep him from touching anyone that isn't one of his parents. They won't affect him."
"How are we supposed to manage that?" Adam demanded, looking agitated. "We all .. We can't - "
Rocky reached back, snagging his arm and pulling him to his side. "We'll figure something out," he murmured, resting his chin on Adam's shoulder. "It's gonna be fine. We'll make it fine if we have to."
"How did this happen?" Kimberly whispered suddenly, her eyes shining with restrained tears. "Everyone keeps blaming this on the lab accident, but no one knows *why*."
Wes saw caught Zofren's wince out of the corner of his eye. "What is it?" he demanded sharply. "You know something else."
Zofren hesitated. "Yes, I know something," he said slowly.
Kat's eyes narrowed as she spoke up for the first time since she'd joined them all. "Well?"
There was a long silence as Zofren seemed to search for what to say. "Have you ever wondered what happens when you combine the abilities of several Power Rangers?" he asked at last, his quiet voice echoing through the room.
Aisha sat down hard in a chair. Her face was pale, and her hands were starting to shake when Kimberly swiftly moved to kneel at her side, wrapping her arms around the other woman. They clung to one another, Kimberly fighting tears while Aisha just stared distantly at the floor.
Rose abruptly let out a sob, and Justin had her head against his shoulder in an instant as he buried his face against her hair.
Wes' head was swimming. This was *his* fault? Because he was a Ranger, now Sky was ... was ... a mutant? Sky had some sort of genetic defect because he still used the Power?
Distantly he was aware of Vanessa's voice in the background, demanding to know how he knew any of this for sure.
Zofren let out another soft sigh with a pained expression. "I lost my abilities as a sorcerer when Zordon's energy wave went through me," he began, and somehow Wes was still aware of the way Billy and Kimberly flinched, "But after twenty-thousand years using magic I'm still sensitive enough to understand when it's around me. I'm also a member of the Order of Light, which makes me a 'priest' to the Morphin Grid, if you will. I know how to tell when the Morphin Grid has touched someone, especially in the way that it's touched all of you."
"A-all of us?" Chip stammered, freckles standing out against his white face as he gripped the back of a chair for support.
After a moment of looking at them all, Zofren finally picked up Elizabeth, smiling faintly as she giggled at him again. "In all of your times as Rangers, have any of you ever duplicated yourself?"
"I have."
Adam's head came up as he and Dustin stared at one another in surprise.
Zofren merely nodded. "Have any of you ever shielded yourself against your enemies?"
"My armored skin, from my Dino Gem," Ethan whispered.
"Me, too," Ryan said quietly, startling everyone. "I ... I'm not entirely human. My defensive capabilities are stronger."
Zofren looked at Bridge, who was blinking at up Rocky and Adam and starting to frown. "And energy?"
"Me," Cam informed them through his side of the call. His expression was blank. "My Samurai amulet is able to absorb and manipulate energy.
-(Green,)- Wes thought distantly. -("I remember Green.")-
"Wes?"
He blinked slowly, glancing down at Vanessa as she frowned at him, looking worried. "I remember Green," he repeated. "There was Green, and then Silver."
"I saw Green, too," Dustin confessed quietly, eyeing him.
"Black," Ethan spoke up.
Ryan glanced at him. "Blue," he admitted as Ethan looked startled.
Adam shook his head, his eyes dark and distant. "I remember Yellow."
Billy looked lost. "I recall Yellow as Adam did, but also a great deal of Silver."
Cam raised an eyebrow, and Wes found dark eyes staring straight at him even through the visual link. "I saw Red."
"Pink," Rocky murmured.
Kimberly frowned. "I remember Rocky," she said plainly.
Everyone looked at her in surprise. "Rocky?" Kat repeated warily.
Kimberly nodded. "I think it was Red, but I remember reaching out to Rocky."
"You were holding hands when we found you," Tyzonn volunteered from behind Cam and T.J. "You refused to let go until after you were completely awake."
"Rose?"
Justin's concern cut through the conversation, and now they all watched the young couple worriedly.
"All I remember is white light everywhere, and then everything just sort of faded. That's when it started to hurt." she whispered, still leaning into him so that they had to strain to hear her. "It hurt so bad ... " She sobbed again, clinging tight to Justin as he rubbed her back.
Elizabeth slid down from Zofren's lap, crawling over to her parents. When she reached them, she plopped down on her behind, reaching up to tug on Rose's pant leg. "Mama?" she asked plaintively, holding her arms up.
Rose scooped her up in an instant, cradling her daughter as she cried.
Wes stared down at Sky as he frowned at them all curiously. Whatever his son became, it was *his* fault. He looked around, his eyes falling on Bridge as a chill ran down his spine.
Cam saw Red. He saw Green. He saw ... Cam?
"Wes ... ?"
"I think Bridge might have something from me, too," he heard himself say, moments before his vision grayed and someone shouted his name in alarm.